Survey will gauge “aging preparedness”

A new national online survey is underway to gauge how prepared Americans are to age. Intended for adults over the age of 18, the survey will examine concerns Americans have about aging, expectations they have about who will provide for their needs in their later years, and how they expect those needs to be met. The survey will be available online throughout the month of March, and it is accessible at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/areyoureadytoage. The results are expected to be released during Older Americans Month* (May 2010).Designed by CommonHealth ACTION, a national non-profit in Washington, DC, in collaboration with BETAH Associates, Inc., a Bethesda, MD-based management consulting firm, the survey is being promoted through national organizations, print and online media, and social marketing tools. CommonHealth ACTION conducted a similar survey in 2004 that will provide some benchmark comparisons for the current survey. BETAH Associates is assisting with national promotion and dissemination of results.

When asked why a survey of this kind is important now, Natalie Burke, Principal of CommonHealth ACTION said, “It is critical that we begin a national dialogue that serves as a catalyst for individuals and communities to collaborate on effective aging strategies. Without those strategies, we are in danger of devaluing our seniors, further crippling our economy and communities, and creating an unbearable strain on the ‘sandwich generation’ that may be the final undoing of the American family.”

Based on the work her organization has done on behalf of the U.S. Administration on Aging, Michelle Taylor (BETAH’s president) has noted that our rapidly growing older population is living longer, more productive lives which highlights the need for all Americans to plan for their future. In her view, “The survey data could help us to identify specific issues and develop better strategies affecting older Americans. The ultimate goal would be for our society to be equipped with the systems to support an aging population, ensuring they have relatively independent and healthy lifestyles.”

Read more or take the survey:  http://www.commonhealthaction.org/PR_Survey.pdf