TheBuzz Erika Engle

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Honolulu is second-healthiest for retirees, AARP says

Drugstores may have to increase their orders of bluing solution -- to help keep seniors' hair bright white.

On the Net: » www.aarpmagazine.org » www.aarp.org/states/hi

Honolulu is the second-healthiest U.S. city to retire to or live in, according to a new report in AARP The Magazine, in its September/October issue.

Ann Arbor, Mich., was rated No. 1. The rest of the top 10 includes Madison, Wis.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Fargo, N.D.; Boulder, Colo.; Charlottesville, Va.; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; the San Francisco Bay area of California; and Naples-Marco Island, Fla.

The magazine considered more than 20 criteria, which it calls measures of vitality.

They include physical aspects such as clean air and water; the health and habits of inhabitants; and quality-of-life issues.

For Honolulu the magazine said, "an impressive 95 percent of residents are covered by health insurance; residents spend more time exercising than almost any other city surveyed; locals have one of the highest rates of life expectancy among surveyed cities."

Exercise is also big in Ann Arbor, where 86 percent of residents report exercising daily. It also apparently doesn't have Hawaii's doctor shortage, with 580 physicians per 100,000 people versus the U.S. average of 223. It is also home to the University of Michigan Health Center, which the magazine describes as one of the largest university medical centers in the world.

AARP Hawaii State Director Barbara Kim Stanton is "thrilled" at Honolulu's ranking.

"It can only help business," she said.

"When business owners or employees are considering their career moves or business plans, obviously they're going to be looking at the normal business and economic factors you have to consider, but a huge component is the attractiveness of the community," she said.

"It's much better for businesses that they know they have a stable work environment where people want to stay, where they want to work, and are committed to staying there."

The state is also fortunate to have a population largely covered by health insurance "because that encourages people to see their doctors earlier rather than later ... that helps to ensure a healthy work force."

The recognition shows that Honolulu is a livable and desirable community that "works for families, businesses ... and for people who retire from businesses," she said.