New Report Ranks Massachusetts Sixth in Senior Health
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The United Health Foundation recently released its 14th edition of the America’s Health Rankings Senior Report, which examines 56 measures of health, providing insights into many of the strengths and areas of improvement in the health of older Americans on a national and statewide level.
This year’s report highlights progress in several areas of older adult health, including improvements in preventive health behaviors, growth in the workforce caring for older adults, and a continued decrease in early death.
However, challenges persist — particularly in mental and behavioral health, with increases in drug deaths, excessive drinking, and suicide, as well as increasing food insecurity. Differences remain across demographic groups, with health outcomes varying by rural status, race/ethnicity, gender, and more.
Massachusetts ranks sixth in overall health, with key findings including a 33% increase in flu vaccinations between 2018 and 2024, a 38% decrease in motor vehicle deaths between 2022 and 2023, and a 10% increase in food insecurity between 2022 and 2023. Click here to explore Massachusetts-specific data and access the full report.
The report highlights data that communities can use to build on existing progress, sustain momentum, and develop solutions to address ongoing and emerging challenges in older adult health.
Among the key national findings, the early death rate among older adults (ages 65-74) improved, decreasing 2% between 2023 and 2024, continuing to approach the 2019 level. But drug deaths increased 38%, excessive drinking increased 10%, and the suicide rate increased 4%. And, amid a nationwide trend of drug death reduction, older adults were the only age group to experience an increase.
Key measures of caregiving support were steady, and the caregiving workforce continued to grow. The number of geriatric clinicians increased 4%, reaching a new high. Unpaid older adult care did not significantly change between 2021-22 and 2023-2024. Home health care workers increased 5%.
Food insecurity increased 6% among adults age 60 and older (8.7% to 9.2%) between 2022 and 2023, and 7.4 million older adults experienced food insecurity in 2023.