Minnesota Ranks High For Senior Living (And Senior Drinking)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota ranks near the top of the list of the best states in the country to be a senior citizen.

However, new rankings released by UnitedHealthCare also indicate that Minnesota also has one of the highest rates for seniors drinking in excess.

The study found that in the last year, excessive drinking increased by 28 percent, from a 7.2 percent rate among adults 65 and older to a rate of 9.2 percent.

As far as overall rankings go, Minnesota ranks fourth best in the U.S. for seniors. Utah tops the list, followed by Hawaii and New Hampshire.

The study finds that Minnesota has the highest percentage of able-bodied seniors, and a very low prevalence of food insecurity.

Also, the rate of early deaths decreased 3 percent.

The study found that some of Minnesota's most notable challenges, outside of excessive drinking, are low enrollment in SNAP benefits, and low prevalence of seniors with a dedicated health care provider.