Remaining independent and self-sufficient were among the top priorities of aging, along with having the financial resources to support themselves in retirement, for respondents to a new survey.

CenterWell, the healthcare services segment of Humana, and Morning Consult surveyed 4,200 US adults on how they define a fulfilling life. According to the results, 78% of Americans aged 65 or more years said they would prefer independence as opposed to a longer life but having to depend on others. For survey-takers overall, the percentage was 65%.

“The question we must ask is, how do we prepare today to build a foundation for lasting independence as our nation ages?” CenterWell President Sanjay Shetty, MD, said in a statement. “Whether it’s preventive care, better availability of primary care services, expanded healthcare access or ways to address the many social factors that play a significant role in overall health, we must lay the groundwork to enable older rAmericans to achieve the independence they seek.”

Among respondents, the older adults maintained a more optimistic perspective on aging than others. Almost half of all participants (48%) said that society views aging negatively, whereas 60% of older adult respondents reported having a very or somewhat positive outlook on growing older. And although they are optimistic — almost two-thirds of the older adults surveyed said that America is a good place to age well — they still said they have concerns.

More than half of baby-boomer respondents (turning 61 to 79 this year) said they are worried about having enough savings in retirement to support themselves, and more than 20% of all baby boomer respondents reported a lack of financial resources as the single greatest barrier to aging well. In addition, more than one-third of baby boomer respondents said they fear that their quality of life and financial situation will deteriorate as they grow older, whereas 26% expect their mental health to worsen with age and more than 40% worry about needing to move to a nursing home.

Survey respondents said they value health but admitted that their health is not always a priority. According to the survey, 94% of those aged 65 or more years said that their health and well-being is important, and 83% agreed that lifestyle changes could improve aging. But only 40% said that they prioritize a healthy diet, and fewer than half of participating older adults said that they regularly see a primary care provider, even though older adults view physicians as having the greatest effect on their ability to age well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 95%of older adults live with at least one chronic condition, and almost 80% manage two or more.

The online survey was conducted May 14 to 18 among a sample of 4,217 US adults.

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