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Many Older Americans Don’t See Themselves as Disabled, Survey Finds
A survey found fewer than 25% of older Americans with disabilities request accommodations, reflecting reluctance to identify as disabled despite high reported functional limitations.
- The new survey shows University of Michigan researchers found older Americans age 65 and older report functional limits but few self-identify as disabled, HealthDay News reported on FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2025.
- Generational attitudes formed before the ADA help explain reluctance among older cohorts whose attitudes formed before 1990 and before IDEA, as experts say this stigma about admitting struggles is a familiar pattern.
- Using ACS-style questions, researchers found half of the 65-to-74 group and about two-thirds of older respondents reported disabilities, rising to more than 44% among those over 75, in a February poll of 1,353 Michiganders age 50 to 95 and 2,528 adults outside Michigan.
- Only 1 in 4 had asked for an accommodation, and fewer than 1 in 5 had received clinical accommodations from health-care providers under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
- Advocates for disability identification say it boosts self-esteem and reduces anxiety, while researchers note younger cohorts are more open to disability as community, potentially shifting norms.
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38 Articles
38 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources38
Leaning Left5Leaning Right5Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
L 25%
C 50%
R 25%
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