This week’s Barna Minute looks at how seniors feel about the community that surrounds them.

Barna’s recent report, Aging Well, hopes to give pastors and churches a renewed vision for ministering to older adults. One piece of data uncovered in the study explores seniors’ satisfaction with and sense of community. U.S. seniors (adults 55+) shared whether they agree or disagree with the statements, “I enjoy the community I live in,” and, “I feel I am a valued part of my community.”

The data shows a plurality of senior adults (41%) strongly agree they enjoy the community they live in, but only 22 percent strongly agree they are a valued part of that community. Why is this disparity so large?