Health of Older Minnesotans

2001 Issues Briefs – Health of Older Minnesotans

Minnesota seniors are generally active and in good health

• In general, older people in Minnesota are in fairly good health. From the Baby Boomers to the 85+ people, about half of all older adults describe their health as good. However, the proportion who say their health is excellent decreases steadily with age.

• Table 17   Description of Current Health Status
• Older Minnesotans are fairly active. Overall, more than half (54 percent) of respondents report that they participate in vigorous activity for at least 20-30 minutes, two to three times per week.
• Table 13   Participation in Vigorous Activities
• For those who are in poor health, some have difficulty getting the medical services they need. This is a significantly bigger problem for people who live alone (14 percent report difficulties), and those with very low incomes (18 percent of people with incomes below $12,000 a year reported barriers to receiving medical care).
• Table 18   Difficulty Getting Medical Services Needed
• Respondents reported three barriers to receiving needed health care:
• costs of medical care,
• lack transportation to medical care services, and
• no medical services available in community.
• Table 19   Reason Very Difficult or Somewhat Difficult to Get Medical Services Needed
• About one in every five older Minnesotans spent at least one night in a hospital in 2000. A person’s chance of being hospitalized increases with age. People aged 55-59 were about half as likely to need hospitalization as those 85 and older (13 percent and 26 percent respectively). About 2 percent spent at least one night in a nursing home in 2000.
• Table 24   Hospitalized Overnight in Past Twelve Months
• Table 25   Stayed Overnight in Nursing Home in Past 12 Months

• Doing heavy housework is the greatest challenge of daily living tasks.

• Table 27   Functional Status