Ageways survey finds Washtenaw County older adults report home-repair and transportation gaps; caregivers and benefits awareness also flagged

Stephanie Carpenter, director of planning and advocacy at Area Agency on Aging organization Ageways, presented results of a 2025 unmet‑needs survey to the Washtenaw County Commission on Aging, saying the research firm collected roughly 2,000 responses across a six‑county region and extrapolated county estimates from that sample.

The survey, fielded in July by Mitchell Research using text and phone outreach, found that while many older adults in the county report good neighborhood safety and high internet use, several service gaps persist. Carpenter said 72% of respondents reported no home‑safety concerns, but 5% reported major repairs and 12% minor repairs; 10% said they lacked grab bars and 3% said they needed a ramp. Cost and physical ability were the most common reasons people had not made repairs.

Transportation barriers were also notable: 9% of county respondents reported trouble getting transportation and 8% said they had missed a medical appointment because they could not get a ride. The county sample reported higher-than‑regional use of rideshare services (about 26%) and higher public‑transit use (17%), which Ageways suggested could be an outreach opportunity.

Health concerns centered on falling, pain and weight management. Ageways reported 13% of respondents experience constant pain and 19% have daily pain; many rely on medication or lifestyle changes to manage symptoms. Dental care and other preventive visits were sometimes skipped for cost reasons, the presenter said.

Social needs and caregiving also emerged. Twenty percent of respondents reported loneliness or isolation, and 32% said they wanted more social contact. Caregiving responsibilities were reported by 6% of respondents (higher than the regional average); among those caregivers, 59% devoted 1–5 hours a week and 20% more than 16 hours. Ageways said 81% of caregivers felt they had enough support but many requested help finding resources or support groups.

Financially, Ageways reported the county skews higher in household income than the broader region, but pockets of severe need remain: about 22% of respondents reported incomes below $31,175 and 20% reported incomes of $6,000 or less. Benefit awareness gaps were common: 59% said they believed they were receiving all benefits they qualified for, while 20% said they were not and another 20% were unsure.

Carpenter emphasized limitations of the study: because the survey relied on phone and text outreach it likely underrepresents older adults without phone access (including people experiencing homelessness), limited‑English speakers and people with significant cognitive impairment. Commissioners asked for additional breakdowns (urban vs. rural, caregiver subgroups), a county map of responses and the full executive summary and a 2019–2025 comparison, which Ageways agreed to provide.

The commission heard the presentation as the county continues planning for an eventual director of aging services and for allocations tied to a senior services millage. Commissioners identified near‑term uses for the data — expanding chore services, home modifications, transportation access and targeted benefits education — and asked Ageways to share the underlying data and methodology so community partners can act on the findings.

The presentation concluded with Ageways offering to circulate the executive report and to respond to follow‑up requests for sampling details, subgroup charts and any available maps.