By Vanessa Mangru // SWNS
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO + INFOGRAPHIC
Most older Americans are banking on good times and living their best lives.
A survey of 2,000 people 65 and older found nearly three-quarters (72%) of people feel younger than they are, with half saying they feel younger than 50-years-old.
Age is nothing but a number for most older Americans, as 84% said they have embraced aging. And the average person stops caring what others think of their age at 43.
As older Americans enjoy their golden years, people cited the best parts of aging as having more time to do what they want (64%) and enjoying retirement (60%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ClearMatch Medicare, the results showed that 57% of elders are also tapping into their younger selves by using social media to communicate with their family and friends.
When speaking with their loved ones, 56% of adults feel comfortable discussing healthcare plans and other important life choices with them. And two-thirds prefer consulting with someone in their lives to help with decision-making.
“Baby boomers are reinventing what it means to age, and they resent those outdated stereotypes of older adults,” said Keira Krausz, chief marketing officer at ClearMatch Medicare. “They’re not letting their age interfere with their quality of life because the best years of their lives are still ahead of them.”
If and when older adults need help, many of them are cautious about who they turn to for assistance.
Many older respondents would rather take matters into their own hands by getting information about benefits via professionals, especially retirement (45%) and health care (38%) programs.
Fifty-six percent of older adults said selecting the best Medicare plans is difficult for them, prompting 61% to feel overwhelmed by the health care information they receive from multiple sources.
Four in five respondents said they’ve become more cautious about trusting people than ever before because many fear being taken advantage of. That may be why 59% prefer to handle their own paperwork.
And as 84% are confident in their understanding of online safety, more older Americans feel confident in their ability to research health care information (35%) than relying on family members (27%) and friends (23%).
However, awareness of online risks doesn’t make them feel less vulnerable. Since 58% are active on social media, more than half (53%) have their guard up when encountering online scams and fraudulent calls.
“Older adults today are well-equipped to utilize technology to choose goods or services they need – the shift to quarantine as a result of COVID has proved that,” said Krausz. “Although it may seem daunting at first, there are many digital tools available to help Americans make important decisions.”
BEST PARTS OF GETTING OLDER
- Having more time to do what I want (64%)
- Retiring (60%)
- Having more time to relax (56%)
- Spending time with my family (49%)
- Being able to say what I want (36%)