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Senior
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Longevity & Statistics
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Senior Citizen Longevity
Keeping Your Body Cool May Extend Your Lifespan
Researchers have discovered genetic program that
promotes longevity in cold environments
 Feb. 14, 2013 - Scientists have known for nearly a
century that cold-blooded animals, such as worms, flies and fish all
live longer in cold environments, but have not known exactly why. Even
lowering the body temperature of mice can mysteriously extend their lifespan.
Read
more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Americans Have Worse Health Than People in
Other Prosperous Countries Until They Pass Age 75
‘Americans are dying and suffering at rates
that we know are unnecessary because people in other high-income
countries are living longer lives and enjoying better health’
 Jan.
25, 2013 – Senior citizens are probably more likely than most
Americans to consider the U.S. health system as the best in the
world for living a long healthy life. They are, however, wrong.
Americans die sooner and experience higher rates of disease and
injury than people in other high-income countries and this
disadvantage extends to age 75, says a shocking new report. There is
good news for seniors, however - people over age 75 in U.S. live
longer, have lower death rates from stroke and cancer, better
control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and lower rates of
smoking.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Binge Drinking Under-Recognized Problem Among Women
and Girls; Few Senior Women are Abusers
 Jan. 11, 2013 - A new
report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
report says nearly 14 million U.S. women and girls binge
drink about three times a month, but senior citizens do not
appear to be a big part of the problem.
Read more...
Guinness Says Japan’s Jiroemon
Kimura is Oldest Man Who Ever Lived at 115 Years, 253 Days
 The oldest person ever to have lived
is Jeanne Calment (France) who lived to 122 years and 164 days
Dec. 28, 2012 - Guinness World
Records announced yesterday that Jiroemon Kiumua of Japan is now the
Oldest Man Ever – as well as the Oldest Living Man and the Oldest Living
Person – at the age of 115 years, 253 days.
Read more...
Controlling BubR1Regulator
Provides Opportunity to Extend Healthy Life Span: Mayo Clinic Study
Only 33% of mice with high levels of BubR1 developed
lung and skin tumors compared to 100% of the control group
 Dec. 17, 2012 - The aging process is characterized
by high rates of whole-chromosome losses and gains in various organs,
including heart, muscle, kidney and eye, according to new work by Mayo
Clinic researchers. Reducing these rates slows age-related tissue
deterioration and promotes a healthier life span, they found in a study
of mouse models.
Read
more...
Aging News & Information
If You Look Old, You May Be: Signs of Aging Can
Predict Your Heart Disease Risk
Receding hairline, baldness, earlobe crease, yellow
fatty deposits on the eyelids - signs of aging associated with increased
risk of heart disease - see link to video in story
 Nov. 8, 2012 - If you look old, your heart may feel
old. In a new study, those who had three to four aging signs — receding
hairline at the temples, baldness at the head’s crown, earlobe crease,
or yellow fatty deposits around the eyelid (xanthelasmata) — had a 57
percent increased risk for
heart attack and a 39
percent increased risk for
heart disease .
Read more, see
video...
Grandparent News
Grandmas Made Humans Live Longer, Proven by Computer
Simulations
'Grandmothering was the initial step toward making
us who we are,' - Chimp lifespan evolves into human longevity
 Oct. 23, 2012 – Computer simulations provide new
mathematical support for the "grandmother hypothesis" – a famous theory
that humans evolved longer adult lifespans than apes because
grandmothers helped feed their grandchildren.
Read
more...
Aging News & Information
No Surprise Senior Citizens Most Likely to Be
Affiliated with Religion: Pew Research
Pew Research Center finds Americans trending away
from organized religion – 1 in 5 have no religious affiliation
 Oct. 12, 2012 – Seldom do you see a poll that does
not find senior citizens at one extreme or the other. This time it is a
measurement of Americans who do not identify with any religion. It is a
growing trend – to be religiously unaffiliated – according to Pew
Research Center. But, seniors are not joining in – they are far less
likely to be “unaffiliated” than any other age group.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Starving Yourself to Death Does Not Lead to Longer Life, But
Maybe Some Benefits
New NIA study of monkeys shoots down long-held theory that severe calorie restriction increasess longevity
 Aug. 31,
2012 – An old joke among seniors has been, “If you want to live a long life, you have to starve yourself to death.” It was based on a
long-held theory that severe diet restriction extended life – most of this testing had been on rodents. That theory just got deflated
by a new study from scientists at the National Institute on Aging who say this drastic diet does not add years to your life.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Survey Finds 16% of Americans - Mostly Women - Providing Eldercare in 2011
Among findings by Bureau of Labor – oldest spend most time on leisure or sports and religion; least on
education
 July 9, 2012 - In 2011, 16 percent of the U.S. civilian non-institutional population age 15 and over were
eldercare providers, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. This and other information about eldercare providers and the time they spent
providing care were collected for the first time in the 2011 American Time Use Survey (ATUS).
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Senior Citizens to Exceed Children in Most of
World and U.S. by 2050
Census Bureau estimates show seniors in U.S. increasing by 104% from 2012 to 2050
  June
28, 2012 - The world's inhabitants in 2012 are an older mix of people than was the case a decade ago, driven by declining fertility and
increasing life expectancy. According to new U.S. Census Bureau population projections, by midcentury most world regions, and the United
States, will resemble Europe, which in 2005 became the first major world region where the population 65 and older outnumbered those younger
than 15. Read more...
U.S. Losing Ground in Longevity Race; Poor Live Five Years Less Than Affluent
Longevity flattening out in U.S. despite heavy healthcare spending; falling behind others due to shorter lifespan for
poorest citizens
By Amy Hodges, Rice University
 June 21, 2012 - Despite modest gains in lifespan over the past century, the United States still trails many of the
world’s countries when it comes to life expectancy, and its poorest citizens live approximately five years less than more affluent persons,
according to a new study from Rice University and the University Colorado at Boulder.
Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Senior Citizens Live Longer Taking Vitamin D with Calcium: Large Study
Increased longevity for elderly won’t happen with vitamin D alone says largest study ever
 June 15, 2012 – More senior citizens taking vitamin D and calcium will reduce the death rate among the elderly and
increase life expectancy. The study results emphasize these benefits are not found in taking vitamin D with the calcium.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Those Long Telomeres Inherited from an Older Father Give You Longevity
Short telomeres a cause of ill health that occurs with aging — long telomeres promote slower aging
 June
13, 2012 - Senior citizens – most of them, anyway - are fond of trying to find reasons they are going to live longer. Well, here is
a new one for you to contemplate. Researchers say that if your father conceived you late in life, you probably inherited some life-extending
benefits – long telomeres. Read more...
Centenarians Match Boomers in Daily Exercise; Favorites are Walking, Muscle Building
 100 year olds eat and sleep better than baby boomers; consider social connections a key to
quality life
June 12, 2012 - Most centenarians say they exercise almost every day. Walking is their
favorite physical activity but exercises to build muscle is almost as popular among those 100 years old and older, reports the
UnitedHealthcare’s seventh annual 100@100 survey. This year baby boomers were also surveyed for comparison and there were surprises.
Read more, link to video interview...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Seniors Increase Death Risk by Smoking But Can Still Live Longer by Quitting
• 'Many older smokers misbelieve that they are too old to quit or too old to benefit from quitting'
• 'If you have helped two smokers quit, you have saved (at least) one life'
 June 11,
2012 – Few of the studies probing the dangers of smoking have focused on older people, but researchers who studied 17 studies involving
seniors age 60 and older say that even those who stop smoking at an advanced age increase the probability of longer life.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Increasing Numbers of U.S. Seniors Face Threat of
Hunger Finds 10-Year Study
Majority of older Americans facing hunger have incomes above the poverty line and are white
 May
14, 2012 – The threat of hunger for U.S. seniors increased by 78 percent from 2001 to 2010 and it is still on the increase, finds a
new study. In 2010, the last year in the research, 14.8 percent of seniors – one in seven – faced the threat of hunger. This
translates into 8.3 million older Americans. Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Girls Born in 2009 Face Shorter Lives Than Their Mothers,
Blacks Increase Longevity Most
New study of longevity looks at U.S. counties, geographic influence; finds wide variance in how long people will live in
certain counties
 April
20, 2012 -
Nationwide, women’s lifespans are improving at a much slower pace than men, and in hundreds of counties women are living shorter lives today
than they did two decades ago, according to new county-by-county estimates of life expectancy released yesterday by the Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). Read more...
Life Expectancy May Be Driving All of Your Major Decisions
When you marry, when you divorce, how long you stay in school could be motivated by how long you expect to live
 April 9, 2012 - Major decisions in life, such as marriage, divorce, abortion, having a child and seeking a university
education, may be subconsciously influenced by how long people believe they will live, according to a Queen’s University study.
Read more...
Census Bureau Opens Website for Release of 1940 Census Data
•
1940 Census Release Is 'Super Bowl For Genealogists' says NPR’s ‘All Things Considered’
• Audio for this story from
All Things Considered will be available at approx. 7:00 p.m. ET, March 30, 2012
• Video below about 1940 Census
By NPR Staff
 March 30, 2012 - A sort of national treasure is scheduled to be revealed Monday: In April 1940, 120,000 census takers
spread out across America to take an inventory of its residents. Now that the legally mandated 72 years have passed, we finally get to see the
names, addresses, jobs and salaries of all the people who were counted. Read
more, watch video...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Marriage a Powerful Drug for Surviving Heart Surgery, But Supply Dwindling
Strong protective effect of marriage continues for up to five years following coronary artery bypass surgery; boomers
should worry
 March 6,
2012 – Prior research has shown married people tend to live longer. A new study, however, focused on just the survival rate after heart
surgery, and it found married adults – men and women - are three times more likely to survive the three months following the surgery.
Read more..
New Roles for Increasing Percentage of Older Citizens in an Aging America
 Number of older people is only natural resource that's actually growing, says Stanford Center on Longevity's Laura
Carstensen. Chance to improve transportation, redesign the suburbs and gain from the talents and experience of our elders
By Stephen Tung
Feb. 21, 2012 - As the United States grows older – with 10,000 people turning 65 every day – and the number of people
over 60 expected to surpass those under 15 within four years, common fears can play across the mind: dwindling Social Security, infirm elders,
a smaller workforce and delayed retirement. Read more...
America's
Longest Married Couple
By
Eric Pfeiffer |
The Sideshow – Yahoo Blog
1/31/12 - In
this video, we meet Wilbur and Teresa Faiss, America's longest-married couple. The Las Vegas residents were first wed in April, 1933.
Wilbur, now 100-years-old, tells KABC-TV, "I
just had no idea of us ever winning the longest-married couple."
A group called the Worldwide Marriage Encounter
certified the marriage as the nation's longest ongoing union. As for the secret to their wedded bliss as they approach their 80th
anniversary, Wilbur says, "It's very simple. It's give and take and compromise."
>>
Updates, more at CNN
|
|
Marriage Continues Decline Since 1960: Pew
 12/15/11
- The
share of Americans ages 18 and older who are currently married has been declining for many decades, reaching a record low 51% in 2010... In 1960, 72%
of adults were currently married and 15% were never married.
The share of adults who were currently married dropped
to 51%, and the never married group increased to 28% in 2010. The proportion divorced or separated, 14% in 2010, is higher than it was in 1960...
Widows and widowers made up the remaining 6% of adults in 2010.
...Only 9% of adults ages 18-24 were married in 2010,
compared with 45% in 1960. ..Although most Americans in their mid-30s onward are married, the proportions have declined notably since 1960 -
Red complete report by
Pew
Research Center |
Senior Citizens Now Largest Age Group in U.S.; Growing Faster Than Total Population
2010 census brief finds men gaining on women, 53,364 centenarians, 1.3 million in nursing homes, South had most elderly,
Northeast had largest percentage
 Dec. 1, 2011 – Senior citizens – that includes people 65 and older – are now at the top of the heap in U.S. Census
numbers. The senior age group is now, for the first time, the largest in terms of size and percent of the population in the U.S. This age
group grew at a faster rate than the total population between 2000 and 2010, according to a 2010 Census brief released yesterday.
Read more...
Is 90 the new 85? Census Bureau Report Describes Oldest Americans
Report 90+ in the United States: 2006–2008 describes this rapidly growing population which suggests the designation
of oldest-old should be changed from 85 to 90 years
 Nov. 17, 2011 - In 1980, there were 720,000 people aged 90 and older in the United States. In 2010, there were 1.9
million people aged 90 and older; by 2050, the ranks of people 90 and older may reach 9 million, according to a report from the U.S. Census
Bureau, commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
United Nations Says World Hits 7 Billion Population; Urges Action
Expected to grow to 9 billion by the middle of this century, or sooner - see population charts below news report
 Oct. 31, 2011 - Top United Nations officials today marked the global population reaching 7 billion with a call to action
to world leaders to meet the challenges that a growing population poses, from ensuring adequate food and clean water to guaranteeing equal
access to security and justice. Read more, see charts...
High to Moderate Stress Linked to Higher Death Rates for Older Men
Being married and having a glass of wine every night is the secret to less stress and a longer life for men - watch
video
 Oct. 20, 2011 - Men who experience persistently moderate or high levels of stressful life events over a number of years
have a 50 percent higher mortality rate. The only protective factors, according to the new study of older men, are marriage, moderate drinking
and believing you are in good health. Read more, see video...
Aging News & Information
Menopause Does Not Increase Heart Deaths; Aging Alone is Culprit for Men and Women
John Hopkins study says older women and men have about same death rates from heart disease; each generation has better
longevity
 Sept. 6, 2011 – John Hopkins researchers challenge long-held beliefs about cardiovascular death risks in men and women
with findings that menopause does not increase death rates for women and that older men and women have about the same rates of mortality risk from
heart disease starting after age 45. Read more...
|
National Centenarians
Day Celebrated by 70,500 in US
9/23/11 - As people's ages creep upward, many tend to become a little vague about
their exact age. After about 85, though, they become proud of their longevity. Not too many years ago, someone who had lived to be 100 was
a true rarity. Even today, those reaching 100 are contacted by the White House and national media.
Now, generations of good nutrition and medical care are paying off and the picture
has changed. On this National Centenarians Day, it is estimated there are some 70,500 Americans aged 100 or over. In 1950, the number was
2,300. Profile America is produced by the U.S. Census Bureau: Measuring America—People, Places, and Our Economy. |
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Lose Weight or Get Old Faster: Catch 22 Dilemma Found in Yale Study
Free radicals - molecules tied to aging and tissue damage - are at heart of increased appetite
 Aug. 29, 2011 – Do you want to lose weight, or get old faster? That seems to be a dilemma discovered by Yale School of
Medicine researchers trying to find an answer to the alarming increase in obesity around the world.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Longer Life Possible By Practicing One or More Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors, CDC Finds
Four keys to longevity - not smoking, eating well, regular exercise, limiting alcohol
Aug. 23, 2011 – It’s not a miracle cure for aging but a new study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention pretty
much nails down what aging studies have been finding for some time – if you want to live longer don’t smoke, eat healthy, exercise and drink
alcohol moderately. If you do them all it makes a gigantic difference. Read more...
Compound SRT1720 Improves Health, Increases Lifespan of Obese Mice
Mice given the highest doses saw mean lifespan increase by 44 percent; improved heart, pancreas, liver function
 Aug. 19, 2011 - Obese male mice were given a synthetic compound called SRT1720 and their lives become healthier and, more importantly,
they lived longer than obese mice that did not get the magical compound. Researchers say the treated mice experienced improvements in the
function of the liver, pancreas and heart. Read more...
New Twist on Becoming a Centenarian: It’s All in the Genes Says New Study
|
See video of Dr. Barzilai explaining unexpected results. |
Einstein researchers find Centenarians just as likely as the others to smoke, drink and pack on
pounds
Aug. 3, 2011 - People who live to 95 or older are no more virtuous than the rest of us in
terms of their diet, exercise routine or smoking and drinking habits, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of
Yeshiva University, Bronx, N.Y. Read more, see video...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Nation’s Population Aging as Senior Citizen Ranks
Boom with Boomers; Males Increasing
 Number of seniors (65 and older), pushed by baby
boomers, jumped - 15.1% to 40.3 million, or 13.% of total population;
Northeast the oldest
May 27, 2011 - As expected, the latest U.S. Census
Bureau brief on data from the 2010 Census shows senior citizens are
increasing faster than younger people, making the nation’s median age
older. A little bit surprising is the news released yesterday that also
shows a shift in the sex composition with the male population growing
faster than the female population over the last decade.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens See More Time Added to Life
Expectancy in New CDC Report
 Life expectancy at birth in 2009 Jumps to 78.2
years, death rates in US hit all time low
March
17, 2011 - Life expectancy for the average 65-year-old senior citizen
has increased by one-tenth of a percent. This senior male has 17.3 years
left but not as much as the female, who has 20 more years, according to
preliminary 2009 death statistics released yesterday by CDC's National
Center for Health Statistics.
Read more...see chart
How You Live Life
More Critical to Longevity Than Genetics, Finds New Swedish Study
Long running study
of elderly men finds longevity traits established before 60s
 Feb. 7, 2011 -
How long your parents lived does not affect how long you will live.
Instead it is how you live your life that determines how old you will
get, says research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. This
conclusion conflicts with a study released last July that claims to
predict exceptional longevity from genetic variants, but is in line with
ideas expressed by some who study centenarians.
Read more...
How Fast Senior Citizens Walk Found to be Good
Predictor of How Long They Will Live
Large study of older Americans says prediction most
accurate for those 75 and older; works for men and women - watch video
 Jan. 5, 2011 –
How fast senior citizens walk appears to be a better gage of how long
they will live than trying to do a more complicated analysis using age,
sex, chronic conditions, smoking history, blood pressure, body mass
index, and hospitalization. This study of senior citizens found walking
gait is especially accurate for predicting remaining life for those age
75 and older.
Read
more...Watch Video...
Contrary to What
Many Seniors Think, Growth Hormone May Not Be Good Way to Slow Aging
New research
says ‘un-growth hormone’ increases longevity; could lead to new way to
fight aging
 Dec. 24, 2010 –
A new study indicates that senior citizens who take growth hormone in
hopes of extending their lives may be doing more harm that good. A
compound which acts in the opposite way as growth hormone can reverse
some of the signs of aging, the researchers say.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Life Expectancy in U.S. Shows Surprising Decline in
New 2008 CDC Data; Up for Blacks
 Good news – stroke drops to fourth in leading cause
of death; death rate declines
Dec. 10, 2010 –
When things are not going right it seems to spread, people in the U.S.
might think, as they deal with a stagnant economy, ugly national
politics, a growing split between the wealthy and the poor and more. Now,
we get news that life expectancy at birth in this country declined
slightly in 2008 to 77.8 years from 77.9 years in 2007.
Read
more..See graph.
Aging to 100 is More About Attitude, Adaptation, Physical Activity Than
Health History
Healthy
centenarians described as open and conscientious.
Second UGA study shows decrease in physical activity accelerates decline
in health
Dec. 1, 2010 –
How we feel about ourselves and our ability to adapt to an accumulation
of challenging life experiences may be as important – or more important
– than health factors in determining if we survive to be 100 years old,
according to research from the University of Georgia.
Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
High Levels of
Antioxidant Alpha-Carotene from Fruits, Vegetables Found to Extend Life
Higher
alpha-carotene concentration lowers risk of dying from cardiovascular
disease or cancer and all other causes
 Nov.
22, 2010 - High blood levels of the antioxidant alpha-carotene – most
often acquired from eating fruits and vegetables - appear to be
associated with a reduced risk of dying over a 14-year period, according
to a report posted online today that will be published in the March 28
print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Read more...
|
Japan Missing More than
230K Centenarians
By
Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Writer Mari Yamaguchi,
Associated Press Writer – Fri Sep 10, 2010
TOKYO
– More than 230,000 Japanese citizens listed in
government records as at least 100 years old can't be
found and may have died long ago, according to a
government survey released Friday.
In
August, the Justice Ministry ordered a review of records
that found about 77,000 people who would be at least
120, and 884 people who would be 150 or older.
The
head count followed a flurry of reports about how
elderly people are falling through the cracks in Japan
as its population ages rapidly and family ties weaken.
In
all, the survey of family registration records
nationwide found that 234,354 centenarians were still
listed as alive, but their whereabouts were unknown, the
ministry said.
Read the rest of this AP report… |
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
U.S. Life Expectancy
Falls Behind Major Countries, Despite Highest Health Spending
Obesity, smoking, traffic fatalities and homicide
ruled out as causes of failure of US to keep up with gains in life
expectancy in other countries
 October 7,
2010—America continues to lag behind other nations when it comes to
gains in life expectancy, and commonly cited causes for our poor
performance—obesity, smoking, traffic fatalities and homicide—are not to
blame, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University's
Mailman School of Public Health.
Read
more...
A Battle for Love in Younger Years Appears to
Shorten the Life of Male Senior Citizens
 Harvard study finds men who mature where women far
out number men, making mating less competitive, live longer than others
Aug. 9, 2010 – Senior citizens seem to always be
interested in studies about longevity. Who is not curious about how long
they will live? There is a new factor for senior citizen men to
calculate – men who matured in an environment where men far outnumber
women live, on average, three months less than those who matured among
more females and less competition for a mate.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
New Strategy to Fight Alzheimer’s May Come From
Control of a Gene Associated with Aging
SIRT1 gene found to control production of peptides
that form amyloid plaque in AD brains
July 22, 2010 – Drugs to activate the SIRT1 gene
may lead to a way to fight Alzheimer’s disease, according to MIT
biologists that have discovered the first link between the amyloid
plaques that form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and this gene
previously implicated in the aging process.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Doing Better, Health Care Cost a Big
Problem Says Older Americans 2010
July 19, 2010 - Senior citizens in America are
enjoying longer lives, better health and better economic security but
the cost of health care for the elderly has risen dramatically,
according to Older Americans 2010: Key Indicators of Well-Being,
which was released today by the Federal Interagency Forum on
Aging-Related Statistics.
Read
more...
Exceptional Longevity in Humans Accurately Predicted
from Genetic Signatures
 ‘Exceptional longevity may be the result of an
enrichment of longevity-associated variants that counter the effect of
disease-associated variants’
July 8, 2010 - While environment and family history
are factors in healthy aging, genetic variants play a critical and
complex role in conferring exceptional longevity, according to a new
landmark study by a team of researchers from the Boston University
Schools of Public Health and Medicine and the Boston Medical Center.
Read
more...
Taking Life Nice and Easy May Trump Antioxidants in
Slowing the Aging Process
Research in the journal Genetics shows that your
genes may be most important in slowing the body's aging process
July 6, 2010 - Don't put down the red wine and
vitamins just yet, but if you're taking antioxidants because you hope to
live longer, consider this: a new study published in the June 2010 issue
of the journal GENETICS casts doubt on the theory that oxidative stress to our tissues shortens
lifespan.
Read more...
Survey Says Centenarians Using New Technology;
Saying Recession Worse Than Depression
 Use of text messages, IM and iPods increasing among
100-year olds
May 4, 2010 - The national poll of 100 Americans
turning 100 years of age or older this year reveals these centenarians
are staying connected to family, friends, current events and pop culture
and are increasingly using the latest technologies, including text
messages, IMs and iPods, compared with two years ago.
Perhaps a Longer Lifespan, Certainly a Longer 'Healthspan'
From Calorie Restriction
Calorie restriction leads scientists to molecular
pathways that slow aging, improve health
By Jim Dryden
April
16, 2010 - Organisms from yeast to rodents to humans all benefit from
cutting calories. In less complex organisms, restricting calories can
double or even triple lifespan. It’s not yet clear just how much longer
calorie restriction might help humans live, but those who practice the
strict diet hope to survive past 100 years old.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Remembering the Good Times Is Secret to Happiness
for Oldest American Seniors
Iowa State researchers find loss of cognitive ability
is major source of depression for centenarians and older senior citizens
 April 9, 2010 – A new study of senior citizens has
found that past satisfaction with life - even if it's simply recalling
isolated career accomplishments - is the key to happiness in our oldest
years. Researchers from Iowa State University's gerontology program have
helped identify what predicts happiness and long life in centenarians,
as well as what causes depression in 80-somethings and above.
Read
more...
 We are Living a Decade Longer Than Our Parents’
Generation Due to Healthy Aging
Good news is that after age 110, chance of death
does not increase. Bad news is that it holds steady at 50% per year.
March 24, 2010 – People today are living
substantially longer than their parents’ generation, not because aging
has been slowed or reversed, but because they are staying healthier. A
demographer writes on the longevity phenomenon in the March 25 edition
of Nature and wonders how we can keep in going.
Read more...
Study Finds We Are Winning the War on Cancer as
Death Rates Decline Steadily Since 1990
For those under age 75, drop in cancer death rate
between 1970-2006 resulted in about 2.0 million years of potential life
gained
March
9, 2010 – We are winning the war on cancer, declares the author of a new
study that finds a downturn in cancer death rates since 1990. This
favorable trend is mostly due reductions in tobacco use, increased
cancer screening to detect cancers early, and improvements in treatment
for specific cancers.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens May Be Significantly Shortening
Lives by Too Much Time Watching TV
New study focused on television watching but
suggests any prolonged sedentary behavior, such as sitting at a desk or
in front of a computer, may pose a health risk, too
 Jan. 11, 2010 - Self destruction, if not against
the law in most states, is certainly frowned upon everywhere. But, it
does not stop senior citizens from watching television over 200 hours a
month, which, according to a new study, increases their risk of death
from cardiovascular disease about 36 percent – and about 22 percent from
all causes.
Read more...
|
Americans Living Longer Than Earlier Thought
Dec. 15, 2009 - CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta
says new research shows Americans are living even longer
than previously thought.
More at CNN
|
Exercise & Fitness for Senior Citizens
Physical Activity Has Anti-Aging Effect on
Cardiovascular System: German Study
| |
More from U. of
Utah |
|
| |
● Measuring telomerase may be a new way to detect
cancer.
● Among people older than 60,
those with shorter telomeres were three times more likely to die
from heart disease and eight times more likely to die from
infectious disease. |
|
Utah scientist reports on emerging importance of
telomeres in aging, cancer and maybe immortality; seniors with short
telomeres most likely to die – see below
story
Dec. 1, 2009 – People who engage in regular
physical activity are gaining an anti-aging weapon that will help them
live longer lives. New research finds intensive exercise prevents aging
of the cardiovascular system by preventing shortening of telomeres – the
DNA that bookends the chromosomes and protects the ends from damage, a
protective effect against aging.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Texas Researchers to Determine if Rapamycin Extends
Human Life as it Does for Mice
$5.2 million from stimulus funds to back project at
Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging
 Oct. 6, 2009 – Can the antibiotic rapamycin be the
silver bullet? Will it extend the lives of humans as it has mice?
Answers may come from new research at the Barshop Institute for
Longevity and Aging Studies, a research facility of The University of
Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, which just received a $5.2
million grant awarded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
Read
more...
Today’s Senior Citizen Turning Age 65 Can Now Expect
to Live to Almost 84, CDC Report Says
 Life expectancy reaches all-time high as death
rates reach all-time lows, new report shows
Aug. 20, 2009 – New life expectancy tables using
data through 2007 were released yesterday by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, which show the average 65-year-old senior
citizen can expect to live to almost 84. And, another new high, shows
new borns in the U.S. can expect to live to about 78. Part of the reason
for this is the continued drop in the death rate.
Read
more...
American Walter Breuning Now Oldest Living Man in
World, Giving U.S. Title for Both Sexes
112-year-old from Montana replaces Henry Allingham
(UK), who held the title less than a month
|
|
 Walter
Breuning, 112, US, oldest living man. |
|
 Henry
Allingham, 113, UK, was oldest man. |
|
July 23, 2009 - The crown for the oldest living man
in the world now belongs to an American, Walter Breuning, born September
21, 1896. At 112 years of age, the man from Great Falls, Montana, joins
with the oldest living woman in the world, Gertrude Baines, 115, to
claim both titles for the United States.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Population on Brink of Explosion in
World and in United States: Census Bureau
U.S. seniors may increase by 40% in five years,
world senior age group to triple by 2050
June 24, 2009 – The U.S. Census Bureau has released
data over several recent days that highlight to staggering boom in the
senior citizen population in the world and nation. In the U.S., the
senior citizen population appears to be headed to a 40 percent increase
in the next five years. The world’s 65-and-older population is projected
to triple by midcentury, from 516 million in 2009 to 1.53 billion in
2050. Read
more...
Comprehensive Study of 50,000 Canadians as They Age
Kicked Off by Three Universities
 The
Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging:
hopes to improve not just the number of years lived, but how those years
are lived
May 26, 2009 – Three universities in Canada are
joining forces to lead a new study of 50,000 Canadians over two decades
to increase the understanding of common health problems affecting senior
citizens.
Read
more...
Census Bureau Presents Latest Facts about Senior
Citizens for Older Americans Month
President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as
Senior Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute in some way
to older people across the country; now Older Americans Month in May
2009
 May
1, 2009 - A meeting with the National Council of Senior Citizens
resulted in President John F. Kennedy designating May 1963 as Senior
Citizens Month, encouraging the nation to pay tribute in some way to
older people across the country. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter’s
proclamation changed the name to Older Americans Month, a time to
celebrate those 65 and older through ceremonies, events and public
recognition.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Politics
UCLA Study Says California's Single Seniors Can't
Make Ends Meet
Recession likely to put those living alone at even
greater economic risk
Feb. 25, 2009 - Nearly half a million elderly
living alone in California cannot make ends meet, according to a new
policy brief by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the
Insight Center for Community Economic Development. These senior
citizens, the report says, lack sufficient income to pay for a minimum
level of housing, food, health care, transportation and other basic
expenses. Read
more...
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Researchers Will Pay Seniors to Help Study Families
with History of Long, Healthy Life
Recruitment builds on efforts during an earlier phase
of the research, in which several hundred families took part
Feb.
2, 2009 - Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center
are willing to pay senior citizens willing to help them learn more about
living a long healthy life. The new study, sponsored by the National
Institutes on Aging, needs long-lived families to help. More and more
people are living longer, but living to extreme old age is unusual and
tends to run in some families.
Read
more...
Old Advice to Extend Life by Cutting Back Calories
Applies to Fat Mice Not Normal Seniors
Study in Journal of Nutrition suggests it may
not be a good idea for normal sized senior citizens
 Jan. 23, 2009 – Researchers
have been telling senior citizens for years that the fountain of youth
is found in restricting calorie consumption. Now, a new study funded by
the National Institute on Aging says that old advice is good for fat
laboratory mice but not normal size people.
Read more...
More Than Half U.S. Senior Citizens have a
Disability; Over 70 Percent of Those over 80
 54.4 Million Americans live with a disability says
new report by Census Bureau
Dec. 18, 2008 - About one in five U.S. residents - 19 percent -
reported some level of disability in 2005, according to a U.S. Census
Bureau report released today. But, more than one out of three of all the
disabled in the U.S. are senior citizens, age 65 or older.
Read more...
Health & Medicine for Senior Citizens
Cancer to Replace Heart Disease as Leading Killer in
World by 2010, Says International Study
US cancer organizations unite to push action plan
for Obama Administration
|
Number
U.S. deaths 2005 for leading causes of death
● Heart disease: 652,091
● Cancer:
559,312
More in news
report...
|
Dec. 9, 2008 – Cancer may soon replace heart
disease as the leading cause of death in the world according to a
report today from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
This news that cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death
in the year 2010 has moved the nation's leading cancer organizations to
join an event called Conquering Cancer: A Global Effort, to focus
attention on the growing global cancer burden and discuss efforts needed
to address the problem.
Read
more...
Children of Centenarians Live Longer, Have Less
Heart Disease, Stroke Diabetes
Survival rate shows longevity runs in families,
results indicate physiological and genetic reasons
Nov. 20, 2008 – Senior citizens, at some point, are no longer in awe
of the pretty face or fat pocketbook – their envy turns to the
centenarians, those among us who live to be 100 years old. A new study
says that if your parents were centenarians, or even as close as age 97,
you are probably are going to live a long life, too.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Population May Be Near Max for
Internet
Use; 4 of 5 Adults of All Ages Now Online
184 Million U.S. adults are online from their
homes, offices, schools or other locations
November 18, 2008 – A new Harris Poll finds the
U.S. citizens Online are beginning to look more like the population of
the country. Although senior citizens age 65 and older still lag, they
are catching up and the difference is not so dramatic.
Read
more...
 Centenarian Who Rides Electric Scooter to Work at
Newspaper Named Oldest Worker
Mildred Health works 30 hours a week at newspaper she
helped found in Overton, Nebraska
Oct. 3, 2008 - Mildred Health, a 100-year-old newspaper woman who
comes to work on an electric scooter and works 30 hours a week at the
Overton Observer in Overton, Nebraska, has been honored at America’s
Oldest Worker for 2008 by Experience Works, which says it is the
nation’s largest provider of training and employment services for older
workers.
Read
more...
U.S. Senior Citizens in Poverty Jumped to 3.6
Million in 2007, 9.7 Percent of All Seniors
In
2007, the family poverty rate and the number of families in poverty were
9.8 percent and 7.6 million, respectively, both statistically unchanged
from 2006
Aug. 25, 2008 – The number of seniors citizens (age
65 and older) in the U.S. living in poverty jumped to 3.6 million in
2007, up from 3.4 million in 2006. The percentage of all seniors living
in poverty increased from 9.4 percent to 9.7 percent from 2006 to 2007 –
an increase the Census Bureau calls “statistically unchanged.”
Read
more...
Third Survey of Centenarians Finds Them More Like
Younger People Than Many Assume
100-year olds use latest technology, follow elections
and think lifestyle choices determine longevity
|
 “If
I could leave any message, never stop learning. Period.
That's it.” Centenarian Maurice Eisman |
Aug. 8, 2008 – The third annual Evercare 100@100
Survey finds that the keys to longevity are staying connected to family,
friends and current events. The poll of 100 centenarians shifts
conventional stereotypes on aging by revealing that some of the oldest
Americans are using the latest technologies to keep up and stay close –
talking on cell phones, sending emails, “Googling” lost acquaintances,
surfing Wikipedia and even online dating.
Read more...
Institute on Aging Seeks Long-Living Families to
Reveal Secrets to Long Healthy Life
Researchers will contact people near study sites -
Boston, New York and Pittsburgh
July
8, 2008 – WANTED: A few families that have a record of living a
long, long time. Although Americans are living longer, “extreme old age”
is still unusual and tends to run in some families, according to the
National Institute on Aging. The NIA, part of the National Institutes of
Health, is seeking long-lived families to help study the secrets to a
long healthy life.
Read
more...
Life Expectancy Passes 78 Years, Death Rates
Drastically Decline, Says New CDC Report
Death rates for 8 of the 10 leading causes of death
in U.S. all dropped significantly in 2006; Alzheimer’s passed diabetes
becoming the sixth leading cause of death
June 11, 2008 - Age-adjusted death rates in the
United States declined significantly between 2005 and 2006 and life
expectancy hit another record high – 78.1 years, according to
preliminary death statistics released today by CDC’s National Center for
Health Statistics.
Read
more...
Aging News & Information
Study of Former World’s Oldest Woman Proves Dementia
Not Inevitable with Aging
 Woman, 115, had normal brain and remained mentally
alert throughout life
June 9, 2008 – The theory that proposes dementia is
an inevitable result of a long life was refuted by a reality test
reported in the August issue of Neurobiology of Aging. Researchers that
interviewed the world’s oldest living person and examined her brain
after death have found she had a normal brain with little or no evidence
of Alzheimer’s disease, and say she remained mentally alert throughout
her life. Read
more....
Senior Citizen Longevity & Statistics
Insulin-Like Hormone May Hold Key to Longer Life for
Elderly Men
New way of testing opens the possibility to new
insights about IGF-1
May
27, 2008 - A new study of elderly men with higher activity of the
hormone IGF-1 - insulin-growth factor 1 - appear to have greater life
expectancy and reduced cardiovascular risk, according to a report on
research that used a new method of testing for IGF-bioactivity.
Read more...
Study of Centenarian Suggests Genes May Not Hold the
Secret to Longevity
Researchers credit Mediterranean diet, physical
activity, mild climate
May
5, 2008 - A study of the bones of a 113-year-old man, who has recently
died at 114, reveals his longevity was due to a healthy lifestyle, a
Mediterranean diet, a temperate climate and regular physical activity,
rather than any genetic modifications.
Read
more...
Rich White Men Doing the Best in Fight to Extend
Longevity in U.S.
 For poor, women and minorities the picture not so rosy
April 22, 2008 - Life expectancy in the U.S. is on
a continual increase, at least for financially comfortable white men.
For the poor, women and minorities the picture is not so rosy, according
a research published in PloS Medicine. Overall life expectancy in the
U.S. increased more than seven years for men and more than six years for
women between 1960 and 2000. Over the same four decades, however, this
report finds the gains not reaching many parts of the country; rather,
the life expectancy of a significant segment of the population is
actually declining or at best stagnating.
Read more....
NBC Today Show Features Couple Married for 83 Years
Minnesota duo’s longevity earns place in ‘Guinness
World Records’
 March
17, 2008 - “The year was 1925. Calvin Coolidge was president, Adolf
Hitler released the first part of his book, “Mein Kampf,” Charlie
Chaplin’s big movie was “The Gold Rush,” flappers were singing and
dancing to “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “I’m Sitting on Top of the World,”
the Scopes Trial played out in Tennessee, the first television images
were broadcast, Al Capone ruled the streets of Chicago...
Read
more and link to video in story.
Aging News & Information
U.S. Life Expectancy Not Increasing for Everyone –
Just Best Educated, Males
Those with less than high school education and
females don’t age so well in Harvard study
March 11, 2008 – Yes, we are living longer in the
U.S. but if you thought that applied to everyone, you are in for a
surprise. Now we learn this expanse in life expectancy only applies to
those with more than a high school education. And, women fare worse than
men – the less educated women actually show a slight decline in life
expectancy at age 25.
Read
more...
Long Life Mostly Determined by Choices We Make as
Senior Citizens, Study Finds
People living passed 100 even with chronic diseases
they battle for many years
Feb. 11, 2008 – Only about a fourth of the
variations that determine how long we live can be blamed on genetics.
The other 75 percent appear to be associated with risk factors we can
control. For example, a new study says lifestyle choices by men in the
early elderly years – including weight control, regular exercise and not
smoking – go a long way in determining those that will live to reach age
90. Read more...
Calorie Restriction Prolongs Life and Scientist Find
Genes that May Cause It
SIRT3 and SIRT4 may be targets for drug treatments
to stimulate fight against aging
Sept. 20, 2007 - For nearly 70 years scientists
have known that caloric restriction prolongs life. In everything from
yeast to primates, a significant decrease in calories can extend
lifespan by as much as one-third. In a new study, however, scientists
have focused on two genes they think come out fighting against the
diseases of aging, when provoked by something like calorie restriction.
Read more...
Oldest Living Man Celebrates 112th Birthday in Japan
Tomoji Tanabe does not drink or smoke but reads his
newspaper daily
Sept. 18, 2007 – It was happy birthday yesterday
for the world’s oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe, who turned 112. Saying again
that he wants to live forever, Tanabe does not drink alcohol or smoke.
He does read his newspaper every day and write in his diary.
Read more...
New Record Reached in U.S. Life Expectancy
but Heart
Disease Remains Biggest Killer
Child born in 2005 should live to about 78 years of
age, says CDC
Sept. 13, 2007 – The latest government statistics
show longevity in the U.S. has reached a new high – a child born in 2005
can expect to live to almost age 78 (77.9). The study also finds that
heart disease is still the main reason we are dying, although, the death
rate from heart disease dropped significantly from 2004 to 2005 – 3.1%.
But the biggest drop in death risk was from cerebrovascular diseases
(stroke), where the rate dropped 6.8%.
Read
more...
Life Expectancy Improves but Premature Death Risk
Still Significant
Study finds public perceives death risk much lower
that reality
Sept. 4, 2007 - Findings from a new study show that
while mortality rates in the United States have decreased since the
1970s, the risk of premature death for those in their typical working
years, ages 25-64, is still significant - a greater than 1-in-6 chance
for males and a 1-in-9 chance for females of not surviving from age 25
to normal retirement age. These odds are much higher than most
Americans perceive.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Living in Poverty Decline in 2006
but Not for Younger People
U.S. poverty rate does decline for first time in
Bush era
Aug. 28, 2007 – The nation’s poverty rate declined
in 2006 for the first time since George W. Bush became president – 12.6%
in 2005 down to 12.3% in 2006. Senior citizens (65 and older), however,
saw even a bigger drop – 10.1% in 2005 down to 9.4% last year. The new
U.S. Census Bureau report also found that median household income in the
U.S. climbed between 2005 and 2006, reaching $48,200. This is the second
consecutive year that income has risen.
Read more...
Health and Retirement Study Highlights Published in
New Book by NIA
Premier study of Americans 50-plus by U. Michigan
Social Research
 Aug. 13, 2007 – Those who follow the news and
information on aging are aware of increasing number of studies that
reference data from the Health & Retirement Study. The National
Institute on Aging, sponsor of this ongoing national survey of Americans
age 50 and over, is now making available a comprehensive publication,
Growing Older in American: The Health & Retirement Study.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens Most Likely to Say Bible is
Literally True, Gallup Finds
Least educated most likely to believe Bible is actual
word of God
May 27, 2007 – Senior citizens are more likely than
most other American adults to believe the Bible is the actual word of
God and is to be taken literally word for word, according to a report
from the Gallup News Service released Friday. About one-third of all
adults have this belief but those over age 65 lead the age groups
slightly at 35%.
Read
more...
Two Personality Traits Linked to Health and
Longevity
Emotional stability and conscientiousness make a
healthy personality
April 5, 2007 - Psychologists studying the question
of what makes a healthy personality have identified at least two of five
major traits as being directly related to physical well being and
longevity: emotional stability and conscientiousness. More to the point,
wellness is linked to changes in these traits over time.
Read more...
Oldest Americans More in Sync with Modern Times Than
Many Think
Centenarians credit longevity to 'Faith' over
genes, medical care
April 3, 2007 – Centenarians – those who have
attained age 100 – are more in tune with current trends than many
assume. One out of three has watched a TV reality show and almost that
many have watched music videos, according to the second annual survey by
Evercare. As was found in the first survey last year, the oldest
Americans attribute their longevity to faith and spiritual care more
than genes or medical care.
Read more...
Life Expectancy Gap Narrows Between Blacks and
Whites
Gap still substantial: 6.3 years for men
and 4.5 years for women
March 21, 2007 - Reductions in the death rate from
homicide, HIV disease, unintentional injuries and - among women - heart
disease have contributed to narrowing the life expectancy gap between
blacks and whites in the United States, although substantial
inequalities and challenges remain, according to a study in the March 21
issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Read more...
Nine Trends in Global Aging Present Challenges, Says
U.S. Study
Report presented at State Department Summit on
Global Aging
March 16, 2007 – While the world has successfully
learned to live longer, this longevity presents many new challenges that
will require cooperative planning by the world's nations, says a new
report, Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective, which
was presented yesterday at the Summit on Global Aging, hosted by the
U.S. State Department in collaboration with the National Institute on
Aging. Read
more...
Emma Tillman Dies After Holding Title as Oldest
Living Person for Four Days
| |
 |
|
| |
Yone
Minagawa, 114, world's oldest living person |
|
New oldest living person, Yone Minagawa, 114, of
Fukuoka, Japan
January 30, 2007 - Emma Faust Tillman, an 114-year-old
American, who was once a servant for actress Katharine
Hepburn, died on
Sunday, January 28, just four days after gaining the title as the
world's oldest living person. Her reign was the shortest on
record, says Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology
for Guinness World Records.
Read more...
Oldest Living Person Dies and American Woman Takes
the Title
New oldest living person, Emma Faust Tillman, just
became oldest woman on January 18
January
24, 2007 – Emiliano Mercado del Torro, the oldest living person in the
world has died at 115 years of age. He was also the oldest living U.S.
army veteran. Del Torro had been the world's oldest living man since
Nov. 19, 2004, but only gained the title for both sexes on December 11,
2006, when Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden of Tennessee died at 116.
Read more...
America's Emma Tillman is World's Oldest Living
Woman after Death of Canadian
Julie Bertrand, also oldest living Canadian, held
title for only weeks
| |
Oldest Woman |
|
Former Title Holder |
|
Oldest Person |
| |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
| |
Emma
Tillman |
|
Julie
Bertrand |
|
Del
Toro |
January 20, 2007 – Julie Winnefred Bertrand, the
oldest living woman in the world and oldest living Canadian, died on
January 18. The 115-year-old from Quebec held the Guinness World Record
as oldest living woman for just a few weeks, attaining the title on
December 11, 2006. Emma Faust Tillman, a 114-year-old American, who was
once a servant for actress Katharine Hepburn, not takes the title, which
was held by another Afro-American woman from the U.S., Elizabeth Bolden,
until she died at 116 last December. The oldest person in the world, and
oldest man, is Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico.
Read
more...
Gerald Ford Dies as Oldest Surviving U.S. President
December
27, 2006 – Gerald R. Ford, who turned 93 last July 14 and became the oldest
living former U.S. President on November 12, has died. A statement by Ford's
office said he "died peacefully" at 6:45 p.m. yesterday at his home in
Rancho Mirage, California. His death leaves three surviving former
presidents: Bill Clinton, 60, George H. W. Bush, 82, and Carter, 82.
Read more with links to key information at CNN, click here.
How Long Can You Expect to Live, How You May Die
Projected by Census Bureau
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
December 16, 2006 – "Adults and teens will spend
nearly five months (3,518 hours) next year watching television, surfing
the Internet, reading daily newspapers and listening to personal music
devices," so says the lead paragraph in the news release from the U.S.
Census Bureau announcing the Statistical Abstract of the United
States: 2007. But, let's dig down to the important information, like
how long are we expected to live now days and how might we meet our end.
That information is there, too.
Read more...
America's Lizzie Bolden Dies at 116 as World's
Oldest Person
Oldest person now Puerto Rican man who is also
oldest living U.S. veteran
December
12, 2006 – Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden, maybe the only person ever to be
declared the "oldest living person" in the world on two occasions, died
yesterday in a Tennessee nursing home at the age of 116. The new title
holder is Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico, already recognized
as the oldest living man in the world, who was listed yesterday by the
Gerontology Research Group as being 115 years and 112 days old. Del Toro
is also the oldest living U.S. veteran. (Read more below this news
story.) Read
more...
Gerald Ford Becomes Oldest
Living Former President
November
13, 2006 – As further evidence that we are living longer, it should be noted
that Gerald R. Ford passed a milestone on Sunday, November 12. He became the oldest
living U.S. President ever. Ford turned 93 on July 14 and took the honor
held by Ronald Reagan at 93 years and 121 days.
Lady Bird Johnson, who will be 94 next month, is the
oldest living former first lady. She has awhile to go, however, before
catching up with the longest living first lady, Bess Truman, who died at age
97 in 1982.
Just Three Percent of Senior Citizens have Proficient Health Literacy
Do not understand medical instructions, 29% lack basic literacy
September 12, 2006 - Senior citizens have much lower literacy skills
than younger Americans and it is identified as a particular problem when
in comes to understanding medical instructions, according to a recent
report by the National Center for Education Statistics on a study of
2003. Read
more...
Senior Citizens Becoming More Interested in Labor
Day Break
Older Americans leading growth in American
workforce
September 4, 2006 – Labor Day is becoming a more
important holiday for senior citizens, as a larger percentage of
Americans age 65 and older are joining the workforce. Older Americans
are the fastest growing age group of American workers and this is
expected to continue.
Read
more...
American Becomes Oldest Living Person in the World
for Second Time
Replaces woman from Ecuador who died days short of
117th birthday
August 29, 2006 – An American woman, Elizabeth
"Lizzie" Bolden, has become the oldest living woman and
person in the world - for the second time. This time she was given the
title as the result of the death on August 27 of Maria Esther Capovilla
of Ecuador, who was found to be older than Bolden last December and
given the recognition Bolden had held since last August.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Most Concerned about Health; Get
News from Doctor and Internet
Primarily want to maintain mental ability – fear
Alzheimer's the most
August
23, 2006 – About seven out of ten senior citizens are concerned about
their health and wellbeing and 80 percent try to keep up with health
news – mostly from their doctor, but secondly on the Internet.
Preserving their mental function is the biggest health concern and
Alzheimer's is the disease they fear most. These are part of the
findings in a survey of American ages 63 to 80 for UnitedHealthcare's
SecureHorizons.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Now 12.1 Percent of
Population; New Census Report Highlights Cities Since 2000
San Francisco has highest percent of seniors and
highest median age, Phoenix the lowest
August 21, 2006 – Cities with the highest and
lowest percentage of senior citizens were identified by the U.S. Census
Bureau last week in a report the agency says is
the first time it has released key demographic and social data for areas
with populations of 65,000 or more. It is an updated look at how the
population has changed since Census 2000. The report says over 12
percent of Americans are now senior citizens and the median age has
reached 36.4 years.
Read more...
Boomers May Feel Burdened by Aging Parents but
Seniors See it Differently
Assisting children doesn't end
with empty nest –
or even when you retire
August 18, 2006 – There are many articles and
studies showing how Baby Boomers are burdened by their aging parents.
There is, however, a flip-side to this. Senior citizens are finding that
providing assistance to their children doesn’t end when they leave the
nest – or even when you retire.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Most Likely to say Public did not
Need to Know about Feds Checking Bank Accounts
|
Seniors Most
Concerned |
|
In reporting
this story, did news organizations help
or hurt the interests of the American people? |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
18-29 |
30-49 |
50-64 |
65+ |
|
Helped
|
35 |
39 |
36 |
20 |
|
Hurt
|
44 |
48 |
49 |
58 |
|
No effect/DK |
21 |
13 |
15 |
22 |
The 65 and over group
again out of step with younger Americans
August 8, 2006 – A new survey today again proves
that senior citizens are out of sync with younger Americans. The new
study found that most Americans feel the news media told the public
something they needed to know about, when reporting on the government
secretly examining the bank records of American citizens who may have
ties to terrorist groups. But, about half think it hurt rather than
helped. Senior citizens were be far the most likely to think it hurt and
to say it is something Americans did not need to know about.
Read
more...
Chronic Diseases are Leading Causes of Death among
Senior Citizens
Heart disease and cancer remain top killers of
older Americans
| |
Chronic Disease - Seniors |
% |
|
|
|
Hypertension |
51.9 |
|
|
|
Doctor's diagnosis of
arthritis |
50.0 |
|
|
|
Chronic joint symptoms |
46.0 |
|
|
|
All types of heart disease |
31.8 |
|
|
|
Coronary heart disease |
21.4 |
|
|
|
Any cancer |
20.7 |
|
|
|
Diabetes |
16.9 |
|
August 7, 2006 - Heart disease and cancer have been the two leading
causes of death for senior citizens - persons 65 years of age and older
- for the past two decades, accounting for nearly a million deaths in
2002, according to the National Center for Health Statistics of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here is a quick look at
chronic disease among senior citizens and more about the causes of their
deaths. Read
more...
National Institutes of Health Looking for Families
that Live Long, Healthy Lives
July 20, 2006 – Do people in your family live long,
healthy lives? If, "Yes," the National Institutes of Health wants to hear
from you. They think longevity tends to run in families and they want to
learn more about factors that contribute to it.
Read more...
Statistics on Senior Citizen
Senior Citizens Not in Step with Younger Americans
on Global Warming
Seniors among least likely
believers, most
likely to say they just don't know
|
Is The Earth Getting Warmer? |
|
|
Yes |
No |
Mixed/
DK |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
All Ages |
70 |
20 |
10 |
|
<30 |
65 |
21 |
14 |
|
30-49 |
71 |
21 |
8 |
|
50-64 |
74 |
18 |
8 |
|
65+ |
66 |
19 |
15 |
July 15, 2006 – While the vast majority of
Americans (70%) think there is solid evidence that the earth is getting
warmer, senior citizens are not so easily convinced. Only 66% of senior
citizens (age 65 and older) think the evidence is solid, about the same
percentage as those under 30. The older Americans, however, who have
seen a lot more weather than younger people, were the group most likely
to say they just don't know (15%).
Read
more...
Senior Citizens By Far the Least Likely to Talk on
Cell Phone While Driving
Older people are most likely to think it dangerous and
least likely to do it
June 9, 2006 - If you encounter a driver talking on
a cell phone, it is probably not a senior citizen. Despite knowing that
driving and talking on a cell phone at the same time is dangerous, a
large majority of drivers with cell phones still talk on the cell phone
and drive at the same time. Senior citizens, however, are the most
likely to think it is dangerous and the less likely to do it.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Least Likely to Think Man Evolved
Almost half of Americans, most seniors believe
humans did not evolve
 May
5, 2006 – A recent Gallup Poll shows that almost half of Americans
believe that human beings did not evolve, but were created by God in
their present form within the last 10,000 years. The major difference by
age in these beliefs is among senior citizens aged 65 and older, who are
less likely to believe that humans evolved than those who are younger.
Read more...
Senior Citizens at Odds with Young Americans over
Gay Rights
Trend toward expanded acceptance stalled
in recent years
 May 31, 2006 – The Gallup Poll looked at gay rights
today and found – not surprisingly – the youngest adults the most
supportive and senior citizens the most negative.
Read more...
Almost 14 Million Senior Citizens Now Online
Estimated 172 million U.S. adults Online – 77% of
population
May 28, 2006 – A Harris Poll released last week
shows there are now 172 million American adults online and almost 14
million of those are senior citizens age 65 and older. Seniors online
are eight percent of the total, which has increased by five percent
since last year.
Read more...
Older Americans Most Pessimistic About Future for
Children
 The
future ain't what it used to be, say senior citizens
May 5, 2006 - The idea that each generation of children will grow
up to be better off than the one that preceded it has always been a part
of the American dream. But barely a third of adults expect things to
work out that way for today's children, according to a new Pew Research
Center survey.
Read
more...
Facts about Senior Citizens
Packaged by Census
Bureau
May is Older Americans Month and
here are facts seniors may not know
April 26, 2006 - Older Americans Month originated
with a presidential proclamation in May 1963 and has been proclaimed by
presidents each year since. Last year, President Bush stated, “Older
Americans teach us the timeless lessons of courage, sacrifice and love.
By sharing their wisdom and experience, they serve as role models for
future generations. During Older Americans Month, we pay tribute to our
senior citizens and their contributions to our nation.”
Read more...
Americans Living Longer, Men Gain on Women
in 2004
CDC releases report
shows death rate at record low for 2004
April
20, 2006 – A report released yesterday shows life expectancy continues
to increase and the gap between women, who live the longest, and men has
narrowed for the second year in a row. Life expectancy for those born in
2004, says the analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics
of the Centers for Disease Control, was 77.9 years. For females,
however, it was 80.4 to 75.2 for men.
Read
more...
White Senior Citizens Declining Rapidly as Percent
of Older Population
Immigration reform highlights changing
population demographics
April
11, 2006 – The large immigration reform marches in the last few days
have heightened awareness of the changing demographics of the U.S.
population. The changes in racial or place of origin backgrounds are
also taking place in the senior citizen age group (65 and over). In
2003, non-Hispanic Whites represented about 83% of the older population
but that percentage is projected by the U.S. Census Bureau to drop to
72% by 2030, and even further to only 61% by 2050.
Read more...
Fewer Seniors Working but They Are Healthy, Wealthy
and Wise
U.S. Census Bureau report on seniors looks at work
and retirement
March 11, 2006 – The percent of older men - senior
citizens 65 and older - in America's workforce declined dramatically
over the past decades from 46 percent in 1950 to only 19 percent in
2003, but for senior women there has been no change. But many seniors
continue to work, many part-time, primarily because they enjoy their
work. These are some of the findings about older workers in a new report
by the U.S. Census Bureau, that also says older workers are relatively
healthy, prosperous, and well educated.
Read more...
Most Comprehensive Analysis of Aging in America
Published by Census Bureau
Report looks at past and future of booming population
of senior citizens
March
9, 2006 - The face of aging in the United States is changing
dramatically — and rapidly, according to a new report from the U.S.
Census Bureau. Today’s older Americans are very different from their
predecessors, living longer, having lower rates of disability, achieving
higher levels of education and less often living in poverty. And the
baby boomers, the first of whom celebrated their 60th birthdays in 2006,
promise to redefine further what it means to grow older in America. Many
of the statistics have been published before but this is the most
complete packaging and analysis to-date.
Read
more...
Simple Test for Seniors, Boomers to Rate Risk of
Dying in Four Years
Researches say all 50
or over can do it by answering just 12 questions
Feb. 16, 2006 - Researchers at the San Francisco VA
Medical Center have created an index that is 81 percent accurate in
predicting the likelihood of death within four years for Baby Boomers
and senior citizens age 50 and older. See charts below for taking test,
life expectancy tables, determining body mass index).
Read more...
AARP Survey Finds Decline in Health Care, Income for
Those 50+
Says outlook more bleak during the most recent years
Jan. 30, 2006 - Compared with a decade ago, the
state of 50+ America seems to have improved, but AARP’s third annual
“report card” on the quality of life of midlife and older Americans
finds that "the picture has become less favorable and the outlook more
bleak during the most recent year." As the nation prepares for
tomorrow's State of the Union, AARP released its annual "State of 50+
America" report, which finds a one year decline in key health care
indicators and lower family income for Americans age 50 and above.
Read more...
Ecuador Grabs Oldest Person Crown from U.S.
Guinness confirms 116 year old as oldest but Chicago
woman may be 118
Dec. 20, 2005 – Major changes are occurring in the
list of supercenternarians and oldest living people of the world, as a
116 year old woman from Ecuador is given the title of "oldest" by
Guinness World Records, displacing American Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden,
who is just 115. The battle is not over, however, as a woman in Chicago
is alleged to be 118.
Read
more...
Fourth Oldest American Dies at 113
 M. Gladys Swetland was listed as 9th oldest in the
world
Dec. 20, 2005 – M. Gladys Swetland, who celebrated
her 113th birthday on April 21, 2005, by playing the piano for family
and friends, passed away on December 14 after achieving recognition as
the ninth oldest person in the world and the fourth oldest in the U.S.
Read more...
Health, United States, 2005
U.S. Has Been Getting Older, But We Haven't Seen
Anything, Yet
Starting January 1 a baby boomer will turn 60 every
7.5 seconds
By
Tucker Sutherland, editor
Dec. 9, 2005 – On January 1 baby boomers will begin
turning 60 at the rate of about one every 7.5 seconds. They will begin
to swell the already booming ranks of older Americans. These post-WWII
children have long been the focus of America but we have not seen
anything yet that will compare with their impact as they begin to draw
from Social Security, use Medicare and swamp the healthcare system with
the ailments associated with aging.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens to be 15 Percent of World Population
Dec. 7, 2005 - This century, the world is expected
to experience an unprecedented aging of the human population in
countries worldwide. Analysts predict significant implications for
economic growth and the well-being of societies. Following is a report
by the Voice of America on what the experts say it will mean.
Read more...
More People are Living Longer but None Has Reached
123
U.S. leads the world with four oldest people
including women and a Puerto Rican man
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
| |
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| |
Is he 130? |
|
Dec. 3, 2005 – The Yemen Observer reported last
week on a man there that claims to be 130 years old. There is apparently
no way to verify his age and Saeed Bin Saeed Al-Humri will most likely
disappear among many others, particularly from countries that did little
years ago to document births, who have claimed to be the oldest living
person. Officially, no person has ever celebrated a 123rd birthday.
Read more...
New Picture of Senior, Boomer Populations in Census
2003 Profile
Nov. 11, 2005 – This week the U.S. Census Bureau
released the Population Profile of the U.S. for 2003 that looks at
changes since the 2000 census. The bureau also produced a unique graphic
of the population that provides a clear picture of the baby boomer bulge
and the demise of the older population. The population over age 65 did
not grow as fast as the rest of the population but the good news is that
the 85 and older age group expanded more than three times as fast as the
rest of the population.
Read more...
Chances of Joining Centenarians Best for First Born
Daughters of Farmers
Also helps with birthday in January, raised on farm
in the West
Nov. 8, 2005 – Centenarians (people living to age
100) represent one of the fastest-growing age groups in America -
increasing by 4.1 percent a year. But, if you want to be a member of
this elite group, your chances are best if you are a first born daughter
from a large family, have a birthday in January and were raised on a
farm in the West.
Read more...
Statistical Profile of Hispanic Senior Citizens
Published
Sept. 22, 2005 - Over 36.3 million Americans are
aged 65 and over. Three in five people in this age group are women. Over
the next forty years, the number of people aged 65 and older is expected
to double, while the number of people aged 85 and older is expected to
triple. All Americans are living longer and the same is true for the
Hispanic population, according to a new analysis by the U.S.
Administration on Aging.
Read more...
International Study
Men Die Younger Due to Systematic Male Dominance -
Patriarchy
Female murder rates account for 48.8% of the
variation in death rates among men
Sept. 15,2005 - Systematic male dominance -
patriarchy - explains half the discrepancy in life expectancy between
the sexes, suggests research spanning four continents in the Journal of
Epidemiology and Community Health.
Read more...
Americans Becoming New Longevity Record Setters: 14
of Oldest 30
Twenty of oldest 30 people in the world are from U.S.
or Japan
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
Sept. 8, 2005 – Americans have generally not been
noted for setting longevity records. The oldest people seem to usually
be in Japan or a colder region, like Sweden or Norway. All of a sudden,
that appears to be changing with Americans now representing almost half
of the 30 oldest people in the world and holding the top three positions
in the rankings. Only two men are on the list - one American and one
Puerto Rican. Read
more...
Seniors Charging Out of Poverty While Nation Sinks
Poverty rate for seniors decreases to 9.8, nation
climbs to 12.7
Aug. 31, 2005 – There was good news about senior
citizens today in the U.S. Census Bureau report on income, poverty and
health insurance in 2004 – the percentage of seniors living in poverty
continues to decrease. The news was not so good for the rest of America
with the poverty rate increasing over 2003 and household income
unchanged.
Read more...see charts, graphs.
American Woman Becomes World’s Oldest Living Person
U.S. now holds top three spots on list of oldest
people
| |
 |
|
| |
Van
Andel-Schipper dies at 115 |
|
Aug. 31, 2005 – An American woman, Elizabeth
"Lizzie" Bolden, 115 years and 14 days old, has officially become the
oldest living person and woman in the world, according to an
announcement by the Guinness World Records. The previous title holder,
Hendrikje Van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands, died in her sleep at 2
a.m. yesterday. She was 115 years and 62 days old.
Read more...
Being Obese Seniors Does Not Effect Longevity, Just
Years We Spend Disabled
Aug. 3, 2005 – Being obese at 70 years old doesn’t
have much bearing on how long men or women are going to live. But, both
obese men and women will have less “active years’ than their non-obese
fellow senior citizens. That’s what researchers have found in studying
over 7,000 senior citizens.
Read more...
How Old is Old?
Most Think Old is 71, Seniors Edge Their Choices
Higher
July 27, 2005 - As might be expected, as age
increases so too does the choice of an age as being “old.” Thirty
percent of those under 30 say 61 to 70 is old, while more than two in three
50 to 64 year olds say over 71 is old. Almost six in ten over age 65 say
over 71 is old. No one 65 and older thinks 41 to 50 is old. The MetLife
Mature Market Institute commissioned Zogby International to conduct the
telephone survey to determine what age Americans believed was old, and
how old they wish they were.
Read more...
| |
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|
| |
Is Maria da Silva 125? |
|
Oldest Living Woman Challenge Fades Away
Claims Brazilian is 125 never verified by world
authorities
July 17, 2005 - Hendrikje Van Andel-Schipper, who
turned 115 years old on June 29, is holding on to her title as the
world’s oldest living woman, despite challenges that emerged earlier
this year claiming a Brazilian woman, Maria Olivia da Silva of São
Paulo, turned 125 in February. The story was reported by the Associated
Press, but neither the Gerontology Research Group nor the Guinness World
Records have verified the claim.
Read more...
Aging Surge Poses Challenge for States
By
Kathleen Murphy, Stateline.org
Staff Writer
July 1, 2005 - State leaders are getting gray hair
worrying about the impending impact of America’s aging population, but
they're only slowly taking steps to meet the challenges that will arise
as post-World War Two baby boomers start reaching retirement age in
2011.
Read
more...
Twins Pass 98, Going for Title as Oldest Female
Twins
| |
 |
| |
Edith and Grace in 1907 |
June 15, 2005 – Grace L. Campbell and Edith M.
Ritzi celebrated their 98th birthday on May 22 and they many not be the
oldest living female twins but they sure must be in the running. They
were born in 1907 - Teddy Roosevelt was President, the Ziegfeld Follies
were being introduced, Oklahoma became a state and a first class stamp
cost two cents.
Read more...
Husband in World’s Longest Marriage Dies at 105
He
claimed the secret to his long marriage was “Yes Dear”
June 15, 2005 – The man who claimed the secret to
his 80 years of marriage was “Yes Dear” has died at the age of 105, only
two weeks after celebrating his anniversary on June 1 with wife,
Florence, who is 100. Percy Arrowsmith died at his home in Hereford,
England. They were honored on their anniversary by the Guinness World
Records for the longest marriage of a living couple and the oldest
married couple in aggregate age.
Read more...
Profile of Older Americans: 2004 Released Online
May 31, 2005 - The online version of “A Profile of
Older Americans: 2004” was released today by the Administration on
Aging. This electronic version of the popular information package has
the latest statistics on older Americans in key subject areas. It
includes both narrative and statistical charts.
Read more...
Which States Most Popular with Senior Citizens
May 31, 2005 - The states with the highest percentage
of senior citizens (65+) might surprise you. Well, not Florida, we all know
they are number one. But, the next ten are not exactly your easy living,
soak up the sun and surf type states.
Read more...
S. Korea Expects to Lead by 2050 in World Senior
Citizen Population Boom, Beats Japan, Italy, U.S.
U.S. Seniors to increase 36 to 87 million by 2050
May 23, 2005 – A news story from the Korean Times
says South Korea will have the highest proportion of senior citizens in
the world by 2050 – 37.3 percent. They project to beat Japan (36.5%),
Italy (34.4%), and the U.S. (21.1%). The global elderly population is
expected to be 15.9 percent in 2050, according to projections by the
United Nations. There are 36 million senior citizens in the U.S. today
but this will grow to 87 million by 2050.
Read more...
Strong Internet Use by Tomorrow's Seniors Means Big
Changes for Market
May 19, 2005 - Marketers and the media are waking
up to the power of older consumers online, as the oldest baby boomers
prepare to turn 60 in 2006, says eMarketer in a news release touting
their new Seniors Online report, which analyzes the changing usage
patterns of the older adult and senior online populations.
Read more...
Senior Citizens, Younger Adults Optimistic About
Personal Futures But Expect Nuclear War
Seniors least likely to see biological and nuclear
war, or think society's problems will be solved
May 17, 2005 – Although they expect nuclear and
biological attacks, senior citizens join other American adults in being
optimistic about their personal futures. The seniors, however, are
considerably less optimistic than the younger people.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Facts Provided by Census Bureau for
Older American Month
How many seniors are veterans? Employed? Below poverty?
April
25, 2005 – In May, the country will celebrate Older Americans Month with the
theme of “Celebrate Long-Term Living.” To promote this year’s event older
Americans and government agencies that serve them will join with the
Administration on Aging on May 4 for a 30-minute walk on the National Mall
in Washington DC. AoA will also provide tools and tips for healthy living,
refreshments “and more!” The Census Bureau has added their contribution to
the event with this list of facts and figures about today's senior citizens.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Population Will Grow Faster Than All
Others in All States by 2030
Census Bureau projects population growth to 2030 by
state
April 21, 2005 – The U.S. Census Bureau released
projections on the U.S. population by state for the year 2030 and the
headlines were about which states are to grow the fastest. The real
story, however, is the picture of the growth in senior citizens.
Beginning in 2011, the population 65 and older will grow faster than the
total population in every single state.
Read more... see
charts of senior growth by state.
MetLife Mature Market Institute
Quick Look at Facts About Senior Citizens Available
Online
April 10, 2005 - The Mature Market Institute has recently published a
Demographic Profile focusing on American’s 65 and older. Relying on a
number of sources for data, the MetLife division has produced an
interesting graphic presentation.
Read more...
If Life Expectancy Starts to Drop, Blame Obesity in
Children
March 17, 2005 – If the age of life expectancy
stops its traditional climb, don’t blame older people for not taking
care of themselves. The finger of blame will primarily be pointing at
obesity in children, although, two-thirds of adults are also too fat.
Read more...
Elderly Aged 85-Plus Lead Population Gain for Older
Americans Since 2000
We are living longer and it shows in new Census
Bureau Report
March 10, 2005 – New
population estimates were released today by the U.S. Census Bureau that
show clearly the growth in the senior citizen population is due to the
longer life of Americans. The new estimates for July 1, 2004 show the
number of Americans 85 and older increased by 14.6 percent since the
2000 census. All persons 65 and older increased by only 3.72% and the
total population grew by 4.35 percent.
Read more... see
senior population numbers by state.
Senior Citizens Poor, Depend on Social Security and
Growing in Number, Says New Study
March 8, 2005 – The senior citizen market –
Americans 65 and older – is now projected at 36 million people with few
assets, low income and 1 out of 10 live below the poverty level, says a
new study.
Read more...
Puerto Rican is Oldest Living Man and
Oldest U.S. Veteran
March 2, 2005 – SeniorJournal.com missed
the announcement in January that Emiliano Mercado Del Toro of Puerto
Rico was named the world’s oldest living man at 113, replacing Fred
Hale, who died on Nov. 19, 2004. Del Toro is also the oldest living U.S.
veteran, having served two months in the U.S. Army during Word War I.
Read more...
Life Expectancy
Hits Record High 77.6 Years
Men catching up with women in longevity
March 1, 2005 - Life expectancy
for Americans has reached an all-time high, according to the latest U.S.
mortality statistics released yesterday by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, “Deaths: Preliminary
Data for 2003,” prepared by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics
(NCHS), shows life expectancy at 77.6 years in 2003, up from 77.3 in
2002. Read more...
Older Americans Big On Internet, Elderly Not There,
Yet
Income appears as major obstacle for many senior
citizens
Jan. 19, 2005 – With the Internet becoming an
increasingly important resource for informed decisions about health and
health care options, a recent national survey of older Americans by the
Kaiser Family Foundation finds that less than a third (31%) of senior
citizens (age 65 and older) have ever gone online, but that more than
two-thirds (70%) of the next generation of seniors (50-64 year-olds)
have done so.
Read
more...
Oldest Mom Story Still Full of Mystery
Jan. 17, 2005 – A new record for the oldest woman
to give birth - and, maybe, the oldest to give birth to twins - was set
in Romania on Sunday by Adriana Iliescu. But, there are conflicting
reports on her age - 67 or 66 - and how many babies she delivered.
More... 1/17/05*
How Much Longer Will You Live?
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
Dec. 29, 2004 - One of the things that always
crosses a senior citizen's mind as a new year dawns is "how much longer
am I going to live?" Maybe you have not thought about it, but the older
you are now, the older you are going to get - up to a point.
More...
12/28/04*
Census 2000 Special Reports
Aging in the U.S. Report Issued by Census Bureau
Dec. 23, 2004 – The
U.S. Census Bureau has released their latest analysis of the senior
citizen population of the U.S. in a Census 2000 Special Report entitled
“We the People: Aging in the United States. There is not a lot of new
information but the analysis and charts provide a good understanding of
the status of senior citizens in 2000.
More... 12/23/04*
Internet Growth Driven by Senior Citizens
Even those over 75 are becoming regular users
Dec. 17, 2004 - The younger age groups were the
first to embrace the Internet but most of today’s growth is being driven
by the older age groups. A recent survey projects 61.2 percent of all
adults visit the Internet regularly, but that the percent of those 50
and older regularly on the Internet is now up to
47. The fastest growth in Internet use is
being driven by the older age groups, starting at 55.
More...
12/17/04*
Seniors Spending Four Times More for Healthcare Than
Others: New Report Says
Dec. 5, 2004 – People age 65 and older spent
$11,089 for personal health care goods and services in 1999, while those
under 65 spent only $2,793 per capita,
according
to a recently release report prepared by the
Office of the Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS). The cost per senior citizens was almost 400 percent
greater than for those under 65. The average for all persons in the
United States was $3,834 each.
More...
12/05/04*
Life Expectancy Continues to Increase, Men Gaining
on Women
Heart disease and cancer continue to be the primary
killers, Alzheimer’s continues to grow
Nov. 29, 2004 – The final report on deaths in 2002
shows life expectancy at birth rose by 0.1-year to a record high of 77.3
years and death rates decreased for all age groups except those under
one-year-old. Although life expectancy continued to increase for men and
women, men are gaining on the women. This report by the National Center
for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control presents the
final national mortality statistics for 2002.
More...
11/29/04*
Oldest Living Man Dies Days Before Turning 114,
111-Year-Old Takes Title
End of unusual era when oldest man and woman were
Americans
Nov.
20, 2004 - The world’s oldest living man, Fred Hale, Sr., died in his
sleep Friday, while battling pneumonia. He would have celebrated his
114th birthday on Dec. 1. He drew national attention earlier this year
for his devotion to the World Champion Boston Red Sox.
More...
11/20/04*
Older Americans 2004: Key Indicators of Well-Being
Senior Americans Multiplying, Doing Well, But There
Is A Gap - Women, Minorities, Uneducated
Nov.
18, 2004 - In 2003, there were almost 36 million people age 65 and over
living in the United States, accounting for just over 12 percent of the
total population. Most are healthier, wealthier, and better educated
than previous generations, but these gains have not been equal among
today’s older Americans, according to a comprehensive study released
today by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics
(Forum).
More...
11/18/04*
World Not Ready for Aging Boom, Says Survey
Nov. 18, 2004 – The impact of the aging boom is
well known around the world but opinion leaders in the leading
industrialized nations, especially Italy, Germany and Japan, to not
believe their countries are prepared to deal with the consequences,
according to a survey released yesterday by AARP.
More... 11/18/04*
Guardian
Angel May Become Oldest in U.S. to Deliver Twins
Aleta St.
James to deliver twins tomorrow, three days before turning 57
Nov.
8, 2004 – Aleta St. James, a highly publicized “life coach” and the
older sister of Guardian Angels Founder Curtis Sliwa, is about to gain
additional fame, when she gives birth to twins tomorrow just before her
57th birthday. She will not be the oldest woman to bear twins but will
be among a handful in the world who have delivered twins in their late
fifties. More...
11/08/04* Editor's Note: St. James did deliver healthy twins on
Nov. 9, 2004. A 59-year-old is set to claim to crown in December.
Click for story
Older Men Leading the Way in Weight Gain Since 1960
Older
women gain less than younger women 1960 to 2002
Oct. 27, 2004 – We are all getting a lot fatter but
older men are leading the way, according to a study that reports men 60
to 74 were 33 pounds heavier in 2002 than in 1960. Older women are doing
much better, in fact, women in this older age group were only 17.5
pounds heavier than 1960 – a smaller gain than for younger women.
More... 10/27/04*
Over 10
Percent of In-Home Workers Are 65 or Older, Says Census Bureau
Oct.
20, 2004 – A report released by the Census Bureau today estimates about
4.2 million Americans worked at home in 2000, and about ten percent of
those were 65 or older. Senior citizens were only three percent of those
working outside the home. (See table below story)
More...
10/20/04*
About 1 of 6 Celebrating National Singles Week Are
65 Or Older
Sept. 19, 2004 – Today marks the start of Unmarried
and Single Americans Week. When we hear the word singles, what most
often comes to mind are the swinging young people and we may fail to
consider that 15 percent of all unmarried American adults are age 65 or
older. More...
9/19/04*
Fraud, Personal Health Crises Top Terrorism as
Senior Citizen Fears
Sept. 9, 2004 - When asked to rank a list of fears,
Americans aged 62 –75 ranked fraud ahead of a health crises and
terrorism, according to a study commissioned by Financial Freedom, the
nation’s largest lender and servicer of reverse mortgages.
More... 9/09/04*
Older Motorcycle Riders Driving Death Rate Higher
Sept. 1, 2004 – Older motorcycle riders are
increasing rapidly and are driving the death rate upwards. Last year, 46
percent of motorcycle fatalities were riders 40 and over, an increase of
21 percent since 1993, according to statistics from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
More... 9/02/04*
German Ancestry Leads in U.S.
Other large groups include
Irish, African-Americans, English and Mexican
June 30, 2004 – If your ancestors
were German, then you are a member of the largest ancestry group in the
U.S., according to the Census 2000, that reports nearly 43 million
Americans claim German ancestry.
More... 6/30/04*
Older Americans Most Likely to
Believe Religious Differences are Biggest Hurdle to Peace
Majority of Americans Agree
With Their Seniors
June 23, 2004 – Older Americans are
the most likely to believe that religious differences are the biggest
hurdle to global peace, although a majority of Americans (69 percent)
agree, according to a survey by Harris Interactive.
More...
6/23/04*
Facts About Older Americans
Census Bureau Collects Data on Seniors for Older
Americans Month 2004
April 28, 2004 - Older Americans
Month originated with a presidential proclamation in May 1963 and it has
been proclaimed each May by presidents every year since. Last year,
President Bush stated, "Older Americans continue to work in a variety of
jobs -- from teachers, to engineers, to business owners and
entrepreneurs -- and in so doing bring invaluable experience and
leadership skills. Additionally, their wisdom, strength and compassion
reflect the character of our great nation."
More (all
statistics)... 4/28/04*
Seniors Citizens on Internet
Jumped 47 Percent Since 2000
22%
of Americans age 65 and older go online
March 25, 2004 – The
percent of seniors who go online has jumped by 47% between 2000 and
2004. In a February 2004 survey, 22% of Americans age 65 or older
reported having access to the Internet, up from 15% in 2000. That
translates to about 8 million Americans age 65 or older who use the
Internet. By contrast, 58% of Americans age 50-64, 75% of 30-49
year-olds, and 77% of 18-29 year-olds currently go online.
More... 3/25/04*
How Long Men Live May Depend on Their Parents,
Childhood
March 22, 2004 - How
long a man lives is partially determined by his childhood conditions
and experience, according to an extensive study, which concludes that
men face higher risk of early death if they grew up in
blue-collar homes, lived in urban areas, lived with their biological
fathers and a stepmother, had a mother who worked outside the home,
whose parents were both native born and had few economic resources.
More... 3/22/04*
Older Workers Increasingly
Turn to Self-Employment
March 22, 2004 - Last week
AARP released a study showing many older workers are joining the self-employed
and they conclude some are “pushed” and some are “pulled,” but the trend is
clear. More... 3/22/04*
(Note: Click here to research
saying seniors would work longer if offered phased retirement)
Seniors Not Likely To Do Two Things At Once
We just discovered some
research from last year that once again proves senior citizens are not as likely
as younger people to do two things at once. This study tried to learn how likely
people are to use another media while also watching television.
More... 3/8/04*
114 year old was only 92!
Maybe he told them how old he
felt!
March 2, 2004 - Maybe he misunderstood
the question. When they asked him how old he was, perhaps he
answered with how old he felt. Anyway, William Coates who was
reported to be 114 when he died last week, was really only 92 – a
youngster among the oldest living people tracked by the Gerontology
Research Group.
They report that U.S. Census records reveal Coates’ true age. The GRG, a
nonprofit organization, keeps what it says is a carefully documented roster of
people 110 or older.
The Clinton Nursing and
Rehabilitation Center, where Coates last lived, had his birth date as June 2,
1889. But it's not clear where that information came from.
Senior Citizens
Lead Internet Growth
Dec. 5, 2003 - According to recent findings from Nielsen//NetRatings,
senior citizens age 65 and older were the fastest growing age group
online, surging 25 percent year over year to 9.6 million Web surfers
from home and work in October 2003. Additionally, within the senior
citizen age group, Nielsen//NetRatings found that the number of female
seniors online jumped 30 percent, while male seniors jumped 20
percent. More...
12/05/03*
By the
year 2050, population could add 2.6 billion people
20th May Have Been Last Century Where Young Outnumber
Old
Nov. 15, 2003 - It took from the beginning of time until
1950 to put the first 2.5 billion people on the planet. Yet in the next
half-century, an increase that exceeds the total population of the world
in 1950 will occur.
More... 11/15/03*
Bad Month for Oldest Living
World's Oldest Person Dies, As Do Oldest Men,
American
Nov. 2, 3003 - October was a bad month for
old-age record holders. The oldest living woman, oldest man and oldest
American all died. More...
11/02/03*
HHS Issues Report on Health, Life
Expectancy
Steady Gains in Americans' Health, Though
Diabetes Remains Growing Concern
Oct. 20, 2003 - Life
expectancy in the United States reached an all time high in 2001, and the gap
between blacks and whites has narrowed, according to the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services' (HHS) annual report on the Nation’s health issued
earlier this month. The report also finds evidence that the diabetes epidemic
is getting worse; between 1997 and 2002, the percent of Americans diagnosed
with diabetes increased by 27 percent.
More... (Includes
link to life expectancy chart) 10/20/03*
Gene Mutation Causes People to Live
Longer Lives
Researchers Find it
in Centenarians and Their Children
Oct. 15, 2003 - Researchers at the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine and colleagues have discovered that a
gene mutation helps people live exceptionally long lives and apparently can be
passed from one generation to the next.
More... 10/15/03*
Older
Americans Less Optimistic About Financial Future
Less Than Half of All Adults
Think Things Will Get Better
Oct. 1, 2003 - New research in 85 markets shows that 45.5
percent of all adults are optimistic, at least in the short-term, about their
financial future but for senior citizens over 65 it is only 11.6 percent.
More... 10/01/03*
Title of “First
Wireless Retirement Center” Claimed by New Jersey Home
Pompton Plains, NJ, Aug.
22, 2003 -
The computer world is going wireless
and a retirement center in New Jersey has claimed the honor as the
first wireless retirement center in the U.S. Just like the telephone,
computers no longer have to be wired to the wall to make a connection.
Click 8/22/03*
Aging Boomers Drive Up
Doctor Visits, Diagnostic Tests, Prescriptions
Over half (53 percent)
of patients visiting the doctor in 2001 were over age 45, according to the
latest annual report from CDC’s National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey,
which looks at the medical care provided in physicians’ offices. That’s
compared to 42 percent in 1992.
Click
8/13/03 Nat. Center for Health Statistics
Seniors More Worried
About Personal Well-Being Than Global Threats
July 29, 2003 - A new survey by The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) shows
that more older Americans are likely to be worried about threats to their own
personal well-being than global threats.
Click 7/29/03*
The Number of Centenarians
is Growing Worldwide
June 2, 2003 - Although the proportion of people who live
beyond the age of 100 is still very small, the worldwide number is rapidly
growing, especially in more-developed nations. In the United States, the 2001
Census Bureau estimated that there were over 48,427 individuals over 100. The
United Nations estimates that in 2000, there were 180,000 centenarians
throughout the world. By 2050, this number is projected to number 3.2 million,
an increase of about eighteen times.
Click 6/02/03*
Oldest Living American Dies Easter Sunday at 113
April 22, 2003 – Mary Dorothy Christian, who was born in Taunton, Mass., June
12, 1889, died on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2003, only months after being
recognized last November as the longest living person in the United States.
Click 4/22/03*
Seniors Have Different Attitudes Than
Other Adults
Especially
about God, Devil, Ghosts, Astrology and Reincarnation
April 10, 2003 - Senior Citizens 65 and older do have some ideas that are
quite different from other adults, and that are sometimes puzzling. For
example, 95 percent believe in God, but only 62 percent believe there is a
devil. On average, only 90 percent of American adults believe in God, but 69
percent believe in the devil. Maybe the closer we get to the inevitable; the
more we want to believe there is a good God and not a bad devil.
Read more and see graphs..
4/10/03*
U.S.
Life Expectancy Grows to 77.2 Years
March 15, 2003 - Life expectancy
hit a new high of 77.2 years in 2001, up from 77 in 2000, and increased for
men and women as well as whites and blacks, a new report released yesterday by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Click 3/15/03*
Seniors Online Increase
72% Use Web for News
and Events
Feb. 4, 2003 - The number one
activity of senior citizens on the Internet is staying in touch, but
close behind is the search for news and events, according to a recent
SeniorNet report. This follows a recent report by Forrester Research
that found almost half of North Americans 58 and older are using the
Web. Click
2/4/03*
Three Graphs
by General Accounting Office on Crisis of Aging U.S.
Jan. 15, 2003 - These
three graphs were prepared by the U.S. General Accounting Office from
data in their 2002 Trustees Report. They show 1. Social
Security-Medicare Trust Fund Deficits as Boomers retire, 2. Social
Security, Medicare, Medicaid Percent of GDP, and 3. Percent of
Population 65 Plus to 2075.
Click
1/15/03*
"Profile of Older Americans: 2002" Released
by Administration on Aging
Jan. 11, 2002 - On
this page are the highlights of the facts available on older Americans
in 2002 that have been compiled and published by the U.S.
Administration on Aging. Much of the data is for years prior to 2002,
because it is the latest available.
Click 1/11/03*
Oldest Newspaper Columnist
Hits 60 Years
Oct. 21, 02 - Sixty years ago
today, a young Maine writer's essays began to appear regularly in the pages of
The Christian Science Monitor. John Gould was already a seasoned newspaperman,
having filed stories for local papers since he was a freshman in high school.
Today he surely holds the record for the longest-running columnist in any
newspaper in America.
Click 10/21/02*
Things
Are Changing Among Oldest Living
Oldest
Man Alive
Yukichi Chuganji of Ogori, Fukuoka
Prefecture, Japan, became the oldest man in Japan on 18 January 2000 and took
the world record title on 4 January 2002 at the age of 112 years 288 days.
Yukichi, born March 23, 1889, is a
retired silkworm breeder and lives on the southernmost Japanese island of
Kyushu.
Guinness Book of World Records
Oldest
Human Ever
The oldest fully authenticated age to
which any human has ever lived is 122 years and 164 days, by Jeanne-Louise
Calment. She was born in France on February 21, 1875, and died at a nursing
home in Arles, southern France on August 4, 1997. President Jacques Chirac
once said Jean Calment was a little bit like a grandmother to everyone in
France. She was 14 when the Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889. She led an
extremely active life, taking up fencing at 85 years old, and was still riding
a bicycle at 100. She portrayed herself at the age of 114 in the film
Vincent And Me, to become the oldest actress in film.
Guinness Book of World Records
Cadillac Turns 100, Reaching for $100M
Aug.
26, 2002 - Cadillac turned 100 on Aug. 22, 2002, and also announced they want
to push their price past the century mark. Officials say they want to compete
in the $100,000 price market.
Oldest Living American Dies
at 114
Aug.
25, 2002 - Adelina Domingues, who a couple of weeks ago thought she was 115,
died in her sleep at a San Diego, CA, nursing home at the age of 114.
Domingues, who was born on Feb. 19, 1888, outlived her husband and her four
children. She had been declared the oldest person in the United States and the
second oldest in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records.
She
lived in the Spring Valley area near San Diego, CA, and thought she was born
in 1887. But documents from the Cape Verde Islands off West Africa, where she
was raised, indicate she was born in 1888.
Guinness says Kamato Hongo of Japan, who was born on Sept. 16, 1887, is the
world's oldest person.
The
oldest living member of the U.S. Senate, Strom Thurmond, will retire in
January at 100 years young. (Thurmond
Biography). The new senior Senator from South Carolina will be 80 years
young Fritz Hollings (Click
to story). The oldest Senator will become Sen. Robert Byrd, 84 years young
(Click
to Biography).
•
Oldest Living Photojournalist -
Click* F
•
Oldest Living Reporter -
Click*
•
Oldest Living Buffalo Soldier Turns 108 -
Click
•
Oldest Living NFL Player is 97 -
Click
•
Oldest Member of Grand Ole Opry -
Click
•
Oldest Woman in Australia Dies -
Click
Seniors 65+ Only Age Group Where Most Don't Drink, Says Gallup Poll
Aug.
13, 2002 - Three quarters of adults under age 30 are drinkers but less than
half of those who are 65 are older are still drinking, according to a new
Gallup poll. Most Americans drink.
Click 8/13/2*
New Profile of Senior Citizens Published by Administration on Aging
Feb.
2002 - About one out of every eight Americans is now 65 or older. Since 1900,
the percentage of Americans 65+ has more than tripled (4.1% in 1900 to 12.4%
in 2000), and the number has increased eleven times (from 3.1 million to 35.0
million). The older population itself is getting older. In 2000, the 65-74
age group (18.4 million) was eight times larger than in 1900, but the 75-84
group (12.4 million) was 16 times larger and the 85+ group (4.2 million) was
34 times larger.
• To
view report as web pages -
Click Here
Four Million Americans 65 and Up Are Online Sending Email, Seeking Information
Sept.
10, 2001 - Only 15% of those aged 65 and older go online, but as a group they
are fervent users of the Internet who love email and often use the Web to
gather important information such as material to help them manage their
health.
Click 9/10/01
Country's Older Population Profiled by
the U.S. Census Bureau
June 4, 2001 - Among people age 65 years and over, 14 percent were in the
civilian labor force, 55 percent were married and living with their spouse and
9.7 percent had incomes below the poverty level, according to tabulations
released today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau.
click 6/4/01
• Here Are Some Random Facts About Seniors from Census Bureau with Links
click
6/4/01
• Internet Use by 55-64 Age Group Reaches 43%
E-mail
driving seniors to the web
May
24, 2001 – Use of the Internet among those ages 55-64 grew to 43
percent in the past six months from 36 percent six months ago and 31 percent
eighteen months ago, according to the semi-annual Cyber Stats report from
Mediamark Research Inc. released today.
click to story
4 in 10 Americans over 60 will experience poverty: AARP Study
May
23, 2001 - Americans age 50 and over are "unquestionably" better off
financially than people the same age were 20 years ago. Yet, there are
troubling signs that not all boats have been lifted by the rising tide of
prosperity.
click to story 5/23/01
Retirees on Web Increased 84% Since 1998
May
21, 2001 -- Almost 25 % of retired households are on the web. That represents
an increase of 84 % since l998.
click to story
Nation’s Median Age Highest Ever, But 65+ Population’s Growth Lags: Census
2000
The median age of the U.S. population in 2000 was 35.3 years, the highest it
has ever been. The increase in the median age reflects the aging of the baby
boomers. However, the 65-and-over population actually increased at a slower
rate than the overall population for the first time in the history of the
census.
click to story 5/15/01
click here to population graph 5/16/01
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