Seniors are exercising, going to the doctor, and living longer according to a report released by the Hennepin County Community Health Department. The Senior Health Report Card looks at quality of life, community support, disease and death, risk behavior, preventive care, and long term care. We are hoping that it will give us a baseline for tracking future changes in Hennepin County's senior population. The general health status of Hennepin Conuty's senior citizens is very strong.
Seniors here have better overall mental and physical health than the U.S. general population.
They are more likely to get preventative screenings including vaccinations for pneumonia and influenza. However there are still a few areas of concern. The report shows that older women are living alone and many are living in poverty. Thirty-eight percent of seniors in Hennepin County live with households at or below 200 percent of poverty. Females make up two-thirds of that number.