Almost one out of every four women who were 50 years old in 1990 can expect to live to the age of 90. Guralnik, et al. Changes in birth and mortality rates are leading to large increases in the population of older people, especially older women. By the year 2040, women 65 and older are projected to number 40.8 million, nearly nine times the number of women who were 65 and older in 1940. Even more striking is the fact that more than one in five of these elderly women will be 85 years of age or older, the group most likely to be disabled by chronic health conditions .
Women live longer than men, but have more physical disability in each age group.
As discussed later in this section, these older women are less likely to be able to live independently and more likely to require personal assistance, compared to men in the same age group. The population of elderly women is expected to increase dramatically by the year 2040. Guralnik, et al. Chartbook on Women and Disability in the United States. An InfoUse Report.