Still, Roberts added, \u201cit was notable that such a high proportion of people were unfamiliar with what (services were) available to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even the state\u2019s 16 Area Agencies on Aging, a network of organizations that operate as a statewide first stop for all resources aging-related, \u201ckind of fly under the radar for people,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n
That tracks with findings in a 2024 poll<\/a>, also conducted by the National Poll on Healthy Aging, that found that just more than half of older Michiganders had heard about the Area Agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: <\/p>\n It also echoes Bridge reporting last year<\/a> that found vast numbers of seniors are unfamiliar with the services throughout the state.<\/p>\n About 2 in 5 \u2014 39% of respondents \u2014 said they weren\u2019t familiar with services for older adults in their area. Even 1 in 4 caregivers were unfamiliar with programs in their area.<\/p>\n That\u2019s worrisome in a state aging faster than most<\/a>. While its overall population has flatlined over the past decade, the number of residents 65 or older increased by 500,000 \u2014 the equivalent of, each year, adding a city the size of East Lansing composed only of seniors.\u00a0<\/p>\n And the first of the Baby Boomers are turning 80 this year.<\/p>\n Awareness not only will enable people to find the help they need, it will reduce the stigma of reaching out, Roberts said.<\/p>\n There have been efforts to raise the profile of the services, he noted.<\/p>\n Late last year, for example, the state\u2019s Area Agencies on Aging Association launched a one-stop, online resource<\/a> to help the state\u2019s estimated 1.6 million caregivers connect to resources \u2014 respite care, home safety assessments, in-home care, caregiver case management, counseling and assistive technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n A \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018excellent\u2019 place to age<\/p>\n On the upside, more than 4 in 5 respondents of the poll \u2014 82% \u2014 rated the state as a \u201cgood\u201d to \u201cexcellent\u201d place to live as they grow older<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some positives to build on,\u201d said Phil Lewis, of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund<\/a>, which funded the study.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMichigan\u2019s fortunate to have a lot of strong aging partners,\u201d he said, referring to (Area Agencies on Aging), county commissions on aging, and senior centers.\u201d<\/p>\n But satisfaction levels varied by which of four regions<\/a> of the state they live in, their health status, income, race, and whether they serve as a family caregiver to another adult.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those who live in northern Michigan, for example, were more likely to give lower ratings on several measures, including access to high-quality health care, social and recreational activities, transportation and housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n And Black Michiganders were less likely than white Michiganders 50 and older to rate the state as an excellent, very good or good place to age, at 69% vs. 84%.\u00a0<\/p>\n (More details can be found at this interactive dashboard<\/a>.)<\/p>\n The survey also revealed that 45% of respondents rated their cost of living as fair or poor, highlighting financial anxieties.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s a call for policymakers to address medical debt, for example, or building out telehealth to improve access to health care.<\/p>\n Like counterparts elsewhere, many older Michiganders are \u201cliving on fixed incomes. They may not have a huge nest egg built up,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve found that a lot of folks were not really well prepared\u201d for the increased costs of health as they age \u2014 \u201cA lot had misconceptions, thinking \u2018My Medicare will take care of that,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Housing and transportation, said Lewis at the endowment fund, are \u201clongstanding issues,\u201d and the study reinforces a call for a \u201ccontinued focus to make gains for those who are facing barriers,\u201d\u00a0 he said.<\/p>\n Moving forward, the poll also may be used as a baseline. As services change over time, the poll can be repeated every few years to measure whether older Michiganders\u2019 overall satisfaction changes.<\/p>\n The poll, conducted at the University of Michigan, drew its results from 1,293 respondents.<\/p>\n When it came to the state\u2019s biggest challenge for older Michiganders, there was a clear winner: weather.<\/p>\n Just over half (52%) called it fair or poor. Perhaps that\u2019s not surprising. The poll was taken in January.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Thank you to our Michigan Health Watch Sponsors<\/p>\n Bridge Michigan Health Watch is made possible by generous financial support from our sponsors. Sponsorship supports our independent journalism mission but does not constitute sponsor endorsement of individual articles or editorial content. Bridge Michigan journalism remains fact- and data-driven and independent at all times.<\/p>\n Please visit the\u00a0About<\/a>\u00a0page for more information and to\u00a0subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to Health Watch. Interested in becoming a sponsor?\u00a0Contact Emma Carr<\/a>.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"headshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/scott_roberts_courtesy-e1778103956505.jpg\")
Surveys like the latest installment from the National Poll on Aging, conducted at the University of Michigan, can help policymakers focus discussions about the best way to serve older residents, said Scott Roberts, associate director of the poll. (Courtesy of Scott Roberts)<\/p>\n
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