Best and Worst States to Grow Old

SAN MATEO, Calif., May 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- South Dakota is the best state to grow old, according to a new Caring.com report which examined a variety of financial, healthcare and quality of life categories. Neighboring Iowa and Minnesota ranked second and third, respectively. Click here for more information:

https://www.caring.com/articles/best-states-to-grow-old

The study found there's generally an inverse relationship between the cost and quality of senior care. South Dakota and Iowa are perfect examples of a sweet spot: they offer excellent care at below-average prices. Among the 15 states with the cheapest senior care, just two rank in the top half for quality (South Carolina and Kansas).

The worst state to grow old is West Virginia, which was dragged down by a last-place showing in the healthcare and quality of life categories. New Jersey and New York join the Mountaineer State in the bottom three. These heavily populated neighbors are hampered by very high costs and below-average quality scores.

"The main takeaway from this research is that the traditional retirement destinations don't always offer the best mix of cost and quality," said Dayna Steele, Caring.com's Chief Caring Expert and the author of Surviving Alzheimer's with Friends, Facebook and a Really Big Glass of Wine. "This is why it's so important for people to do their homework while they're still relatively young and healthy in order to set themselves up for retirement years that are truly golden."

Florida came in 31st overall (mostly due to below-average healthcare quality) and Arizona tied for 17th.

Sources:

• 2015 Cost of Care Survey (Genworth)
• 2014 State Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard (AARP, The Commonwealth Fund and The SCAN Foundation)
• 2015 State of American Well-Being (Gallup-Healthways)
• Over 100,000 consumer reviews of senior care facilities (Caring.com)

About Caring.com

With more than three million visitors per month, Caring.com is a leading senior care resource for family caregivers seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses, and other loved ones. A Bankrate company headquartered in San Mateo, Calif., Caring.com provides helpful caregiving content, online support groups, and a comprehensive Senior Care Directory for the United States, with nearly 105,000 consumer ratings and reviews and a toll-free senior living referral line at (800) 325-8591. Connect with Caring.com on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and/or YouTube.

For more information:

Ted Rossman
Public Relations Director
[email protected]
917-368-8635

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SOURCE Caring.com

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