Every May since 1963, Older Americans Month has been honored with a presidential proclamation. In May 2005, former President George W. Bush stated, “Older Americans help others to understand the past, and they teach timeless lessons of courage, endurance and love. Through their legacy of patriotism, service, and responsibility, America's seniors also unite families and communities and serve as role models for younger generations.”
In observance of Older Americans Month 2010, we have compiled some interesting facts and revealing statistics regarding America’s amazing centenarians (100 years and older –there are lots of them!) as well as their younger counterparts.
U.S. Centenarians
- The United States currently has the greatest number of centenarians in the world, estimated at 96,548 on November 1, 2008. (Bureau of the Census)
- “Men and women who are 100 or older tend to have something else in common – an extroverted personality,” says Thomas T. Perls, M.D., M.P.H., the director of the New England Centenarian Study at Boston University. “Centenarians will often have many friends, strong ties to relatives, and a healthy dose of self-esteem.”
- Some research suggests centenarians’ offspring are more likely to experience better cardiovascular health as they age than their peers.
- According to John W. Santrock's book A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development, research suggests there are five essential factors to centenarians’ longevity:
- Heredity and family history;
- Health, i.e. diet, exercise, whether or not a person smokes, etc.;
- Education level;
- Personality; and,
- Lifestyle.
- The book notes the largest population of centenarians comprises women who have never been married. Also, people who have been through traumatic life events, such as Holocaust survivors, learn to cope better with stress and poverty and are more likely to reach centenarian status.
U.S. Aging Population
- From the beginning of 20th century to 2006, the number of people age 65 and older living in the U.S. grew from 3 million to 37 million, accounting for over 12 percent of the total population. People age 85 and older grew from a little more than 100,000 in 1900 to 5.3 million in 2006.
- 86.7 million – Projected number of people 65 and older in the year 2050. People in this age group would comprise 21% of America's total population at that time.
- 147% – Projected percentage increase in the 65-and-older population between 2000 and 2050. By comparison, the population as a whole would have increased by only 49% over the same period.
Jobs
- 4.6 million – Number of people age 65 and older who are still employed. This equals 13% of all people in this age group.
Education
- 77% of people ages 65 to 69 graduated from high school, compared to 73% of people ages 70 to 74 and 68% of those 75 and older.
- 20% of people ages 65 to 69 have a bachelor's degree or higher education. Among people ages 70 to 74, 19% have achieved this level of education; for those 75 and older, 15% are college graduates.
Income and Wealth
- $108,885 – Median net worth of householders age 65 and older. In contrast, householders younger than 35 have a median household net worth of $7,240.
- $23,787 – Median income of householders age 65 and older, statistically unchanged, in real terms, from the previous year.
- 10.2% – Poverty rate for people 65 and older.
Serving Our Nation
- 9.7 million – Estimated number of people age 65 and older who are military veterans.
[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]
As we recognize Older Americans Month, we encourage you to celebrate and thank the senior population and centenarians who have enriched our lives, bolstered the economy, fought for our country and freedoms, passed along valuable traditions and history, and provided an overall window to our past and future.
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