Elderly laments: 2 in 3 seniors now wish they cared more about their health sooner

NEW YORK –Two-thirds of Americans ages 65 and older admit they wish they had taken their health more seriously when they were younger, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 American seniors looked at how they achieve their fitness and health goals and found that 46% admit they don’t really have any goals set.

Still, 86% of seniors take their health more seriously now than when they were younger. Although almost two in five (39%) say they tend to take a proactive approach to their health, only 32% will seek medical advice as soon as they start to feel unwell. Others tend to wait out the storm and hope to feel better (22%) or try to remedy the situation themselves (42%).

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of ClearMatch Medicare, the survey showed that 81 percent of seniors admit their health could be better, despite the average respondent exercising about five times a week. Although 42% exercise more frequently indoors, 24% go outside and 15% still go to the gym.

More than seven in 10 seniors (71%) are getting in and walking to stay fit. Others lift weights (25%), ride a bike (20%), run (20%) or even practice yoga (19%). Half (51%) have goals related to health or fitness and, in the last 12 months, have managed to meet goals related to exercising more frequently (43%), drinking more water (34%), taking vitamins (28% ) and sleep more (15%).

The results also show that although most seniors tend to follow their doctors’ orders (79%), 14 percent will deviate from their advice. The most common advice seniors ignore from doctors is to exercise frequently (21%), followed by eating nutritious foods (16%). Others ignored regularly scheduled doctor appointments (13%) or recommendations to take certain medications (12%).

Many elderly people regretted not having prioritized their health when they were younger. However, the data unequivocally demonstrates that it’s never too late to start, says Ben Pajak, CEO of ClearMatch Medicare, a part of HealthPlanOne, LLC, in a statement.

Currently, the average senior visits the doctor about three times a year. In the past, barriers such as fear of what the doctor might tell them (20%) and lack of motivation (18%) have actually prevented participation in the consultation. Today, however, almost a third (30%) believe they would visit the doctor less frequently if they had taken better care of their health when they were younger.

Despite the availability of fitness benefits through Medicare Advantage plans, it’s surprising that 53 percent of enrollees acknowledge not taking advantage of these offerings, adds vice president of sales Jennifer Girdler.

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Research methodology:

This randomized, double-opt-in survey of 2,000 Americans over the age of 65 was commissioned by ClearMatch Medicare between August 31 and September 9, 2023. It was conducted by market research firm OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership in the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion Research and Marketing (ESOMAR).