Americans are retaining a strong desire to age in place, as opposed to moving into some kind of assisted living arrangement. 61 percent of surveyed Americans said they want to age in place at their current home, even if they have to live alone. This is according to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Brookdale Senior Living.
“58 percent of adult children polled worry that their aging parents will need senior living assistance and the same percentage of people said talking about senior living was uncomfortable and stressful,” Brookdale said in a press release announcing the survey results.
Another key finding of the survey is that 65 percent of all respondents stated that they are not actively saving money to pay for senior living, and most of them believe that retirement planning doesn’t need to begin until they reach age 47. 36 percent of respondents also said they would consider assisted or independent living in retirement.
“Many people wait to talk about senior living until there’s a traumatic event or they need to make a fast decision,” said Mary Sue Patchett, executive vice president of community operations at Brookdale Senior Living. “Many seniors know they need help, but they don’t want to ask for it because they’re afraid of losing their independence or becoming a burden to their children. Instead, they suffer silently and often in isolation. My advice is to have the conversation sooner rather than later.”
Over 40 percent of adult children have no plan in place for their parents should a medical emergency or sudden passing transpire. Almost half of all surveyed adults do not have a plan in place for their own elder years, the results said.
The survey solicited responses from 2,000 American adults. Read the interactive media release from Brookdale Senior Living for more.
