Ohio ranks 30th for senior health

Ohio improved one spot, to No. 30, on UnitedHealth Foundation’s annual ranking of senior health (Source: “Ohio’s seniors score poor health rating, but some good news emerges,” Dayton Business Journal, May 22, 2015). 

According to the ranking, among the factors contributing to Ohio’s below-average ranking include a high prevalence of physical inactivity, low percentage of quality nursing home beds and high premature death rate.

But some good news was found among Ohio seniors. In the past year, food insecurity decreased from 13.8 percent to 12.9 percent of adults aged 60 and older. Plus, smoking decreased from 10.2 percent to 9.7 percent of adults aged 65 and older.

The top-ranked state for senior health is Vermont, while the lowest-ranked is Louisiana.