NJ Seniors Do Better Job of Controlling Their Diabetes

Jersey seniors fare well in certain health areas but could do better in others, according to the latest report from UnitedHealth Foundation.

Foundation Executive Vice President Rhonda Randall says one positive for Jersey seniors is our No. 2 ranking for diabetes management.

"If you are a senior and you have diabetes and you live in New Jersey, you're more likely than most of the rest of the nation to get your blood sugar under control and get all of the screenings that are associated with diabetes," Randall said.

"This report has been in publication now by the UnitedHealth Foundation for seven years. This year we had some good news and some concerning news. On a national level we see more availability of home health care workers. We see a greater reach of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. We see improvement in hospice use across all 50 states. But we also saw concerns in higher rates of depression and frequent mental distress in seniors this year than in prior years."

On the downside, the report ranked New Jersey 50th for seniors who have a terminal disease who die in a hospital ICU, rather than at home.

Randall said seniors staying active is also a key to better health.

"In New Jersey, as seniors are able to maintain their physical activity, it helps you maintain your independence as you age. It wards off things like higher risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease because you're keeping your circulation up so if you're not physically active."

The report also showed New Jersey does well in vaccinating seniors against the flu and the number of able-bodied seniors.