To President Bush: Better Health Coverage Tops Public's Wish-List
WASHINGTON—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.
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.
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 proble