In Advance of the 2024 Election Year, Michiganders 45+ Express Priority Issues

AARP Michigan today released a new survey identifying caregiving and financial security as top-of-mind issues for older Michiganders as the state and country head into the 2024 election season. Key findings reveal seven in ten (70%) Michigan residents are either currently providing care or have provided care in the past to an adult relative or friend. A whopping 90% of survey respondents support providing family caregivers with a tax credit to help offset caregiving expenses. And when it comes to Social Security, an impressive 91% want the money they’ve earned to be available to them in the future.

Offered every three years, the AARP Vital Voices Survey polls a cross-section of people aged 45 and older in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The resulting data is used by AARP to develop programs, advocate for public policies and provide resources to better support people as they age.

“As we head into a big election year, this survey provides older Michiganders with a much-needed voice at a time when they may not feel heard,” said AARP Michigan State Director Paula Cunningham. “And for those seeking elected office, it offers a front-row view into the issues, hardships and needs affecting these residents and where public policy opportunities exist.”

Approximately 3.9 million Michigan residents are age 50 and over, representing 39% of the state’s population. In November 2022, voters in this age demographic cast 60.17% of the total ballots in the state’s General Election.

The statewide Vital Voices survey polled 711 Michigan residents on topics such as healthcare, the economy, financial issues, independent living, long-term care, caregiving, digital literacy, employment attitudes and retirement issues.

Additional noteworthy findings from the survey indicate that Michiganders, aged 45 and older prioritize the following:

• Income tax credit for caregiving expenses (66%)
• Paid time off from work to provide care (60%)
• Reallocating state funds so that more people can be cared for in their homes (90%)
• Staying in your own home as you get older (85%)
• Alternatives to nursing home care (73%)
• Flexibility in schedule to care for a loved one (70%)
• Having Medicare benefits available in the future (88%)
• Having adequate health insurance coverage (93%)
• Being able to pay for prescription drugs (89%)
• Affording housing options (73%)

For more comprehensive AARP survey results on Americans aged 45 and above in every state, visit: www.aarp.org/vitalvoices.


For media inquiries: Careena Eggleston, ceggleston@aarp.org, 517-974-1768.