2011 Voices of African Americans 50+ in North Carolina: Dreams & Challenges
Executive Summary AARP has a strong commitment to help improve the lives of the 50+ population. As part of the Association s continuous communication with its members and all 50+ Americans, AARP commissioned an innovative set of surveys designed to better gather information on the needs, interests and concerns of 50+ Americans both at the national and state level. These random digit dial telephone surveys of over 29,000 adults age 50+ across the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were fielded between January 2 nd and January 31 st. These telephone interviews also included additional list-assisted samples of African-American and Hispanic 50+ adults. The data presented here is based on a North Carolina state sample of 302 50+ African Americans and has a sampling error of 5.5%. 2
Executive Summary The survey finds that: Almost four in ten African Americans 50+ say that health care issues are the top problem or challenge facing mid-life and older adults in their state. Almost a third cite economic issues as the largest challenge. At a more personal level, African Americans 50+ say vacation and travel and hobbies are what they personally dream about doing next in their lives. Health and financial security are very important in the lives of African Americans 50+. More than nine in ten say staying healthy, staying mentally sharp, having adequate health insurance, and receiving Social Security and Medicare when needed are extremely or very important to them. African Americans 50+ do not have everything they need in order to accomplish their most important goals: Only a fifth of African Americans 50+ say they have everything they need to spend time with family and friends. About three in ten have all they need to insure that they stay mentally sharp. Less than a quarter have all they need to stay healthy, and have adequate health insurance coverage. 3
Executive Summary Almost two-thirds of African Americans 50+ are not confident in their ability to pay for three years of long-term care. A third would prefer to pay a nurse or personal health aide to provide care at home. Over six in ten of African Americans 50+ support increasing income tax for higher income households earning more than 250,000 annually. Almost the same number of African Americans oppose an incremental increase in state sales tax. Staying in their own homes as they age is important to African Americans 50+ although fewer worry about it. Nearly all say it is important to have long-term care services that allow people to remain in their own homes. In the current economy, African Americans 50+ believe it is important to protect education and local public safety services from budget cuts. Almost nine in ten believe it is important to protect home care services that allow people to stay in their own home 4
Dreams for the 50+ Hobbies and interests Career, job, or work Move, buy, build, or remodel home Finances and money Top Dreams (n=302) Vacation and travel Faith 7% 6% 6% 6% 15% 44% 0% 20% 40% 60% African Americans 50+ say they want to spend time traveling (44%) and pursuing their hobbies and interests (15%). Faith, secure work, having a comfortable home life, and stable finances are what many dream about. African Americans 50+ want to want to be able to find a new or better job (7%), have the home of their dreams (6%), strengthen or renew their faith (6%), and earn enough to take care of needs and wants (6%) Other dreams mentioned by five percent or fewer are around seeing children and grandchildren happy, volunteering, marriage, good health, finding a new life path, and family/friends. Source: Core Q1. Thinking about what s next in your life, I would like you to think about the kinds of things you dream about doing these could be things you have always wanted to do, but never got around to, or things you have done in the past and want to continue doing. What would you consider to be the one thing that you would most like to do? (Open ended/unaided response) 5
Top Challenge Facing the 50+ Top Challenge (n=302) Health care issues include the cost of health care and staying healthy. Health care issues Economic issues Other social issues 29% 25% 39% Economic issues include unemployment and having enough money to retire. Other social issues vary widely. They include topics like how to spend time, transportation/getting around, family values, politics and government. Source: Core Q2. What do you believe is the SINGLE most important problem or challenge facing mid life and older Americans as they get older? (Open ended/unaided response) 6
Issues of Importance to the 50+ Today Issues of Importance and Extent to Which Needs Are Met for the 50+ Today (n=302) Staying healthy Receiving Social Security when needed Adequate health insurance coverage Staying mentally sharp Receiving Medicare when needed Spending time with family and friends Protection from consumer fraud Finding best deals and discounts 23% 20% 24% 28% 28% 28% 24% 22% 99% 98% 97% 96% 96% 94% 90% 83% Extremely/Very Important Everything They Need Source: Core 3a-q. How important is each of the following in your life right now? Core 4a-h: Do you think you currently have everything you need in regards to [specific items of extreme/very importance]? See attached annotated survey for a list of items. Base for Everything They Need is those who said issue was extremely/very important. 7
50+ Long-Term Care Concerns Confidence in Ability to Pay for Three Years of Long-Term Care (n=302) Very confident, 14% Somewhat confident, 17% Extremely confident, 3% Not Sure/ Refused, 2% Not very confident, 28% Not at all confident, 36% Source: GLTC9. the cost of long-term care services can vary greatly depending on your needs. for example, nationally, two hours of daily in home care per day for five days a week costs about $11,000 a year. Adult day care for five days a week costs about $17,000 a year. Full-time care in a nursing home costs about $84,000 a year. How confident are you that you could afford the cost of long-term care for three years? Are you extremely confident, very confident, somewhat confident, not very confident or not at all confident? 8
50+ Long-Term Care Concerns Preferred Care Option for Long-Term Care (n=401) Nurse or a personal care aide provide all the care at home, 35% Home-like setting such as an assisted living or a care home, 21% Nursing home, 10% Family and friends provide all the care at home, 28% Not Sure/ Refused, 6% Source: HLTC2. If you or any member of your family needed long-term care services which care option would you prefer? Would you prefer to [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE EACH STATEMENT BELOW.] 9
50+ State Budget Concerns Importance of Protecting State Services (n=302) K through 12 education State public colleges and universities Home care services that allow people to stay home Health care access for the uninsured Alternative housing arrangements Local government aid to fire, police, parks and recreation Nursing homes Transportation, construction and road maintenance Public saftey Natural resources 95% 88% 87% 86% 85% 84% 84% 83% 76% 71% 3% 9% 9% 8% 11% 12% 10% 13% 18% 24% Extremely/ Very Important Somewhat Important Source: SB1. Your state provides many services for its residents. Now I would like to ask your opinion on what state services are important to you. How important is it to you for your state to maintain current levels of funding for [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE ITEMS A THROUGH J]. Would you say it is extremely important, very important, somewhat important, not very important or not at all important? 10
50+ State Budget Concerns Support or Oppose Options to Raise Revenue (n=302) Increasing the income tax for higher income households earning more than $250,000 annually 62% 6% 27% Increasing the tax on liquor, beer, and wine 54% 13% 29% Closing loopholes for certain businesses 53% 7% 34% Increasing the cigarette tax 47% 17% 32% Taxing services that are not currently taxed 43% 10% 41% Using the states Rainy Day Fund 41% 11% 34% Increasing licensing and user fees, such as car and boat tags, marriage and birth certificates Taxing goods that are not currently taxed such as candy, soda pop, gum and other processed foods 40% 40% 10% 8% 45% 49% An incremental increase in the state sales tax 31% 8% 57% Strongly/Somewhat Support Neither support nor oppose Strongly/Somewhat Oppose Source: SB3. Please tell me how strongly you support or oppose the following ways to raise money in order to avoid cuts to state services. How strongly do you support or oppose [INSERT, READ AND RANDOMIZE ITEMS A THROUGH I] in order to avoid cuts to state services? Do you strongly support, somewhat support, neither support nor oppose, somewhat oppose or strongly oppose? 11
50+ Survey Sample Demographics (n=302) AGE 50-59 60-74 75+ GENDER Male Female DISABILITY Yes No 10% 39% 34% 51% 45% 55% 64% ETHNICITY Hispanic/ Latino RACE White 0% Black Native 0% Asian 0% Other 0% HOUSEHOLD INCOME <30K 30K-50K 50K-<75K 75K+ <.5% 22% 16% 3% 45% 100% 12
50+ Survey Sample Demographics (n=302) EMPLOYED Employed Retired Unemployed Other 24% 44% 7% 22% PARTY AFFILIATION Democrat Republican Independent Other 2% 5% 5% 82% EDUCATION HS or less Post HS or 2 yr. 28% 55% POLITICAL VIEWS Liberal Moderate Conservative 24% 25% 31% 4 yr. degree Post grad no degree Graduate degree 5% 5% 5% AARP MEMBERSHIP Yes No 43% 54% 13
CONTACT For more information, please contact: Gregory Tanner, AARP Associate State Director-Communications Outreach 919-508-0273 GTanner@aarp.org AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Copyright 2011 AARP Research & Strategic Analysis, 601 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20049 Reprinting with Permission 14