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Most Americans Hope to Live Past 85, But Don't
Expect It
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Dec. 9, 2005 - Most Americans (58%) hope to live
past age 85, although only 43% think they actually will, according to a
new national poll released today by Research!America and PARADE
magazine. The average age to which those polled want to live is 88, but
the average age to which they think they will live is 82.
Fewer than half (46%) think older people are viewed
with respect in America, and 62% say older persons face discrimination
in today's society. Almost half (49%) think 80-year-olds in the year
2025 will be much healthier than today but will still be very limited in
their abilities compared to younger people.
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With the White House Conference on Aging set to
start Dec. 11, "better health coverage" would top Americans' list of
suggestions to President Bush if they were delegates at the conference,
which is held once each decade to make recommendations to the President
and Congress. More than three quarters (78%) of Americans say providing
health care coverage for all Americans is "very important."
"The fact that Americans are living longer -- and,
for the most part, better -- than earlier generations is a great
accomplishment," said Bill Novelli, CEO of AARP and a Research!America
board member. "As a nation, we need to explore ways to become a society
where we all can look forward to aging in good health, with dignity and
purpose." In the PARADE/Research!America Health Poll, AARP was the only
organization a significant number of Americans (35%) named as focusing
on age-related issues.
Physical limitations, more than anything else, make
Americans think of someone as old -- 30% cite physical problems, whereas
15% say mental problems make a person seem old. Exactly half say being
active, energetic and busy is the primary attribute that makes someone
seem young. Just 13% cite appearance.
"Americans are living longer and better than ever
before, thanks to progress in science and medical research," said Lee
Kravitz, editor of PARADE.
"The first Baby Boomers, including the President
and First Lady, will celebrate their 60th birthday next year, and we can
expect the Boomers to keep showing their unprecedented capacity to do,
to enjoy and to influence the world around them." Selected results from
the poll will be reported in the December 11 issue of PARADE.
"Americans want to live long lives, and clearly
they view staying healthy and active as critical to maintaining quality
of life as they age," said Mary Woolley, president, Research!America.
"From other Research!America polls, we know Americans connect health and
medical research to improved quality as well as length of life, both now
and down the road."
Research!America is the nation's largest
not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make
medical and health research -- including research to prevent disease,
disability and injury and to promote health -- a much higher national
priority. Research!America has been gauging Americans' attitudes toward
medical and health research for more than a decade.
A report on the poll findings is available at
http://www.researchamerica.org.
Each Sunday, PARADE, the largest circulation
magazine in the world, has a conversation with America -- educating,
entertaining and empowering its 79 million readers. For more than 60
years, PARADE's columns, in-depth articles and inspiring stories have
helped people to affect change in their lives, their communities and the
world. PARADE is distributed in all 50 states and the District of
Columbia through more than 350 newspapers.
Charlton Research Company conducted the telephone
survey Oct. 23-Nov. 3, 2005, among 1,000 adults nationwide, for
Research!America and PARADE. The sample was proportionate to the
country's demographics, including age, geography, gender and ethnicity.
The survey has a sampling error of ±3.1 percentage points.
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