A Profile 

of 

Older Americans: 2006 

Administration on Aging 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Table of Contents 

Highlights.................................................................................................... 1

The Older Population..................................................................................... 2 

Future Growth............................................................................................. 3 

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

Marital Status.............................................................................................. 4 

 Figure 2: Marital Status of Persons 65+ - 2005 

Living Arrangements..................................................................................... 5 

 Figure 3: Living Arrangements of Persons 65+: 2005 

Racial and Ethnic Composition.......................................................................... 6 

Geographic Distribution.................................................................................. 6 

Figure 4: Persons 65+ as Percentage of Total Population by State: 2005 (US Map) 

Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+ by State: 1995 to 2005 (US Map) 

Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State: 2005 (table) 

Income ..................................................................................................... 10 

 Figure 7: Percent Distribution by Income: 2005 

Poverty ..................................................................................................... 11 

Housing ................................................................................................... 11 

Employment .............................................................................................. 12 

Education ................................................................................................. 12 

Health and Health Care ................................................................................. 12

Health Insurance Coverage ...................................................... 13 

 Figure 8: Sources of Health Insurance Coverage: 2005 

Disability and Activity Limitations .................................................................... 14 

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

by Age Group: 2004 

Special Topic: Health Literacy 15

 Figure 10: Percentage of Adult in each Health Literacy Level, by age: 2003 

Caregiving ....................................................................................................16 

Notes ....................................................................................................... 16 
Highlights *

• The older population (65+) numbered 36.8 million in 2005, an increase of 3.2 million or 9.4% 

since 1995. 

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

by 40% during this decade. 

• About one in every eight, or 12.4 percent, of the population is an older American. 

• Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.4 years (19.8 years 

for females and 16.8 years for males). 

• Older women outnumber older men at 21.4 million older women to 15.4 million older men. 

• In 2005, 18.5% of persons 65+ were minorities--8.3% were African-Americans.** Persons of 

Hispanic origin (who may be of any race) represented 6.2% of the older population. About 3.1% 

of the elderly 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). 43% older women in 2005 were widows. 

• About 30 percent (10.6 million) of noninstitutionalized older persons live alone (7.7 million 

women, 2.9 million men). 

• Half of older women age 75+ live alone. 

• About 445,000 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 6.1 million in 2010 (a 

40% increase) and then to 7.3 million in 2020 (a 44% increase for that decade). 

• Members of minority groups are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 (16.4% of the 

elderly population) to 8.1 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 2005 was $21,784 for males and $12,495 for females. 

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

rose by 2.8% from 2004 to 2005. Family households headed by older people reported a median 

income in 2005 of $37,765. 

• Major sources of income for older people were: Social Security (reported by 89 percent of older 

persons), income from assets (reported by 55 percent), private pensions (reported by 29 percent), 

government employee pensions (reported by 14 percent), and earnings (reported by 24 percent). 

• Social Security constituted 90% or more of the income received by 34% of all Social Security 

beneficiaries (21% of married couples and 43% of non-married beneficiaries). 

• About 3.6 million elderly persons (10.1%) were below the poverty level in 2005 which was not 

statistically significant from the poverty rate in 2004. 

• 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. 
The Older Population

The older population--persons 65 years or older--numbered 36.8 million in 2005 (the most recent year for 

which data are available). They represented 12.4% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight 

Americans. The number of older Americans increased by 3.2 million or 9.4% since 1995, compared to an 

increase of 13.3% for the under-65 population. However, the number of Americans aged 45-64 – who 

will reach 65 over the next two decades – increased by 40% during this period. 

In 2005, there were 21.4 million older women and 15.4 million older men, or a sex ratio of 139 women 

for every 100 men. The female to male sex ratio increases with age, ranging from 115 for the 65-69 age 

group to a high of 218 for persons 85 and over. 

Since 1900, the percentage of Americans 65+ has tripled (from 4.1% in 1900 to 12.4% in 2004), and the 

number has increased almost twelve times (from 3.1 million to 36.3 million). The older population itself 

is getting older. In 2005, the 65-74 age group (18.6 million) was over 8.5 times larger than in 1900, but 

the 75-84 group (13.1 million) was 17 times larger and the 85+ group (5.1 million) was 42 times larger. 

In 2003, persons reaching age 65 had an average life expectancy of an additional 18.4 years (19.8 years 

for females and 16.8 years for males). 

A child born in 2004 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 1983-2003 also has seen reduced death rates for the population aged 65-84, especially for 

men – by 29.4% for men aged 65-74 and by 22.3% for men aged 75-84. Life expectancy at age 65 

increased by only 2.5 years between 1900 and 1960, but has increased by 4.3 years from 1960 to 2004. 

Over 2.0 million persons celebrated their 65th birthday in 2005. In the same year, about 1.8 million 

persons 65 or older died. Census estimates showed an annual net increase of almost 500,000 in the 

number of persons 65 and over. 

There were 70,104 persons aged 100 or more in 2005 (0.19% of the total population). This is a 88% 

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). 

- 2-
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 71.5 million 

older persons, almost twice their number in 2005. People 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in the 

year 2005 but are expected to grow to be 20% of the population by 2030. The 85+ population is projected 

to increase from 4.2 million in 2000 to 6.1 million in 2010 (40%) and then to 7.3 million in 2020 (44% 

for that decade). 

Minority populations are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 (16.4% of the elderly population) 

to 8.1 million in 2010 (20.1% of the elderly) and then to 12.9 million in 2020 (23.6% of the elderly). 

Between 2004 and 2030, the white** population 65+ is projected to increase by 74% compared with 

183% for older minorities, including Hispanics (254%), African-Americans** (147%), American Indians, 

Eskimos, and Aleuts** (143%), and Asians and Pacific Islanders** (208%). 

Figure 1: Number of Persons 65+, 

1900 - 2030 (numbers in millions)

3.1 4.9 9

16.7

25.7

31.2 35

40.2

54.6

71.5

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 of the Population by Age are taken from the January 2004 Census Internet 

Release. Historical data are taken from "65+ in the United States," Current Population Reports, 

Special Studies, P23-190 Data for 2000 are from the 2000 Census and 2005 data are taken from the 

Census estimates for 2005.) 

- 3- 
Marital Status

In 2005, older men were much more likely to be married than older women--72% of men, 42% of women 

(Figure 2). Almost half of all older women in 2005 were widows (43%). There were over four times as 

many widows (8.6 million) as widowers (2.1 million). 

Divorced and separated (including married/spouse absent) older persons represented only 10.8% of all 

older persons in 2005. 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+, 2005

43%

11%

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 2005 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and 

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

- 4 - 
Living Arrangements

Over half (54.8%) the older noninstitutionalized persons lived with their spouse in 2005. Approximately 

10.9 million or 71.7% of older men, and 8.4 million or 42.0% of older women, lived with their spouse

(Figure 3). The proportion living with their spouse decreased with age, especially for women. Only 30.2% 

of women 75+ years old lived with a spouse. 

About 30.1% (10.6 million) of all noninstitutionalized older persons in 2005 lived alone (7.7 million 

women, 2.9 million men). They represented 38.4 of older women and 19.2% of older men. The proportion 

living alone increases with advanced age. Among women aged 75 and over, for example, half (47.7%) 

lived alone. 

More than 685,000 grandparents aged 65 or over maintained households in which grandchildren were 

present in 2005. (Another 218,000 elderly were spouses of such people.) In addition, 660,000 

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

present. A total of about 1.57 million older people lived in household with a grandchild present in the 

house. About 445,000 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 (1.56 million) and percentage (4.5%) of the 65+ population lived in 

nursing homes in 2000, the percentage increases dramatically with age, ranging from 1.1% for persons 

65-74 years to 4.7% for persons 75-84 years and 18.2% for persons 85+. In addition, approximately 5% 

of the elderly lived in self-described senior housing of various types, many of which have supportive 

services available to their residents. 

Figure 3: Living Arrangements of Persons 65+, 2005 

Men 

72%

19%

9%

living with spouse

living alone 

Other

Women

42%

38%

20%

living with spouse

living alone 

Other

(Based on data from U.S. Bureau of the Census including the 2005 Current Population Survey, 

Annual Social and Economic Supplement and the 2005 American Community Survey. See: March 

2005 Current Population Survey Internet releases, Detailed Tables. and “The 65 Years and Over 

Population: 2000, Census 2000 Brief, October, 2001” as well as other Census 2000 data and 

unpublished data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.) 

- 5 - 
Racial and Ethnic Composition

In 2005, 18.5% of persons 65+ were minorities--8.3% were African-Americans.** Persons of Hispanic 

origin (who may be of any race) represented 6.2% of the older population. About 3.1 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 7.0% of minority race and Hispanic populations were 65+ in 2005 (8.4% of African-Americans,** 

8.8% of Asians and Pacific Islanders,** 7.5% of American Indians and Native Alaskans,** 5.4% of 

Hispanics), compared with 15.1% of non-Hispanic whites.** 

(Data for this section were compiled from Internet releases of the Census 2005 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 2005, about half 

(51.6%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had 3.9 million; Florida 3.0 million; New York 

2.5 million; Texas 2.3 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 8 states in 2005 (Figure 6): 

Florida (16.8%); West Virginia (15.3%); Pennsylvania (15.2%); North Dakota (14.7%); Iowa (14.7%); 

Maine (14.6); South Dakota (14.2); and Rhode Island (13.9%). In ten states, the 65+ population increased 

by 20% or more between 1995 and 2005 (Figure 6): Nevada (56.6%); Alaska (47.5%); Arizona (31.4%); 

New Mexico (26.5%); Utah (24.1%); Colorado (23.3%); Delaware (22.9%); Idaho (22.8%); Georgia 

(20.8%) and South Carolina (20.6%). The ten jurisdictions with the highest poverty rates for elderly 

during 2005 were the District of Columbia (17.6%); Mississippi (15.7%); Louisiana (15.6%); Arkansas 

(14.5%); North Dakota (14.1%); Kentucky (13.5%); Tennessee (13.1%); Alabama (13.1%); Georgia 

(13.0%); and New York (12.8%). 

Most persons 65+ lived in metropolitan areas in 2005 (79.8%). About 50% of older persons lived in the 

suburbs, 29% lived in central cities, and 20% lived in nonmetropolitan areas. 

The elderly are less likely to change residence than other age groups. From 2004 to 2005 only 4.2% of 

older persons moved as opposed to 13.4% of the under 65 population. Most older movers (51.6%) stayed 

in the same county and 72.1% remained in the same state. Only 25.5% (of the movers) moved out-ofstate. 

(Data for this section and for Figure 4 were compiled primarily from the Census Population Estimates 

for 2005 as well as other Internet releases of the U.S. Bureau of the Census including tables from the 

March 2005 Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement) 

- 6 - 
Figure 4: Persons 65+ as a Percentage of Total Population, 2005 

(Source: 2005 Population Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census) 

- 7 - 

Percent 65+ in 2005

by State

13.9% - 16.9% (9)

13.3% - 13.8% (10)

12.6% - 13.2% (10)

11.9% - 12.5% (10)

6.6% - 11.8% (12)
Figure 5: Percentage Increase in Population 65+, 1995 to 2005 

(Source: 1995 and 2005 Population Estimates from the U.S. Bureau of the Census)

- 8 - 

% Increase in 65+ Population

1995-2005

19.3% - 56.6% (10)

13% - 19.3% (11)

6.2% - 13% (10)

3.4% - 6.2% (7)

-11.7 - 3.4% (13)
Figure 6: The 65+ Population by State: 2005 

Numbers 

Number of 

Persons 

Percent of 

All Ages 

Percent 

Increase 

from 1995 

to 2005 

Percent 

Below 

Poverty 

2005 

 US Total (50 States + DC) 36,790,113 12.4% 9.4% 10.1% 

 Alabama 603,733 13.2% 8.4% 13.1% 

 Alaska 44,026 6.6% 47.5% 9.1% 

 Arizona 758,181 12.8% 31.4% 8.1% 

 Arkansas 384,450 13.8% 6.2% 14.5% 

 California 3,868,574 10.7% 11.9% 8.2% 

 Colorado 465,096 10.0% 23.3% 8.6% 

 Connecticut 474,150 13.5% 1.5% 7.5% 

 Delaware 112,214 13.3% 22.9% 7.5% 

 District of Columbia 67,208 12.2% -11.6% 17.6% 

 Florida 2,993,160 16.8% 13.9% 10.3% 

 Georgia 870,422 9.6% 20.8% 13.0% 

 Hawaii 174,538 13.7% 16.8% 9.3% 

 Idaho 163,917 11.5% 22.8% 8.7% 

 Illinois 1,530,074 12.0% 2.2% 8.7% 

 Indiana 777,506 12.4% 5.7% 8.0% 

 Iowa 435,220 14.7% 0.2% 8.0% 

 Kansas 357,005 13.0% 0.5% 7.9% 

 Kentucky 525,764 12.6% 7.7% 13.5% 

 Louisiana 531,581 11.8% 7.4% 15.6% 

 Maine 192,664 14.6% 11.5% 11.0% 

 Maryland 644,560 11.5% 13.0% 7.9% 

 Massachusetts 852,826 13.3% -0.6% 10.0% 

 Michigan 1,258,494 12.4% 4.6% 8.6% 

 Minnesota 623,241 12.1% 8.3% 8.4% 

 Mississippi 358,393 12.3% 7.6% 15.7% 

 Missouri 773,171 13.3% 4.0% 9.1% 

 Montana 128,834 13.8% 12.3% 9.1% 

 Nebraska 233,550 13.3% 1.9% 8.7% 

 Nevada 273,136 11.3% 56.6% 8.3% 

 New Hampshire 163,105 12.5% 18.4% 6.9% 

 New Jersey 1,129,356 13.0% 3.4% 8.7% 

 New Mexico 234,902 12.2% 26.5% 12.5% 

 New York 2,515,064 13.1% 4.0% 12.8% 

 North Carolina 1,054,098 12.1% 16.4% 12.1% 

 North Dakota 93,650 14.7% 0.0% 14.1% 

 Ohio 1,529,430 13.3% 2.2% 8.4% 

 Oklahoma 468,968 13.2% 5.6% 11.2% 

 Oregon 469,906 12.9% 10.2% 7.9% 

 Pennsylvania 1,892,847 15.2% -1.0% 9.0% 

 Rhode Island 149,775 13.9% -3.7% 7.8% 

 South Carolina 534,980 12.6% 20.6% 11.5% 

 South Dakota 110,530 14.2% 4.7% 12.5% 

 Tennessee 749,951 12.6% 13.3% 13.1% 

 Texas 2,271,845 9.9% 19.3% 12.7% 

 Utah 216,021 8.7% 24.1% 6.5% 

 Vermont 81,982 13.2% 15.9% 10.0% 

 Virginia 865,103 11.4% 17.4% 9.8% 

 Washington 720,874 11.5% 14.1% 8.7% 

 West Virginia 278,368 15.3% 0.2% 11.6% 

 Wisconsin 721,633 13.0% 5.3% 7.7% 

 Wyoming 62,037 12.2% 16.8% 8.0% 

 Puerto Rico 489,819 12.5% 44.3% 

(Source: Population data is from Census Bureau Population Estimates. Poverty data is from the 2005 American Community 

Survey.)

- 9 - 
Income

The median income of older persons in 2005 was $21,784 for males and $12,495 for females. Median 

money income of all households headed by older people rose by 2.8% from 2004 to 2005. Households 

containing families headed by persons 65+ reported a median income in 2005 of $37,765 ($39,402 for 

non-Hispanic Whites, $27,270 for African-Americans, $49,163 for Asians, and $26,681 for Hispanics). 

About one of every ten (9.2%) family households with an elderly householder had incomes less than 

$15,000 and 53.9% had incomes of $35,000 or more (Figure 7). 

Figure 7: Percent Distribution by Income: 2005* 

Family Households 65+ Householder

18.5%

18.3%

17.1%

19.0%

5.6%

17.9%

3.6%

0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0%

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 

$37,765 median for 12.2 million family households 65+ 

Persons 65+ Reporting Income

21.1%

10.3%

8.3%

21.7%

10.7%

23.0%

5.0%

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

$15,696 median for 34.4 million persons 65+ reporting income 

- 10 - 
For all older persons reporting income in 2005 (34.4 million), 26.7% reported less than $10,000. Only 

29.3% reported $25,000 or more. The median income reported was $15,696. 

The major sources of income as reported by older persons in 2004 were Social Security (reported by 89% 

of older persons), income from assets (reported by 55%), private pensions (reported by 29%), government 

employee pensions (reported by 14%), and earnings (reported by 24%). In 2004, Social Security benefits 

accounted for 39% of the aggregate income of the older population. The bulk of the remainder consisted 

of earnings (26%), asset income (13%), and pensions (19%). Social Security constituted 90% or more of 

the income received by 34% of beneficiaries (21% of married couples and 43% 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: 2005" P60-231, issued August, 2006 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, 2005 Social Security Administration)

Poverty

About 3.6 million elderly persons (10.1%) were below the poverty level in 2005. This poverty rate was 

not statistically significant from the poverty rate in 2004. The historic lowest level of 9.7% was reached 

in 1999. Another 2.3 million or 6.6% of the elderly were classified as "near-poor" (income between the 

poverty level and 125% of this level). 

One of every twelve (7.9%) elderly Whites** was poor in 2005, compared to 23.2% of elderly AfricanAmericans, 12.6% of Asians, and 19.9% of elderly Hispanics. Higher than average poverty rates were 

found in 2004 for older persons were found among those who lived in principal cities (12.7%), outside 

metropolitan areas (i.e. rural areas) (11.9%), and in the South (12.0%). 

Older women had a higher poverty rate (12.3%) than older men (7.3%) in 2005. Older persons living 

alone were much more likely to be poor (19.1%) than were older persons living with families (5.6%). 

The highest poverty rates were experienced among Hispanic women (45.9%) and also by older Black 

women (36.7%) 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: 2005," P60-231, issued August, 2006, 

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

Housing

Of the 2.2 million households headed by older persons in 2005, 80% were owners and 20% were renters. 

The median family income of older homeowners was $26,899. The median family income of older renters 

was $13,377. In 2005, 48% of older householders spent more than one-fourth of their income on housing 

costs - 43% for owners and 82% for renters - .as compared to 37% of all householders. 

For homes of older householders in 2005, the median construction year was 1966 (it was 1974 for all 

householders) and 4.7% of the homes had physical problems. In 2005, the median value of homes owned 

by older persons was $143,697 (with a median purchase price of $38,182) compared to a median home 

value of $165,344 for all homeowners. About 68% of older homeowners in 2005 owned their homes free 

and clear. 

(Source: "Amer. Housing Survey for the United States in 2005, Current Housing Reports" H150/05)

- 11 - 
Employment 

In 2005, 5.3 million (15.1 %) Americans age 65 and over were in the labor force (working or actively 

seeking work), including 3.0 million men (19.8%) and 2.3 million women (11.5%). They constituted 

3.5% of the U.S. labor force. About 3.5% were unemployed. Labor force participation of men 65+ 

decreased steadily from 2 of 3 in 1900 to 15.8% in 1985, and has stayed at 16%-18% since then. 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, and has been around 8%-10% since 1988. 

(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 2005, the percentage who 

had completed high school rose from 28% to 74%. Almost 19% in 2005 had a bachelor's degree or more. 

The percentage who had completed high school varied considerably by race and ethnic origin in 2005:

79% of Whites**, 66% of Asians and Pacific Islanders, 54% of African-Americans, and 40% 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, 2005 and related 

tables on the Census Bureau web site)

Health and Health Care

In 2005, 38.3% of noninstitutionalized older persons assessed their heath as excellent or very good 

(compared to 66.8% for persons aged 18-64). There was little difference between the sexes on this 

measure, but African-Americans** (22.8%), older American Indians/Alaska Natives (24.2%) and older 

Hispanics (28.4%) were less likely to rate their health as excellent or good than were older Whites** 

(40.9%) or older Asians (34.9%).† Most older persons have at least one chronic condition and many have 

multiple conditions. Among the most frequently occurring conditions older persons in 2004-2005 were: 

hypertension (48%), diagnosed arthritis (47%), all types of heart disease (29%), any cancer (20%), 

diabetes (16%), and sinusitis (14%). 

Almost 60% reported in 2005 that they received an influenza vaccination during the past 12 months and 

56% reported that they had ever received a pneumococcal vaccination. About 24% (of persons 60+) 

report height/weight combinations that place them among the obese. Over 25% of persons aged 65-74 

and 17% of persons 75+ report that they engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. Only 9% 

reported that they are current smokers and only 4% reported excessive alcohol consumption. Only 2.6% 

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

In 2004, over 13.2 million persons aged 65 and older were discharged from short stay hospitals. This is a 

rate of 3,629 for every 10,000 persons aged 65+ which is over two and one half times the comparable rate 

for persons of all ages (which was 1,384 per 10,000). The average length of stay for persons aged 65+ 

was 5.6 days; 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 

- 12 – 

† These figures are from 2004 data. 
in 2003-4: 6.1 office visits for those aged 65-74 and 7.6 office visits for persons over 75 while persons 

aged 45-65 averaged only 3.7 office visits during that year. 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 2004, older consumers averaged $4193 in out-of-pocket health care expenditures, an increase of 58% 

since 1994. In contrast, the total population spent considerably less, averaging $2,664 in out-of-pocket 

costs. Older Americans spent 12.8% of their total expenditures on health, more than twice the proportion 

spent by all consumers (5.7%). Health costs incurred on average by older consumers in 2004 consisted of 

$2,307 (55%) for insurance, $977 (23%) for drugs, $769 (18%) for medical services, and $140 (3%) for 

medical supplies. 

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

Data Warehouse on Trends in Health and Aging); from the Agency for Healthcare Research and 

Quality, and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site) 

Health Insurance Coverage 

In 2005, almost all (95%) 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% did not have coverage of some kind. About 87% of non-institutionalized

Medicare beneficiaries in 2004 had some type of supplementary coverage. However, among Medicare 

beneficiaries residing in nursing homes, almost 58% were covered by Medicaid in 2001.

Figure 8: 

Health Insurance Coverage of Persons 65+: 2005

98.7

59.4

35.7

95.4 95.0

7.4 1.3 9.6

27.2

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: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Annual Social and 

Economic Supplement. Based on Detailed Tables on Health Insurance Coverage, U.S. Bureau of the 

Census web site. Medicare beneficiary data is from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey) 

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Disability and Activity Limitations 

In 2002, 52% of older persons reported that they had some type of disability (sensory disability, physical 

disability, or mental disability). 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 a 

severe disability and 16% reported that they needed some type of assistance as a result. Reported 

disability increases with age. 57% of persons over 80 reported a severe disability and 30% 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, 66% reported their health as fair or 

poor. Among the 65+ persons who reported no disability, only 10.5% 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 

27.1% of community-resident Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 in 2004 had difficulty in performing 

one or more ADLs and an additional 13.7% reported difficulties with instrumental activities of daily 

living (IADLs). By contrast, 91.3% of institutionalized Medicare beneficiaries had difficulties with one 

or more ADLs and 76.5% 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 (from another survey), 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: 2004

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 post- 

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acute care, about 1.6 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: 2002, May 2006, P70-107 and other Internet releases of the 

Census Bureau and the National Center on Health Statistics, including the NCHS Data Warehouse on 

Trends in Health and Aging) 

 

Special Topic: Health Literacy 

Older adult have more chronic conditions, hospital admissions, doctor and ER visits, and expenditures for 

prescription drugs than younger age groups. Therefore, health literacy, i.e., the ability of individuals to 

understand basic health information, is critical to the ability of older persons to maintain good health. 

However, older adults have disproportionately lower health literacy than younger adults. In a recent 

national survey, the elderly had an average health literacy score within the basic health literacy 

performance level, while the averages for all other age groups fall into the intermediate performance 

group. As shown in Figure 10, older adults were also far more likely to have below basic (29%) or basic 

(30%) health literacy than any other age group. 

Figure 10: Percentage of Adult in each Health Literacy Level, by age: 2003 

30

21

21

18

21

23

38

53

56

55

58

58

3

12

12

16

11

11 8

10

10

11

13

29

80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100

65 +

50-64

40-49

25-39

19-24

16-18

Below Basic Basic Intermediate Proficient

Percent Below Percent Basic and Above

(Source: The Health Literacy of America’s Adults: Results From the 2003 National Assessment of 

Adult Literacy (NCES 2006–483). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center 

for Education Statistics.) 

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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: 2006 was prepared 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 2006 

edition. Jennifer Klocinski, AoA, contributed the section on health literacy. 

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 administer by 56 State and Territorial 

Units on Aging, 655 Area Agencies on Aging, 226 Native American and Hawaiian organizations, and 

more than 29,000 local service providers. 

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