During September and October 2009 Central Massachusetts Agency on Aging undertook a survey of elder residents throughout the region to gather information on issues with which elders might need assistance.
Based on the sampling drawn from local street lists, it appears that the elder population of Central Massachusetts was approximately 144,000 as of January 1, 2009. The state estimate for 2010 is 148,000 so this seems to be a reasonably accurate figure
A sharp increase in the percentage of elders with incomes below the poverty line was noted. The preliminary figure for 2009 is 12.4% in comparison to 8.1% in the 2005 survey.
Overall, the top needs ranked by CMAA’s “need index”, which considers both the number of respondents with specific needs and the degree to which these needs are unmet, include the following:
Help with applying for financial assistance
Preparing tax forms
Home repairs
Finding employment opportunities
Finding volunteer opportunities
Paying property taxes
Problems dealing with large debt
Problems dealing with depression/loss
Problems coping with a disability
The majority of these are related to financial circumstances and all of them show an increase in the proportion of respondents identifying the need in comparison to the 2005 survey. Clearly, the current recession has had a significant impact on elders in Central Massachusetts.
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