Triangle Seniors Rank Quality of Life High in Survey

By Amber Lester Kennedy Saturday, December 03, 2011

A statewide survey of citizens over the age of 50 showed Historic Triangle residents are more satisfied with their quality of life than their counterparts around Virginia.

The Older Dominion Partnership surveyed 5,000 Virginians age 50 and older. Local results were released Friday. The Historical Triangle Collaborative requested Older Dominion Partnership use a technique called “oversampling” to enhance local data, which entailed gathering a larger sample size to improve its statistical reliability. The request was funded by a $17,000 grant from the Williamsburg Community Health Foundation.

The respondents mostly lived in James City and York counties, and are highly educated, with more than half possessing a college degree or higher. Most are married, and the majority of respondents are Caucasian.

“The survey gives us reasons to be proud of the region, and it highlights a few of the challenges we face,” said Sandy Wanner, chair of the Collaborative. “It will be an important tool for government, business and civic leaders as we work to improve quality-of-life issues throughout the community.”

The survey revealed older citizens in the Triangle report a higher quality of life than those in other regions. Nearly 60 percent of Triangle respondents rated their quality of life as “excellent,” compared to less than 45 percent of respondents statewide.

Seniors said the variables affecting their quality of life are, in order of importance: health, housing, recreational opportunities and safety and security.

The data also showed a high correlation between finances and health. Respondents with higher incomes were much more likely than those with lower incomes to rate their health as “excellent” or “very good.” A significant number of seniors in the Triangle live in low-income households, however. Data showed 31 percent of citizens 65 and older live in households with an annual income less than $40,000.

Many older citizens also have chosen to go back to work, with 26 percent of local survey takers saying they’ve re-entered the workforce in a different field. The HTC noted that could indicate economic distress.

The data will be used by area leaders as they plan for the future, when aging baby boomers will double the state’s senior population, from 900,000 today to 1.8 million in 2030, according to the ODP.