Kaye quoted in BDN article on quality of life for older Mainers
Lenard Kaye, director of the University of Maine Center on Aging and professor in the UMaine School of Social Work, spoke with the Bangor Daily News for the article, “Older Mainers thriving despite low levels of personal satisfaction, study shows.” A recent survey developed by Gallup and Healthways ranks Maine 20th in the nation in the overall well-being of its older residents, up from 33rd in last year’s report, according to the article. But Maine falls short in some areas, including seniors’ sense of purpose and personal satisfaction in life, according to the “2015 State Well-being Rankings for Older Americans,” which was one of six studies included in the annual “State of American Well-Being” report. Kaye said the report raises concerns about older Mainers’ social and emotional health. “Our low scores on the purpose and social dimensions suggest that too many older Mainers may be grappling with a real sense of social and psychological disequilibrium,” he said. Especially in rural areas, older Mainers may be shut off from the stimulation of daily activities and from opportunities for meaningful social and civic interactions, he added. “It suggests that the risk of social isolation remains a perplexing and unresolved problem for older adults living in small towns and rural communities,” Kaye said.