Beneficiary Survey Results 2007

IndependentAge Beneficiary Survey 2007 Summary of main findings

Research Background

2 nd survey undertaken among recipients of IndependentAges’ Golden Link magazine repeating the initial exercise undertaken in 2006

Survey designed to look various aspects of the life of IndependentAge beneficiaries:

Priorities

Staying Independent

Local Amenities

Finances

Health

Community

Practical support and care

Analysis in this document based on 2,773 returned questionnaires

Respondent Profile

Age Profile: 57% of respondents were aged over 75, 36% aged over 80 Base: Excludes Not Stated

Gender: Three-quarters of respondents were female and a quarter male Base: Excludes Not Stated

Marital Status: 60% of respondents were either widowed or divorced/separated Base: Excludes Not Stated

Who live with:63% of respondents indicated that they lived alone whilst 28% lived with their spouse/partner, 5% with other relatives or friends and 4% in residential care Base: Excludes Not Stated

Location: 47% of respondents indicated that they were from the south of England, 20% the north of England and 15% from central England Base: Excludes Not Stated

Section A - Priorities

Overall Importance of factors to life today

Being able to get around, staying in their own home for as long as possible, good health and independence, the family and feeling safe seen as essential by 50% or more of respondents Base: All Respondents

Under 60s less likely to rate good heath as essential than the overall sample, more likely to stress the desire to stay in their home as long as possible Base: Respondents Under 60

For 60-64 year olds the maintenance of dignity achieves a slightly higher degree of importance, although essentially the rank order is the same as for the sample overall Base: Respondents 60-64

For 65-69 year olds the rank order matches that of all respondents Base: Respondents 65-69

As it does for 70-74 year olds Base: Respondents 70-74

For 75-79 year olds staying active achieves slightly more prominence, otherwise there is little change in the rank order Base: Respondents 75-79

The same is true for 80-84 year olds Base: Respondents 80-84

85-89 year olds are slightly more likely to stress staying in their home for as long as possible as being essential Base: Respondents 85-89

For those over 90, staying in their own home as long as possible is also the most important factor. Staying active is of lesser importance overall Base: Respondents 90+

When asked to choose only 3 factors Good health, financial security and staying in own home for as long as possible achieved most mentions, with good health clearly the major priority Base: All Respondents

80% of respondents indicated that they are normally cheerful and happy, 56% of these strongly – Only 5% of respondents disagreed with this Base: All Respondents

55% of respondents agree that old age can be a very happy time of life. However, 19% disagree with this Base: All Respondents

74% of respondents indicated that they were very independent, 18% of them strongly. Only 5% of respondents disagreed with this Base: All Respondents

58% of respondents indicated that they were very active, 33% strongly – 20% of respondents did, however, disagreed with this Base: All Respondents

50% of respondents, 21% of them strongly, agreed that other people rely on them for help Base: All Respondents

49% of respondents, 22% of them strongly, agreed that they able to make a difference Base: All Respondents

34% of respondents agreed that they have people around them they can easily talk to but a similar number of 34% of respondents did not feel this was the case Base: All Respondents

Among those indicating that that they lived alone 37% indicated that they have people around them who they can easily talk to, whilst 32% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Although 37% of respondents worry that they will have nothing to offer anyone when they are old, 31% disagreed with this statement Base: All Respondents

36% of respondents agreed that they don’t feel in control of things around them, whilst 29% disagreed with this statement Base: All Respondents

Section B - Staying Independent

When asked to indicate the factors most likely to put independence at risk, declining health was the factor most likely to be considered the most important Base: All Respondents

Declining health, being unable to get around and declining finances the three factors most likely to be mentioned as impacting on future independence Base: All Respondents

Section C - Local Amenities

Although 74% of respondents indicated that they could get to the local shops easily, 21% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Respondents living in the open countryside were the least likely to indicate they could get to local shops easily Base: All Respondents

72% of respondents indicated that they could get to the local post office easily, 22% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Respondents living a city were the most likely to indicate that they could get to a local post office easily, whilst for those living in the open countryside this was more of a problem Base: All Respondents

72% of respondents indicated that they feel safe in local area, however 20% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Respondents living in a city were the least likely to indicate that they felt safe in their local area Base: All Respondents

59% of respondents agreed that local transport met their needs, 31% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Respondents living in the open countryside were the least likely to indicate that local transport met their needs Base: All Respondents

68% of respondents indicated that they had adequate bank and cashpoint facilities near them to meet their needs, 26% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Respondents living in the open countryside were the least likely to indicate they had adequate bank and cashpoint facilities in their local area Base: All Respondents

Section D - Finances

84% of respondents indicated that they were able to afford the basics needed, only 10% disagreed Base: All Respondents

62% of respondents indicated that they worried about money, whilst 32% disagreed Base: All Respondents

Nearly half (48%) of respondents indicated that they cut down on heating to save money Base: All Respondents

59% of those indicating that they are worried about money indicated that they cut down on heating to save money Base: Worry about money

29% of those who do not worry about money indicated that they cut down on heating to save money Base: Do not worry about money

22% of respondents indicated that they cut down on food to save money, whilst 73% do not Base: All Respondents

This rises to 32% among those who are worried about money Base: Worry about money

But falls to 6% among those who are not worried about money Base: Worry about money

Section E - Health

74% of respondents indicated that they had a long term illness, health problem or disability Base: All Respondents

Arthritis, rheumatism, osteoporosis, difficulty walking, heart problems/high blood pressure the most common complaints Base: All Respondents

Section F - Community

Reading and visiting friends the most popular activities that respondents enjoy doing Base: All Respondents

There is, however a significant gap between what respondents enjoy doing and what they are able to do Base: All Respondents

32% of respondents indicated that they have contact with other charities, whilst 57% do not Base: All Respondents

Respondents who have contact with other charities were less likely to receive financial and practical support from them than advice/information or friendship Base: All Respondents

Section G - Practical Support and Care

55% of respondents indicated that relatives, friends or neighbours look after or provide them with help and support Base: All Respondents

Relatives are the most likely party to provide help and support Base: Receive Support

Where help and support is provided this tends to be for less than 35 hours a week Base: Receive Support

Help with shopping is the most common form of support Base: Receive Support

18% of respondents indicated that they received some form of paid for care Base: All Respondents

Whilst respondents indicated that social services provide a significant level of paid for care, a significant proportion of respondents indicated that they funded themselves Base: Receive Support

Whilst 44% of respondents indicated that they were aware of their entitlement to a social care assessment, 33% were unaware that this was the case Base: All Respondents

Walking aids, alarms and bath aids the most likely of the aids to independence to be used by respondents Base: All Respondents

Although at a low level respondents indicated that a computer/internet would be the aid they would most likely benefit from Base: All Respondents

Respondents indicated that an handyman service would be a new service from IndependentAge that they would find most useful Base: All Respondents

An handyman service, additional financial support and help around the home the three services most likely to be considered as useful additions to the services provided by IndependentAge Base: All Respondents