A Profile 

of 

Older Americans: 2009 

Administration on Aging 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
Page 2 of 17 

Table of Contents 

HIGHLIGHTS* ............................................................................................................................................3

THE OLDER POPULATION ......................................................................................................................4

FUTURE GROWTH ....................................................................................................................................5

Figure 1: Number of Persons 65+, 1900 - 2030 (numbers in millions) 

MARITAL STATUS ....................................................................................................................................6

Figure 2: Marital Status of Persons 65+ - 2008

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS.......................................................................................................................7

RACIAL AND ETHNIC COMPOSITION .................................................................................................. 8

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION................................................................................................................8

Figure 4: Persons 65+ as Percentage of Total Population by State: 2008 (US Map) 

Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ by State: 1997 to 2008 (US Map) 

Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State: 2008 (table) 

INCOME.....................................................................................................................................................12 

Figure 7: Percent Distribution by Income: 2008 

POVERTY ..................................................................................................................................................13

HOUSING ..................................................................................................................................................13

EMPLOYMENT.........................................................................................................................................14

EDUCATION .............................................................................................................................................14

HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE ..............................................................................................................14

HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE ......................................................................................................15 

Figure 8: Sources of Health Insurance Coverage of Persons 65+: 2008

DISABILITY AND ACTIVITY LIMITATIONS......................................................................................16 

Figure 9: Percent of Persons with Limitations in Activities of Daily Living 

by Age Group: 2006

CAREGIVING............................................................................................................................................17

NOTES: ......................................................................................................................................................17
Highlights* 

• The older population (65+) numbered 38.9 million in 2008, an increase of 4.5 million or 13.0% 

since 1998. 

• The number of Americans aged 45-64 – who will reach 65 over the next two decades – increased 

by 31% during this decade. 

• Over one in every eight, or 12.8%, of the population is an older American. 

• Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.8 years 

for females and 17.1 years for males). 

• Older women outnumber older men at 22.4 million older women to 16.5 million older men. 

• In 2008, 19.6% of persons 65+ were minorities--8.3% were African-Americans.** Persons of 

Hispanic origin (who may be of any race) represented 6.8% of the older population. About 3.4% 

were Asian or Pacific Islander,** and less than 1% were American Indian or Native Alaskan.** 

In addition, 0.6% of persons 65+ identified themselves as being of two or more races. 

• Older men were much more likely to be married than older women--72% of men vs. 42% of 

women (Figure 2). 42% older women in 2002 were widows. 

• About 31% (11.2 million) of noninstitutionalized older persons live alone (8.3 million women, 

2.9 million men). 

• Half of older women (50%) age 75+ live alone. 

• About 471,000 grandparents aged 65 or more had the primary responsibility for their 

grandchildren who lived with them. 

• The population 65 and over will increase from 35 million in 2000 to 40 million in 2010 (a 15% 

increase) and then to 55 million in 2020 (a 36% increase for that decade). 

• The 85+ population is projected to increase from 4.2 million in 2000 to 5.7 million in 2010 (a 

36% increase) and then to 6.6 million in 2020 (a 15% increase for that decade). 

• Minority populations are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 (16.3% of the elderly 

population) to 8.0 million in 2010 (20.1% of the elderly) and then to 12.9 million in 2020 (23.6% 

of the elderly). 

• The median income of older persons in 2008 was $25,503 for males and $14,559 for females. 

Median money income (after adjusting for inflation) of all households headed by older people did 

not change in a statistically different amount from 2007 to 2008. Households containing families 

headed by persons 65+ reported a median income in 2008 of $44,188. 

• Major sources of income for older people in 2007 were: Social Security (reported by 87% of 

older persons), income from assets (reported by 52%), private pensions (reported by 28%), 

government employee pensions (reported by 13%), and earnings (reported by 25%). 

• Social Security constituted 90% or more of the income received by 35% of all Social Security 

beneficiaries (21% of married couples and 44% of non-married beneficiaries). 

• About 3.7 million elderly persons (9.7%) were below the poverty level in 2008 which is not 

statistically different from the poverty rate in 2007 (9.7%). 

• About 11% (3.7 million) of older Medicare enrollees received personal care from a paid or unpaid 

source in 1999. 

*Principal sources of data for the Profile are the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the National Center on Health Statistics, 

and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Profile incorporates the latest data available but not all items are updated on 

an annual basis. 

Page 3 of 17 
The Older Population 

The older population--persons 65 years or older--numbered 38.9 million in 2008 (the most recent year for 

which data are available). They represented 12.8% of the U.S. population, over one in every eight 

Americans. The number of older Americans increased by 4.5 million or 13.0% since 1998, compared to 

an increase of 12.4% for the under-65 population. However, the number of Americans aged 45-64 – who 

will reach 65 over the next two decades – increased by 31% during this period. 

In 2008, there were 22.4 million older women and 16.5 million older men, or a sex ratio of 136 women 

for every 100 men. The female to male sex ratio increases with age, ranging from 114 for the 65-69 age 

group to a high of 207 for persons 85 and over. 

Since 1900, the percentage of Americans 65+ has tripled (from 4.1% in 1900 to 12.8% in 2008), and the 

number has increased more than twelve times (from 3.1 million to 38.9 million). The older population 

itself is increasingly older. In 2008, the 65-74 age group (20.1 million) was over 9 times larger than in 

1900. In contrast, the 75-84 group (13.0 million) was 17 times larger and the 85+ group (5.7 million) was 

47 times larger. 

In 2007, persons reaching age 65 had an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.8 years 

for females and 17.1 years for males). A child born in 2007 could expect to live 77.9 years, about 30 years 

longer than a child born in 1900. Much of this increase occurred because of reduced death rates for 

children and young adults. However, the period of 1985-2005 also has seen reduced death rates for the 

population aged 65-84, especially for men – by 32.3% for men aged 65-74 and by 23.5% for men aged 

75-84. Life expectancy at age 65 increased by only 2.5 years between 1900 and 1960, but has increased 

by 4.2 years from 1960 to 2007. 

About 2.7 million persons celebrated their 65th birthday in 2008. In the same year, about 1.8 million 

persons 65 or older died. Census estimates showed an annual net increase of 927,305 in the number of 

persons 65 and over. 

There were 92,127 persons aged 100 or more in 2008 (0.24% of the total 65+ population). This is a 147% 

increase from the 1990 figure of 37,306. 

(Data for this section were compiled primarily from Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census 

and the National Center for Health Statistics/Health Data Interactive). 

Page 4 of 17 
Future Growth 

The older population will continue to grow significantly in the future (see Figure 1). This growth slowed 

somewhat during the 1990's because of the relatively small number of babies born during the Great 

Depression of the 1930's. But the older population will burgeon between the years 2010 and 2030 when 

the "baby boom" generation reaches age 65. 

The population 65 and over will increase from 35 million in 2000 to 40 million in 2010 (a 15% increase) 

and then to 55 million in 2020 (a 36% increase for that decade). By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million 

older persons, almost twice their number in 2008. People 65+ represented 12.8% of the population in the 

year 2008 but are expected to grow to be 19.3% of the population by 2030. The 85+ population is 

projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2008 to 5.8 million in 2010 and then to 6.6 million in 2020 

(15%) for that decade. 

Minority populations are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 (16.3% of the elderly population) 

to 8.0 million in 2010 (20.1% of the elderly) and then to 12.9 million in 2020 (23.6% of the elderly).

Between 2008 and 2030, the white** population 65+ is projected to increase by 64% compared with 

172% for older minorities, including Hispanics (224%), African-Americans** (120%), American Indians, 

Eskimos, and Aleuts** (153%), and Asians and Pacific Islanders** (199%). 

Figure 1: Number of Persons 65+, 

1900 - 2030 (numbers in millions)

3.1 4.9 9

16.6

25.5

31.2 35

40.2

54.8

72.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

Year (as of July 1)

Note: Increments in years are uneven. 

(Sources: Projections for 2010 through 2050 are from: Table 12. Projections of the Population by Age 

and Sex for the United States: 2010 to 2050 (NP2008-T12), Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau; 

Release Date: August 14, 2008. The source of the data for 1900 to 2000 is Table 5. Population by Age 

and Sex for the United States: 1900 to 2000, Part A. Number, Hobbs, Frank and Nicole Stoops, U.S. 

Census Bureau, Census 2000 Special Reports, Series CENSR-4, Demographic Trends in the 20th 

Century. The figures for 2008 are from the Census Bureau 2008 population estimates. ) 

Page 5 of 17 
Marital Status 

In 2008, older men were much more likely to be married than older women--72% of men, 42% of women 

(Figure 2). Widows accounted for 42% of all older women in 2008. There were over four times as many 

widows (8.8 million) as widowers (2.2 million). 

Divorced and separated (including married/spouse absent) older persons represented only 11.6% of all 

older persons in 2008. However, this percentage has increased since 1980, when approximately 5.3% of 

the older population were divorced or separated/spouse absent. 

Figure 2: Marital Status of Persons 65+, 2008

42%

13%

4%

42%

72%

10%

4%

14%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Married Widowed Divorced or

Separated/

Spouse Absent

Single (never

married)

Women Men

(Based on Internet releases of data from the 2008 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and 

Economic Supplement of the U.S. Bureau of the Census) 

Page 6 of 17 
Living Arrangements 

Over half (54.6%) the older noninstitutionalized persons lived with their spouse in 2008. Approximately 

11.3 million or 72.0% of older men, and 8.6 million or 41.7% of older women, lived with their spouse 

(Figure 3). The proportion living with their spouse decreased with age, especially for women. Only 28.9% 

of women 75+ years old lived with a spouse. 

About 30.5% (11.2 million) of all noninstitutionalized older persons in 2008 lived alone (8.3 million 

women, 2.9 million men). They represented 39.5 of older women and 18.5% of older men. The proportion 

living alone increases with advanced age. Among women aged 75 and over, for example, half (50%) lived 

alone. 

Approximately 681,000 grandparents aged 65 or over maintained households in which grandchildren 

were present in 2008. (Another 249,000 elderly were spouses of such people.) In addition, about 959,000 

grandparents over 65 years lived in parent-maintained households in which their grandchildren were 

present. A total of about 1.89 million older people lived in household with a grandchild present in the 

house. About 471,000 of these grandparents over 65 years old were the persons with primary 

responsibility for their grandchildren who lived with them. 

While a relatively small number (1.60 million) and percentage (4.1%) of the 65+ population in 2008 lived 

in institutional settings such as nursing homes (1.44 million), the percentage increases dramatically with 

age, ranging from 1.3% for persons 65-74 years to 3.8% for persons 75-84 years and 15.4% for persons 

85+. In addition, approximately 2.4% of the elderly lived in senior housing with at least one supportive 

service available to their residents. 

Figure 3: Living Arrangements of Persons 65+, 2008 

Men 

19%

10%

72%

living with spouse

living alone 

Other

Women

42%

39%

19%

living with spouse

living alone 

Other

(Based on data from U.S. Bureau of the Census including the 2008 Current Population Survey, 

Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the 2008 American Community Survey. See: March 

2009 Current Population Survey Internet releases, Detailed Tables and unpublished data from the 

2007 Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey.) 

Page 7 of 17 
Racial and Ethnic Composition 

In 2008, 19.6% of persons 65+ were minorities--8.3% were African-Americans.** Persons of Hispanic 

origin (who may be of any race) represented 6.8% of the older population. About 3.4% were Asian or 

Pacific Islander,** and less than 1% were American Indian or Native Alaskan.** In addition, 0.6% of 

persons 65+ identified themselves as being of two or more races. 

Only 7.3% of all the people who were minority race or of Hispanic ethnicity were 65+ in 2008 (8.7% of 

African-Americans,** 5.7% of Hispanics, 9.6% of Asians and Pacific Islanders,** 8.4% of American 

Indians and Native Alaskans,**), compared with 15.7% of non-Hispanic whites.** 

(Data for this section were compiled from Internet releases of the Census 2008 Population Estimates).

Geographic Distribution 

The proportion of older persons in the population varies considerably by state with some states 

experiencing much greater growth in their older populations (Figures 4 and 5). In 2008, about half 

(51.2%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had 4.1 million; Florida 3.2 million; New York 

2.6 million; Texas 2.5 million; and Pennsylvania 1.9 million, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey 

each had well over 1 million (Figure 6). 

Person 65+ constituted approximately 14% or more of the total population in 11 states in 2008 (Figure 6): 

Florida (17.4%); West Virginia (15.7%); Pennsylvania (15.3%); Maine (15.1%); Iowa (14.8%); Hawaii 

(14.8%); North Dakota (14.7%); South Dakota (14.4%); Arkansas (14.3%); Montana (14.2); and Rhode 

Island (14.1%). In ten states, the 65+ population increased by 25% or more between 1998 and 2008 

(Figure 6): Alaska (49.8%); Nevada (48.1%); Arizona (39.7%); Utah (33.7%); New Mexico (31.3%); 

Idaho (30.9%); Georgia (29.9%); South Carolina (27.3%); Colorado (27.2%); and Delaware (26.3%). 

The ten jurisdictions with the highest poverty rates for elderly during 2008 were Mississippi (16.7%), 

District of Columbia (15.6%), Kentucky (13.8%), Louisiana (13.6%), New Mexico (13.4%), North 

Dakota (13.0%), Arkansas (12.7%), South Carolina (12.4%), Texas (12.2%), and Georgia (12.1%). 

Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2008 (80.6%). About 65% of these older persons lived 

outside the principal cities and 35% lived in principal cities. Also, 19% of older persons lived in 

nonmetropolitan areas. 

The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. From 2007 to 2008, only 3.7% of 

older persons moved as opposed to 13.1% of the under 65 population. Most older movers (56.4%) stayed 

in the same county and 79.9% remained in the same state. Only 20.1% of the movers moved out-of-state. 

(Data for this section and for Figures 4-6 were compiled primarily from the Census Population 

Estimates for 2008 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables 

from the March 2009 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the 

2008 American Community survey) 

Page 8 of 17 
Page 9 of 17 
Page 10 of 17 
Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State 2008 

Numbers 

Number of 

Persons 65 

and Older 

Percent of 

All Ages 

Percent 

Increase 

from 1998 to 

2008 

Percent 

Below 

Poverty 

2008 

 US Total (50 States + DC) 38,869,716 12.8% 13.0% 9.7% 

 Alabama 641,667 13.8% 12.9% 12.0% 

 Alaska 50,277 7.3% 49.8% 3.4% 

 Arizona 862,573 13.3% 39.7% 8.7% 

 Arkansas 407,205 14.3% 12.1% 12.7% 

 California 4,114,496 11.2% 13.8% 8.6% 

 Colorado 511,094 10.3% 27.2% 8.7% 

 Connecticut 478,007 13.7% 1.9% 7.8% 

 Delaware 121,688 13.9% 26.3% 7.1% 

 District of Columbia 70,648 11.9% -2.8% 15.6% 

 Florida 3,187,797 17.4% 16.6% 10.4% 

 Georgia 981,024 10.1% 29.9% 12.1% 

 Hawaii 190,067 14.8% 20.1% 6.5% 

 Idaho 182,150 12.0% 30.9% 7.4% 

 Illinois 1,575,308 12.2% 5.3% 9.3% 

 Indiana 813,839 12.8% 10.0% 8.7% 

 Iowa 444,554 14.8% 3.1% 7.8% 

 Kansas 366,706 13.1% 3.6% 8.1% 

 Kentucky 565,867 13.3% 14.8% 13.8% 

 Louisiana 540,314 12.2% 7.3% 13.6% 

 Maine 199,187 15.1% 13.9% 8.9% 

 Maryland 679,565 12.1% 14.9% 8.0% 

 Massachusetts 871,098 13.4% 1.2% 10.1% 

 Michigan 1,304,322 13.0% 6.6% 8.6% 

 Minnesota 650,519 12.5% 11.6% 8.3% 

 Mississippi 371,598 12.6% 10.5% 16.7% 

 Missouri 805,235 13.6% 8.0% 9.4% 

 Montana 137,312 14.2% 17.3% 10.1% 

 Nebraska 240,847 13.5% 5.3% 9.7% 

 Nevada 296,717 11.4% 48.1% 8.7% 

 New Hampshire 169,978 12.9% 19.5% 8.6% 

 New Jersey 1,150,941 13.3% 4.1% 7.9% 

 New Mexico 260,051 13.1% 31.3% 13.4% 

 New York 2,607,672 13.4% 7.6% 11.6% 

 North Carolina 1,139,052 12.4% 20.3% 11.3% 

 North Dakota 94,276 14.7% 2.5% 13.0% 

 Ohio 1,570,837 13.7% 4.7% 8.8% 

 Oklahoma 490,637 13.5% 9.4% 10.9% 

 Oregon 503,998 13.3% 16.5% 8.6% 

 Pennsylvania 1,910,571 15.3% 0.3% 9.2% 

 Rhode Island 147,646 14.1% -4.3% 11.2% 

 South Carolina 596,295 13.3% 27.3% 12.4% 

 South Dakota 116,100 14.4% 9.8% 10.7% 

 Tennessee 819,626 13.2% 20.7% 11.6% 

 Texas 2,472,223 10.2% 23.6% 12.2% 

 Utah 246,202 9.0% 33.7% 7.0% 

 Vermont 86,649 13.9% 19.4% 7.5% 

 Virginia 940,577 12.1% 22.6% 8.3% 

 Washington 783,877 12.0% 20.2% 8.0% 

 West Virginia 285,067 15.7% 3.8% 10.5% 

 Wisconsin 750,146 13.3% 8.6% 7.7% 

 Wyoming 65,614 12.3% 18.2% 7.6% 

 Puerto Rico 540,006 13.7% 42.4% 

(Source: Population data is from Census Bureau 2008 Population Estimates. State level poverty data is from the Census 2008 

American Community Survey. National level poverty data is from the 2009 Current Population Survey/American Social and 

Economic Supplement.)

Page 11 of 17 
Income 

The median income of older persons in 2008 was $25,503 for males and $14,559 for females. Median 

money income (after adjusting for inflation) of all households headed by older people did not change in a 

statistically significant amount from 2007 to 2008. Households containing families headed by persons 

65+ reported a median income in 2008 of $44,188 ($46,527 for non-Hispanic Whites, $32,901 for 

Hispanics, $35,025 for African-Americans, and $48,859 for Asians). About one of every fourteen (7.3%) 

family households with an elderly householder had incomes less than $15,000 and 62.1% had incomes of 

$35,000 or more (Figure 7). 

Figure 7: Percent Distribution by Income: 2008 

Family Households 65+ Householder

18.2%

25.7%

18.2%

16.0%

4.3%

14.6%

3.0%

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0% 30.0%

Under $10,000

$10,000 - $14,999

$15,000 - $24,999

$25,000 - $34,999

$35,000 - $49,999

$50,000 - $74,999

$75,000 and over 

$44,188 median for 13.0 million family households 65+ 

Persons 65+ Reporting Income

19.6%

14.1%

9.8%

16.3%

12.5%

23.7%

4.0%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Under $5,000

$5,000 - $9,999

$10,000 - $14,999

$15,000 - $24,999

$25,000 - $34,999

$35,000 - $49,999

$50,000 and over

$18,337 median for 36.5 million persons 65+ reporting income 

Page 12 of 17 
For all older persons reporting income in 2008 (36.5 million), 20.3% reported less than $10,000 and 

36.3% reported $25,000 or more. The median income reported was $18,337. 

The major sources of income as reported by older persons in 2007 were Social Security (reported by 87% 

of older persons), income from assets (reported by 52%), private pensions (reported by 28%), government 

employee pensions (reported by 13%), and earnings (reported by 25%). In 2007, Social Security benefits 

accounted for 36% of the aggregate income of the older population. The bulk of the remainder consisted 

of earnings (29%), asset income (16%), and pensions (17%). Social Security constituted 90% or more of 

the income received by 35% of beneficiaries (21% of married couples and 44% of non-married 

beneficiaries). 

(Based on data from Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, "Income, 

Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008" P60-236, issued September, 2009 

by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, related Census detailed tables on the Census Bureau web site, and 

from Fast Facts and Figures About Social Security, 2009 Social Security Administration)

Poverty 

Almost 3.7 million elderly persons (9.7%) were below the poverty level in 2008. This poverty rate is not 

statistically different from the poverty rate in 2007 (9.7%). Another 2.4 million or 6.3% of the elderly 

were classified as "near-poor" (income between the poverty level and 125% of this level). 

One of every fourteen (7.6%) elderly Whites** was poor in 2008, compared to 20.0% of elderly AfricanAmericans, 11.1% of Asians, and 19.3% of elderly Hispanics. Higher than average poverty rates were 

found in 2006 for older persons were found among those who lived in principal cities (12.6%), outside 

metropolitan areas (i.e. rural areas and small towns) (11.2%), and in the South (11.2%). 

Older women had a higher poverty rate (11.9%) than older men (6.7%) in 2008. Older persons living 

alone were much more likely to be poor (17.1%) than were older persons living with families (3.0%). The 

highest poverty rates were experienced among Hispanic women (43.1%) who lived alone and also by 

older Black women (34.7%) who lived alone. 

(Based on data from Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, "Income, 

Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008," P60-236, issued September, 

2009, by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and related Census detailed tables on the Census Bureau web 

site) 

Housing 

Of the 2.9 million households headed by older persons in 2007, 80% were owners and 20% were renters. 

The median family income of older homeowners was $29,899. The median family income of older renters 

was $15,130. In 2007, 46% of older householders spent more than one-fourth of their income on housing 

costs - 39% for owners and 73% for renters - as compared to 46% of all householders. 

For homes of older householders in 2007, the median construction year was 1969 (it was 1973 for all 

householders) and 4.4% of the homes had physical problems. In 2007, the median value of homes owned 

by older persons was $168,654 (with a median purchase price of $45,191) compared to a median home 

value of $191,471 for all homeowners. About 68% of older homeowners in 2007 owned their homes free 

and clear. 

(Source: "Amer. Housing Survey for the United States: 2007, Current Housing Reports" H150/07)

Page 13 of 17 
Employment 

In 2008, 6.2 million (16.8 %) Americans age 65 and over were in the labor force (working or actively 

seeking work), including 3.4 million men (21.5%) and 2.8 million women (13.3%). They constituted 

4.0% of the U.S. labor force. About 4.2% were unemployed. Labor force participation of men 65+ 

decreased steadily from 2 of 3 in 1900 to 15.8% in 1985; then stayed at 16%-18% until 2002; and has 

been increasing since then to over 20%. The participation rate for women 65+ rose slightly from 1 of 12 

in 1900 to 10.8% in 1956, fell to 7.3% in 1985, was around 7%-9% from 1986 – 2002. However, 

beginning in 2000, labor force participation of older women has been gradually rising to the 2008 level.

This increase is especially noticeable among the population aged 65-69. 

(Source: Current Population Survey, labor force statistics. See: Bureau of Labor Statistics web-site: 

http://www.bls.gov/cps/home.htm)

Education 

The educational level of the older population is increasing. Between 1970 and 2008, the percentage of 

older persons who had completed high school rose from 28% to 77.4%. About 20.5% in 2008 had a 

bachelor's degree or higher. The percentage who had completed high school varied considerably by race 

and ethnic origin in 2008: 82.3% of Whites**, 73.9% of Asians and Pacific Islanders, 59.8% of AfricanAmericans, and 45.9% of Hispanics. The increase in educational levels is also evident within these 

groups. In 1970, only 30% of older Whites and 9% of older African-Americans were high school 

graduates. 

(Source: Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2008 and related 

tables on the Census Bureau web site)

Health and Health Care 

In 2008, 39.1% of noninstitutionalized older persons assessed their heath as excellent or very good 

(compared to 60.7% for all persons aged 18 and older). There was little difference between the sexes on 

this measure, but older African-Americans** (25.1%), older American Indians/Alaska Natives (23.2%) 

and older Hispanics (28.0%) were less likely to rate their health as excellent or very good than were older 

Whites** (41.8%) or older Asians (35.2%)†. Most older persons have at least one chronic condition and 

many have multiple conditions. Among the most frequently occurring conditions older persons in 2005-

2007 were: hypertension (41%), diagnosed arthritis (49%), all types of heart disease (31%), any cancer 

(22%), diabetes (18%), and sinusitis (15%). 

Almost 67% reported in 2008 that they received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months and 

60% reported that they had ever received a pneumococcal vaccination. About 27% (of persons 60+) 

report height/weight combinations that place them among the obese. Almost 26% of persons aged 65-74 

and 19% of persons 75+ report that they engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. Only 9% 

reported that they are current smokers and only 5% reported excessive alcohol consumption. Only 2% 

reported that they had experienced psychological distress during the past 30 days. 

In 2006, over 13.1 million persons aged 65 and older were discharged from short stay hospitals. This is a 

rate of 3,508 for every 10,000 persons aged 65+ which is over three times the comparable rate for persons 

of all ages (which was 1,169 per 10,000). The average length of stay for persons aged 65+ was 5.5 days; 

† These figures are from 2006-2008 data. 

Page 14 of 17 
the comparable rate for persons of all ages was 4.8 days. The average length of stay for older people has 

decreased by 5 days since 1980. Older persons averaged more office visits with doctors in 2005: 6.5 

office visits for those aged 65-74 and 7.7 office visits for persons over 75 while persons aged 45-65 

averaged only 3.9 office visits during that year. In 2008, over 96% of older persons reported that they did 

have a usual place to go for medical care and only 2.4% said that they failed to obtain needed medical 

care during the previous 12 months due to financial barriers. 

In 2008 older consumers averaged out-of-pocket health care expenditures of $4,605, an increase of 57% 

since 1998. In contrast, the total population spent considerably less, averaging $2,976 in out-of-pocket 

costs. Older Americans spent 12.5% of their total expenditures on health, more than twice the proportion 

spent by all consumers (5.9%). Health costs incurred on average by older consumers in 2008 consisted of 

$2,844 (62%) for insurance, $793 (17%) for medical services, $821 (18%) for drugs, and $145 (3%) for 

medical supplies. 

(Sources: Data releases from the web sites of the National Center for Health Statistics; from the and 

from the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site) 

Health Insurance Coverage 

In 2007, almost all (93%) non-institutionalized persons 65+ were covered by Medicare. Medicare 

covers mostly acute care services and requires beneficiaries to pay part of the cost, leaving about half of 

health spending to be covered by other sources. About 59% had some type of private health insurance. 

Over 7% had military-based health insurance and 9% of the non-institutionalized elderly were covered 

by Medicaid. Only 1.7% did not have coverage of some kind. About 87% of non-institutionalized

Medicare beneficiaries in 2007 had some type of supplementary coverage. Among Medicare beneficiaries 

residing in nursing homes, about half (52%) were covered by Medicaid.

Figure 8: 

Health Insurance Coverage of Persons 65+: 2008 (%)

98.3

59.0

35.0

93.8 93.4

7.5 1.7 9.1

26.7

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

All types coverage

Total private

--employment-based

--direct purchase

Total government

--Medicare

--Medicaid

--Military

Not covered

Note: Figure 8 data is for the non-institutionalized elderly. A person can be represented in 

more than one category. (Source: "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United 

States: 2008," P60-236, issued September, 2009, by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Medicare 

beneficiary data is from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey) 

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Disability and Activity Limitations 

Some type of disability (i.e., difficulty in hearing, vision, cognition, ambulation, self-care, or independent 

living) was reported by 38% of older persons in 2008. Some of these disabilities may be relatively minor 

but others cause people to require assistance to meet important personal needs. Almost 37% of older 

persons reported in 2005 a severe disability and 16% reported that they needed some type of assistance as 

a result. Reported disability increases with age. 56% of persons over 80 reported a severe disability and 

29% of the over 80 population reported that they needed assistance. There is a strong relationship 

between disability status and reported health status. Among those 65+ with a severe disability, 64% 

reported their health as fair or poor. Among the 65+ persons who reported no disability, only 10% 

reported their health as fair or poor. Presence of a severe disability is also associated with lower income 

levels and educational attainment. 

In another study which focused on the ability to perform specific activities of daily living (ADLs), over 

25% of community-resident Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 in 2007 had difficulty in performing one 

or more ADLs and an additional 14.6% reported difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living 

(IADLs). By contrast, 83% of institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries had difficulties with one or more 

ADLs and 67% of them had difficulty with three or more ADLs. [ADLs include bathing, dressing, eating, 

and getting around the house. IADLs include preparing meals, shopping, managing money, using the 

telephone, doing housework, and taking medication.] Limitations on activities because of chronic 

conditions increase with age. As shown in Figure 9, the rate of limitations on activities among persons 85 

and older are much higher than those for persons 65-74. 

Figure 9: 

Percent of Persons with Limitations in Activities of Daily 

Living by Age Group: 2006

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Type of ADL

Bathing/Showering

Dressing

Eating

Getting in/out of bed/chairs

Walking

Using toilet

65-74

75-84

85 years and over

It should be noted that (except where noted) the figures above are taken from surveys of the 

noninstitutionalized elderly. Although nursing homes are being increasingly used for short-stay 

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post-acute care, about 1.3 million elderly are in nursing homes (about half are age 85 and over). These 

individuals often have high needs for care with their ADLs and/or have severe cognitive impairment due 

to Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. 

(Sources: Americans with Disabilities: 2005, December 2008, P70-117 and other Internet releases of 

the Census Bureau, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, and the National Center on Health 

Statistics, including the NCHS Health Data Interactive data warehouse) 

Caregiving 

About 11% (3.7 million) of older Medicare enrollees received personal care from a paid or unpaid source 

in 1999. Almost all community resident older persons with chronic disabilities receive either informal 

care (from family or friends) or formal care (from service provider agencies). Over 90% of these older 

persons with chronic disabilities received informal care and/or formal care; and about two thirds received 

only informal care. About 9% of this chronically disabled group received only formal services. 

(Source: National Long Term Care Survey, 1999)

 

Notes: 

*Principal sources of data for the Profile are the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the National Center on Health 

Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Profile incorporates the latest data available but not all 

items are updated on an annual basis. 

**Excludes persons of Hispanic origin. 

A Profile of Older Americans: 2009 was developed by the Administration on Aging (AoA), U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services. The annual Profile of Older Americans was originally 

developed and researched by Donald G. Fowles, AoA. Saadia Greenberg, AoA, developed the 2009 

edition. 

AoA serves as an advocate for the elderly within the federal government and is working to encourage and 

coordinate a responsive system of family and community based services throughout the nation. AoA 

helps states develop comprehensive service systems which are administered by 56 State and Territorial 

Units on Aging, 629 Area Agencies on Aging, 246 Native American and Hawaiian organizations, and 

approximately 20,000 local service providers. 

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