Seniors that reside in Utah may relish in the fact that the state is considered the best state to age in, according to Caring.com’s “2017 Best and Worst States to Grow Old” report.
The website ranks states according to various factors, including senior living community reviews, nursing home costs and elderly well-being assessments, according to the site, which differentiates its ranking as one that is based on factors that make a state “a healthy, affordable environment for the elderly.”
Utah not only outranked other states in the overall lineup, it excelled overall in both quality of life and health care, as well as cost. Elderly residents in the state have access to “high-quality care” that is far cheaper compared to the price that their peers pay in other states, according to Caring.com.
In fact, the median annual rate for a one-bedroom unit in an assisted living community in Utah, for example, costs $36,000, compared to a national median annual rate of $43,200, according to Genworth’s 2015 Cost of Care Survey for the state.
Rounding out the top 10 best states to age include Iowa, South Carolina, Washington, Nebraska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Colorado and Oregon.
On the flip side, the state of West Virginia was given the title of “worst” state to age, coming in last in the ranks.
While affordable for the state’s elderly to live in, West Virginia’s older residents reported poor well being in various categories, including “coming in last for physical health, having a sense of purpose and having a decent social life,” according to Caring.com.
Rounding out the bottom of the list in terms of “worst” states to age include Rhode Island, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, New Jersey, Wyoming, North Dakota, New York, Indiana and West Virginia.
Written by Carlo Calma
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