Survey: Long Island seniors feel good about health but concerned about jobs, training

Long Island seniors are in good physical and mental health with favorable opinions about their communities but have concerns about the cost of housing and the opportunity to secure employment or to receive updated work skills, according to a new statewide survey of New Yorkers ages 60 and older.

The first-of-its-kind survey, conducted by the New York State Office for the Aging, along with the research firm Polco and the Association on Aging in New York, a nonprofit group, paints a comprehensive — but complex — picture of how seniors view themselves and the communities where they reside.

“While the results may be surprising to some, they confirm what many in the aging services field already recognize — older adults broadly consider themselves healthy, active and engaged in their communities,” said Greg Olsen, director of the state Office for the Aging. “The local results vary, and they identify several challenges for many older adults who need some assistance or support.”

The survey, conducted in the winter and spring of 2023 of 27,000 seniors, focuses on more than 100 data points, from loneliness and crime to transportation and recreational opportunities, and is designed to give policy leaders accurate information about the needs of their aging population. The office released 62 separate county-specific reports, including for Nassau and Suffolk.

Statewide, 72% of older adults consider their overall health to be “excellent” or “good,” while 82% have that opinion about their mental health and emotional well-being.

Long Island seniors felt even better, with 80% of Nassau respondents, and 77% in Suffolk, offering a favorable assessment of their physical health. Meanwhile, 91% of Nassau seniors felt positively about their mental and emotional health compared to 87% in Suffolk, the survey found.

The majority of older New Yorkers, both statewide and on Long Island, provided a positive opinion about their community, with most indicating they were “likely” or “somewhat likely” to remain in their neighborhood throughout their retirement.

But seniors across the state and throughout the Island expressed concerns about their ability to find and afford housing that “suits their needs.”

For example, only 17% of Nassau respondents, and just 15% in Suffolk, gave a positive score about the availability of affordable quality housing. A majority of seniors on Long Island surveyed also described the “variety” of local housing stock as “fair” or “poor.”

Bill Ferris, AARP New York’s state legislative representative, said affordable housing, and ensuring that seniors can remain in their homes, long have been a problem on Long Island. 

But Ferris said Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fiscal 2025 budget fails to include enough funding to address some of the major concerns outlined in the report.

“This report is detailed and shows need on Long Island and in New York State,” he said. “It’s always good when government identifies problems. It’s always unfortunate, in the same report, when they don’t offer solutions.”

Among the other concerns identified by Long Island’s seniors were finding affordable health insurance, getting needed health care, and securing employment, job training skills and volunteer opportunities.