Senior Health Rankings
The top-5 healthiest states for aging adults included:
1. Massachusetts
2. Vermont
3. New Hampshire
4. Minnesota
5. Hawaii
The top-5 least healthy states for aging adults included:
46. West Virginia
47. Arkansas
48. Mississippi
49. Oklahoma
50. Louisiana
Source: United Health Foundation
By the numbers
38th: Ohio's national ranking out of 50 states for senior health.
33.4: Percentage of Ohio residents age 65 and older who are obese, the worst in the nation.
17.9: Percentage of Clark County residents age 65 and older.
Source: United Health Foundation, County Health Rankings
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Healthy Springfield:About this series
Many readers responded to a report late last year that ranked Springfield as the least healthy city in Ohio. That response — including wanting to make a positive difference — prompted the Springfield News-Sun to take a closer look at the community’s health. This year, the News-Sun will dig into the public health issues facing the city, including teen pregnancy rates and school lunch programs and efforts to improve them. Later this month, the News-Sun will investigate public health funding.
Unmatched coverage
The Springfield News-Sun provides complete coverage of health care in Clark and Champaign counties, including recent stories about physical activity in schools and chronic disease management.
Ohio lags other states for the health of aging adults, according to a report released recently by the United Health Foundation.
The Buckeye State ranks 38th out of 50 states. More than 33 percent of Ohio seniors are obese, the worst in the nation. The state has several other challenges, including a high rate of physical inactivity and low flu vaccination coverage.
More than 15 percent of the Ohio’s population is older than 65, a group which makes up more than 1 in 7 Americans.
While the ranking is startling, the community must be proactive when it comes to senior health, Community Mercy Health Partners Vice President of Mission Integration Marianne Potina said. Potina is also a member of the Clark County Board of Health.
“It starts with building relationships with seniors,” Potina said.
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In 2013, seniors represented nearly 18 percent of the Clark County population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
By 2035, 40 percent of Clark County will likely be eligible for membership at United Senior Services — making health education even more important in the aging community, Executive Director Maureen Fagans said.
The agency was founded in 1968 and serves adults ages 55 and older in Clark County. It has about 5,700 members who use six locations across the county and seven nutrition sites.
Due to frequent care, seniors are the largest group of health care consumers, the study said, spending three to five times more than younger U.S. residents.
The study was based on several measures and outcomes, including premature death, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity, among others. Ohio performed well in several areas, including prescription drug coverage, hospice use and low percentage of hospital deaths.
A few years ago, United Senior Services partnered with the Area Agency on Aging as part of the Affordable Care Act to offer a number of health management courses, including a wide range of topics such as chronic disease, chronic pain, diabetes, fall prevention and Parkinson’s’s support workshops.
“We’re always offering a rotation of those kinds of classes,” Fagans said.
The organization also employs a nurse who provides blood pressure and blood sugar screenings.
Nutrition is the best way for seniors to improve their health, Fagans said. The agency provides more than 500 meals to home-bound seniors per day.
“There’s lots of proof that eating a nutritious meal every day can reduce your visits to the doctor’s office or hospitalization,” Fagans said.
The Clark County Combined Health District has discovered seniors with high blood pressure sometimes aren’t taking their medications properly, Health Educator Anita Biles said.
“They’re juggling multiple meds and not taking them properly, so that leads to a whole other issue,” Biles said.
The health district will check seniors’ blood pressure free of charge.
“It helps us identify a multitude of other issues — physical activity, nutrition,” Biles said.
The district will also make home visits for seniors who live alone, she said.
Several local programs, such as the Changing Gears cycling club and the YMCA Silver Sneakers program, connect senior citizens with the community, Potina said.
“They’re building their own community,” she said.
Preventive health care is key, 83-year-old Springfield resident Dan Hackett said. He sees several doctors on a regular basis.
“I exercise some but not enough,” Hackett said.
It’s also important to stay active, he said. He’s volunteered at United Senior Services since 2003, including a stint with Meals on Wheels. Now he runs the snack bar every Wednesday during bingo.
“It keeps me busy, keeps me occupied,” Hackett said.
About 10 to 15 people play pickleball at United Senior Services several times per week, 74-year-old Springfield resident Sharon Miller said.
“It’s a fun exercise and we enjoy the company of each other,” said Miller, who also rides her bicycle and works out at the agency’s fitness center.
She wasn’t surprised by the low ranking given the amount of sedentary people in Ohio, which could be due to the climate, Miller said.
“It’s either an extreme hot or an extreme cold, a lot of pollen,” Miller said. “We have great places to do things … but I think a lot of people can’t physically do those things.”
She believes staying active helps keep her off of prescription medication, many of which can cause side effects and affects their health and attitude.
“If you don’t feel good, you’re not going to do anything,” Miller said.
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