‘Truth in Medicine’ Poll: Majority of Metro-Area Residents Are Concerned About ‘Aging Well’ But 58 Percent Have Never Talked About It With Their Doctor

'Truth in Medicine' Poll: Majority of Metro-Area Residents Are Concerned About 'Aging Well' But 58 Percent Have Never Talked About It With Their Doctor

Women younger than 70 are more concerned than men; 65 percent worry about memory loss or dementia

Many older New Yorkers are concerned about aging well and living a long, healthy life, but most have never spoken to their physician about their age-related concerns, according to the latest Mount Sinai South Nassau Truth in Medicine Poll, sponsored by FourLeaf.

Women, especially those younger than 70, are more concerned than men. And 65 percent of all respondents have some concern about memory loss or dementia, according to the poll of New Yorkers older than 50.

In an effort to prevent cognitive decline associated with progressive neurological disorder, many New Yorkers turn to a variety of possible remedies, including:

• 69 percent of all respondents (and 77 percent of women age 70 or older) take vitamin supplements.
  
• 47 percent of respondents take prescription drugs in an attempt to hinder cognitive decline.
  
• 41 percent of all respondents and 52 percent of women younger than 70 exercise.
  
• 35 percent of all respondents (and 51 percent of women age 70 or older) play brain games, such as puzzles and crosswords.
  
• 30 percent of all respondents (and 39 percent of women younger than 70) follow a strict or limited diet.
  
• 26 percent of all respondents (and 32 percent of women younger than 70) practice weightlifting and balance training.
  

Experts say staying active and engaged with others is key to safeguarding cognitive health.

"Healthy aging is not just about adding years to your life; it is about adding quality life to the years that you live," said Adhi Sharma, MD, President of Mount Sinai South Nassau.

"When individuals devote themselves to the prevention of memory loss and chronic disease as they age, they are preserving their independence, dignity, and joy. One way to do that is to be engaged in activities they enjoy, whether it's volunteering or watching a grandchild or traveling."

"The findings from the Truth in Medicine poll underscore that aging, cognitive decline, and caregiving are not distant concerns-they are present realities touching families across New York and throughout the United States in profound and urgent ways," said Charles Fuschillo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

"The poll data is a call to action. Society must embrace a new mindset-one where healthy aging and caregiver readiness go hand in hand."

"We hope the results of this poll will help people understand that aging well is something that requires planning and commitment, not unlike financial planning," said Linda Armyn, Chief Executive Officer of FourLeaf, the poll sponsor.

While retirement at age 65once was viewed as the norm, many seniors are working longer as our average life expectancy has climbed to an all-time high of 79 in 2024. As seniors age, though, they have increased risks for chronic diseases and injuries.

And some (24 percent of those polled) say they regularly provide care for an older adult family member.

Those with a family history of dementia or who care for a senior family member have most likely spoken with a physician about the challenges.

"It's important to let your physician know about your aging concerns, even if it's not part of the initial reason why you are seeing a doctor," said Aaron E. Glatt, MD, Mount Sinai South Nassau's Chair of the Department of Medicine, and Chief of Infectious Diseases. "Your physician can offer advice and order tests if necessary to try to address your concerns and help you age well as you get older."

In addition to the fear of dementia, area residents expressed concerns about a variety of other health conditions, including:

• 72 percent: heart disease and stroke
  
• 71 percent: cancer
  
• 68 percent: arthritis
  
• 64 percent: diabetes
  
• 54 percent: chronic respiratory disease and mental health.
  

The conditions of concern to poll respondents-cancer, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory disease, cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetes-were the leading causes of death in 2023 in adults ages 65-74 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many metro-area residents admitted that they make less-than-healthy lifestyle choices, according to the Truth in Medicine poll.

• 22 percent admitted that they "sit much of the day."
• 27 percent said their diet "needs improvement."
  
• Only 24 percent said they try to limit sugar and processed foods.
  
• 7 percent describe their diet as unhealthy.
  

Fitness and physical activity is not a priority to respondents-40 percent said they are moderately active, 19 percent reported that they don't get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least once a week, 24 percent said they get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity one to three days per week, 34 percent said four to five days, and 22 percent, six to seven days.

Other key findings from the public health poll include:

• 37 percent of New York City respondents say their diet is unhealthy or needs improvement, compared to 29 percent of Long Island respondents.
  
• Long Islanders are more likely to provide care to an older adult family member than respondents in New York City.
  
• Long Island respondents are far more likely than New York City respondents to have a family history of a neurological disorder like dementia.
  
• Those who are most likely to have spoken to a physician about aging well care for a senior family member, have experienced a memory issue, have a family history of dementia or similar neurological disorder, or are women age 70 and older.
• 64 percent of people who care for a senior family member have a family history of a neurological disorder.
  

This is the 24th "Truth in Medicine" Polland first of 2026. The poll is part of Mount Sinai South Nassau's mission of outreach to improve education around critical public health issues. Sponsored by FourLeaf, the Mount Sinai South Nassau Truth in Medicine Poll aims to gather data about public attitudes on key public health topics and spur education and discussion. The poll was conducted from Thursday, March 12, through Wednesday, March 18, via both landlines and cell phones. Poll findings are subject to a sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percent.

The poll was conducted by a nationally recognized independent polling firm, LJR Custom Strategies, with offices in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans. LJR has conducted more than 2,000 studies for a broad spectrum of health care, business, education, cultural, and political clients in nearly every state in the country and around the world.

Mount Sinai South Nassau began conducting the public health poll in January 2017. Previous polls have focused on the use of wearable health devices to maintain health and wellness, alcohol consumption and its association with cancer risk, cellphone use in schools, mental health services, holiday stress, the human papillomavirus vaccine, legalization of recreational marijuana, supplements, antibiotic use and misuse, and screen time, among others. For more information about the polls, visit www.southnassau.org/sn/truth-in-medicine.

About Mount Sinai South Nassau
The Long Island flagship hospital of the Mount Sinai Health System, Mount Sinai South Nassau is designated a Magnet® hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for outstanding nursing care. The hospital also recently earned Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for preventing infections, medical errors and other preventable complications. Mount Sinai South Nassau is one of the region's largest hospitals, with 455 beds, more than nine hundred physicians and 3,500 employees. Located in Oceanside, New York, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health, and emergency services and operates the only Trauma Center on the South Shore of Nassau County, along with Long Island's only free-standing Emergency Department in Long Beach.

In addition to its extensive outpatient specialty centers, Mount Sinai South Nassau provides emergency and elective angioplasty, and offers Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® radiosurgery technologies. Mount Sinai South Nassau operates the only Trauma Center on the South Shore of Nassau County verified by the American College of Surgeons as well as Long Island's only free-standing, 9-1-1 receiving Emergency Department in Long Beach. Mount Sinai South Nassau also is a designated Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons; is an accredited center of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Association and Quality Improvement Program; and an Infectious Diseases Society of America Antimicrobial Stewardship Center of Excellence.
For more information, go to www.mountsinai.org/southnassau.