Seniors that reside in Utah may relish in the fact that the state is considered the “best” state in which to age, according to Caring.com’s “2017 Best and Worst States to Grow Old” report.
The third-party senior care referral agent ranked states according to various factors, including senior living community reviews, nursing home costs and elderly well-being assessments. Caring.com differentiates its list from others by saying that it 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 quality of life, health care and 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.
The top 10 best states in which to age are…
1. Utah
2. Iowa
3. South Carolina
4. Washington
5. Nebraska
6. Arizona
7. California
8. Idaho
9. Colorado
10. 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.
The top 10 worst states in which to age are…
41. Rhode Island
42. Kentucky
43. Ohio
44. Mississippi
45. New Jersey
46. Wyoming
47. North Dakota
48. New York
49. Indiana
50. West Virginia
Written by Carlo Calma
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