Utah is the best state in which to grow old, and West Virginia is the worst, according to a new Caring.com report.
All 50 states were ranked based on 13 senior-focused categories related to finances, healthcare and quality of life categories using data from several sources. Assisted living costs were factored into the mix.
The five best states to grow old, according to the report:
- Utah (best) was the only state in the top 15 in for both quality of life/healthcare (No. 7) and senior living costs (No. 14)
- Iowa was tied for No. 8 for overall quality of life and healthcare and was in the top 20 for senior living costs.
- South Carolina was the only state in the South in the top 10 and the sixth most affordable state for elder care.
- Washington topped the list for quality of life and healthcare but has relatively high senior living costs.
- Nebraska’s assisted living costs are similar to the national median, but home healthcare costs are higher. Quality of life and healthcare were 14th best in the country.
The five worst states, according to the report:
- West Virginia (worst) ranked second in costs for homemaker services and home health aides and sixth for adult day services, but it was No. 42 in Caring.com reviews and last in general well-being.
- Indiana’s care costs generally are low, but general well-being, physical health and sense of community are low as well.
- New York’s senior living and care costs are high, and facilities ranked second-to-last in Caring.com reviews.
- North Dakota’s nursing homes are expensive, but people reported the best financial well-being.
- Wyoming was last in the rankings on Caring.com reviews and on residents not being satisfied with their social lives. It also was ranked 40th for general health.
The report incorporated statistics on senior living community reviews, assisted living and nursing home costs, in-home care prices, elderly well-being assessments and more. Data came from almost 150,000 consumer reviews on Caring.com; “Picking Up the Pace of Change: A State Scorecard on Long-Term Services and Supports for Older Adults, People with Physical Disabilities and Family Caregivers,” funded by the AARP Foundation, the Commonwealth Fund and the SCAN Foundation; the 2016 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the 2015 and first-quarter 2016 State of American Well-Being by Gallup and Healthways, and the 2015 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.
