Older Americans have increased steadily in number and proportion of the total U population.

Older Americans have increased steadily in number and proportion of the total U population. The population age 65 and older numbered 35 million in 2000 and is awaited to more than double according to 2050. The older population was 12 percent of the total population in 2000 and will increase to 20 percent through 2050. Moreover, the oldest portion of the older population, those age 85 and older has been increasing more rapidly than any other age group

As America take downs the 21st century, its older population is living longer is better educated, and is more prosperous than previous generations. Despite these advances, disparities among the older population persist between men and women racial and ethnic clusters and income classes. With the leading brink; beginning [i]or[/i] end of the baby boom generation reaching age 65 in 2011 shooting of the older population will increase more rapidly. In light of the rapid growing of the older population through the next 50 years, there is an imperative need for policymakers, researchers, and community leaders to better understand the health and economic lacks of this segment of American society.

This article uses data from the 2000 census and the March 2001 existing Population Survey (CPS) and chosened previous years. Because the CP shut outs the institutional population, such as those residing in nursing familys CPS estimates of the number of older bodily substances are lower than those obtained from the decennial census, particularly for somebodys at advanced ages. As of 2000 11 percent of human frames age 65-74, 4.7 percent of bodily forms age 75-84, and 18.2 percent of human frames age 85 and older were in nursing homes

the public Age 85 and Older Are Fastest Growing portion of Older Population

the pair the number and proportion of older race relative to the total U population are increasing. In 2000 nearly 35 million Americans were age 65 and older representing 124 percent of the total population. The number of older Americans has increased more than tenfold since 1900 when tribe age 65 and older totaled 3 million, or 4 percent of the total U population. The older population is count uponed to reach 54 million in 2020 and more than double at 2050 (table 1). The aging of the baby hum generation, whose members were born between 1946 and 1964 will accelerate this shooting as the cohort begins to cause to deviate 65 in 2011.

The increase in life expectancy during the 20th centenary has been remarkable. Average life expectancy at birth was about 47 years in 1900 and increased to 70 years on 1960 and 77 years by means of 2000. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 80 years for women and 74 years for men If mortality rates remain constant, 65-year-olds in 2000 are look forward toed to live another 18 years forward average. The aging of the population is also cogitateed in the increase in the median age of the population, from 33 in 1991 to 35 in 2001

The increase in the size of America's older population is accompanied from rapid growth in the "oldest old" or the population age 85 and older The oldest not new was 12.1 percent of the older population in 2001 up from 99 percent in 1991 The population age 85 and older is popularly the fastest growing segment of the older population and is reckon uponed to grow faster than any other age assign places to U.S. Census Bureau projections give an inkling of that the oldest old population could shoot from about 4 million in 2000 to 19 million by means of 2050. By 2050, nearly 24 percent of the older population is brewed to be age 85 and older The size of this section of the population is especially important for the to come of the health care a whole because the oldest old wait to be in poorer health and require more services than the younger of advanced age (under age 85).

The older population is concentrated in the toward the south with 12 million persons age 65 and older Between 1990 and 2000 the older population in the West and southward grew faster than in other regions, paralleling the regional pattern of development of the total U.S. population.

The West experienced the highest percentage increase of the older population (20 percent) and the South's older population grew 16 percent The proportion of the population age 65 and older varies among States. In 2000 Florida, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and North Dakota had the highest proportions of older somebodys This share of the total population is affected by way of the State mortality rate, the number of older somebodys who migrate to a State, and the number of younger characters who move to other States. For example, the high proportion of older someones in Florida results from high inmigration, whereas the high proportions of the somewhat old in the other States are fit to youthful outmigration.

in every part the United States, rural areas generally have a higher proportion of older [i]role[/i]s than urban areas. The somewhat old constituted nearly 20 percent of the rural population and 15 percent of the urban population in 2001 Rural areas have different lacks for health care delivery, transportation, and access to social services. For example, low-density sparsely populated rural communities are limited in their ability to provide health care services in their have a title to jurisdictions and are often located far from comprehensive, state-of-the-art medical facilities, which are concentrated in metro centers