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 America's Seniors

Copyright (C) 2003
America's Seniors TodaysSeniorsNetwork.com

DETROIT, Aug. 27, 2003 -- Studies released Wednesday show senior citizens and those approaching senior status in Detroit, and other urban areas in Michigan, are dying at a dramatically higher rate than their counterparts statewide.

The studies, including an analysis of 2000 Census data conducted by a team from Wayne State University for the Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA), showed dramatically higher mortality rates in Detroit and other urban areas in Michigan. Included in the findings:

-- Detroit area adults age 50-59 are dying at a rate 122 percent higher than the rest of the state;

-- Detroit area seniors age 60-74 are dying at a rate 48 percent higher than their counterparts in the rest of Michigan;

-- Residents age 55-64 of 10 other urban areas in Michigan are dying at a rate 55 percent higher than their counterparts elsewhere in Michigan; and,

-- Residents age 65-74 of 10 other urban areas are dying at a rate 25 percent higher than the rest of the state.

"The results of the studies are startling," said Paul Bridgewater, Executive Director of DAAA. "We have known for some time that Detroit and other urban communities are medically underserved, but we did not realize the impact that it is having on the mortality rate. When compared with the rest of the state, the area we serve experienced 16,000 deaths among adults and seniors 50-74 in the 1990s in excess what would be expected based on the mortality rates in the rest of the state."

"Seniors in the Detroit area are medically underserved," said Tene Ramsey, Director of the City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department." The result is that they are dying prematurely because of preventable causes -- illnesses that if found early enough, could be treated and the patient's life saved."

"When our service area was shown to have lost over 43,000 older adults in a decade, we contracted with Wayne State University to determine what factors were causing this alarming loss of population," Bridgewater said. "We did not know that health care status and excess deaths played such a critical role in the loss of the area's population."

As a result of these findings, Bridgewater and Ramsey said their agencies are cooperating on an educational effort called "Dying Before Their Time: The Startling Truth of Senior Mortality in Michigan." The campaign will work to increase public awareness of the serious issues plaguing seniors, and motivate the public to effect change.

Three separate studies examining the status of senior citizens were conducted by the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University Community Health Institutes, Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology, Center for Urban Studies and Center for Healthcare Effectiveness Research. The studies were conducted for DAAA and the City of Detroit Senior Citizen Department.

The health status study, which focused on mortality rates compared the rate of deaths per 100,000 population in different parts of the state. Findings include:

-- In the 60-74 age group there were 2,922 deaths per 100,000 persons in the DAAA service area between the years 1999-2001. The rate in the remainder of Michigan was only 1,974 deaths per 100,000 persons.

-- In the 50-59 age group there were 1,306 deaths per 100,000 persons compared to 587 per 100,000 in the rest of the state.

-- In the other 10 urban areas in the year 2001, the 55-64 age group experienced 1,400 deaths per 100,000 compared to 904 per 100,000 in the rest of the state.

-- In the other 10 urban areas in 2001, the 65-74 age group experienced 2,839 deaths per 100,000 compared to 2,268 per 100,000 in the rest of the state.

The DAAA service area includes Detroit, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park, and the five Grosse Pointes. The City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department serves senior citizens in the City of Detroit. The other 10 urban areas that were studied are: Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Benton Harbor, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Muskegon, Pontiac and Saginaw.

The DAAA service area has the largest proportion of its senior population, 54.5 percent residing in a medically underserved area as compared to the rest of Michigan. The overall state average is 20 percent. Population loss in the service area over the last 30 years has resulted in its share of Michigan's total senior population decreasing from 24.9 percent in 1970 to 9.3 percent in 2000.

"The City of Detroit Needs Assessment Survey, which interviewed 1,410 seniors over a six-month period, further validates the two DAAA research studies' findings," Ramsey said.

"Clearly, access to health care is a critical issue for our seniors," she said. "Our survey shows that there is a very clear shortage of health services for our most vulnerable seniors."

Among the findings:

-- The proportion of Detroit seniors reporting a need for services is 66 percent greater than the proportion reporting having used services. The most "used" service was health screening.

-- The most economically disadvantaged respondents were more likely to have low physical and mental health scores. 39 percent reported three or more chronic illnesses; the most prevalent conditions reported are hypertension, heart disease and diabetes mellitus. When compared with the national norms, hypertension and diabetes are more prevalent than expected on national data.

-- A majority of Detroit seniors feel that there is social support in their area and felt assured of assistance if the need were to arise. Overall 62 percent measured high perceived social support, which has benefits beyond actual support received or size of the network.

"The need for increased services in our region is very evident," said Bridgewater. "In an era of diminishing resources, innovative and well- targeted programs will be the key to success."

"We look forward to working with the Detroit Senior Citizens Department in launching this advocacy campaign," stated Bridgewater. "I feel that the findings of the City of Detroit needs assessment survey are very closely related to our two surveys and really hits home with the factors that are contributing to the loss of the population."

"This study is the voice of our citizens," said Ramsey. "It shows that the need for senior services is greater than the funding allows and that there is no 'uniform experience' in aging. I feel that the DAAA understands the need for increasing services like we do and therefore we have joined together in launching this campaign."

The DAAA and the City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department will work together to bring a higher level of visibility to the issues affecting seniors throughout the campaign. The following are ways seniors and other concerned citizens can lend their support to the campaign:

-- A mailing and informational drop will occur throughout the month of September of a brochure titled "Something Startling is Happening to Your Older Neighbors." The brochure outlines the information found in the surveys and will offer individuals an opportunity to get involved in finding solutions to the problem of premature senior deaths.

-- A "Support Our Seniors" hotline has been established at 313-862-2655 for seniors or their caregivers to relate their personal experiences related to health and health care and its availability.

-- A senior symposium is scheduled to take place in September to help interested individuals better understand the data, come up with possible solutions, and explore possible changes to the Older Americans Act of 1965. Many senior advocates believe the Act has become outdated for the issues affecting seniors today and needs to be revised.

-- In October, seniors and other concerned citizens can join DAAA and the Detroit Senior Citizens Department at a rally being planned in Lansing.

For more information and upcoming events on the advocacy campaign, citizens can call 313-872-2202.

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) is a private nonprofit agency established in 1980 to serve older adults age 60 years and over residing in the cities it serves in central and eastern Wayne County. Currently, there are more than 670 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in the United States; DAAA is one of sixteen (16) agencies in Michigan.

The Detroit Senior Citizens Department provides planning, research, and monitoring of direct and indirect services for seniors. The Department includes information and assistance, special events, consumer affairs/advocacy and housing preservation.

Source: Detroit Area Agency on Aging