U.S. Population

• Average U.S. life expectancy rose from 47 years in 1900 to 75 years in 2000.¹
• Roughly four out of five Americans live to 65 years²
• One third of Americans live to 85 years³
• The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population is the group over 85 years.³¹
• By 2030, nearly 71.5 million Americans will be 65+ (19.6%); 9 million will be over 85 (2.7%) ^1,3
• Of those 85 and over, roughly 55% require long-term care.^4,9
• 95% of all older Americans living outside institutions with limitations in their activities of daily living have family members involved in their care. ^5,6
• Most older persons with long-term care needs -- 65% -- rely exclusively on family and friends to provide assistance.⁷
• In general, the prevalence of chronic conditions increases with age: 74% of 65- to 69-year-old (Medicare) group have at least one chronic condition, while 86% of the 85 years and older (Medicare) group have at least one chronic condition. Similarly, just 14% of the 65- to 69-year-olds has five or more chronic conditions, but 28% of the 85 years and older group have five or more chronic conditions. (A chronic condition is an illness, functional limitation, or cognitive impairment that is expected to last at least 1 year, limits the activities of an individual and requires ongoing care.)
• Family and friends are the sole caregivers for 70% of the elderly¹⁰
• 82% of the Medicare population has at least one chronic condition, and two-thirds have more than one chronic condition.⁸
• After 85, only one in 20 is still fully mobile. ²
• The most common causes of death for the elderly are heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory disease, injury, and diabetes. ¹
• 70% of the elderly die from chronic cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes or strokes.¹¹
• Medicare claims show that most elderly who die were already sick with their eventually fatal conditions three years before death. ¹
• As many as 50% over age 85 will suffer from dementia. ²
• Nearly 50% over 85 may be affected by Alzheimer's ¹³
• In 2000, only one state (Fla.) had a population with at least 17% aged 65 or older. By 2030, 44 states will have populations with at least 17% aged 65 or older. ²
• In 1900, most people died from accidents or infections without suffering a long period of disability. In 2000, people suffered, on average, two years of severe disability on the way to death.²

Based on the RAND Corporation 2003 study:¹

• 20% of the elderly die from a short period of evident decline, such as from cancer, with death occurring usually within a year.
• 20% die following several years of increasing physical limitation, such as from coronary artery disease or emphysema. The patient survives a few episodes but then die from an exacerbation rather suddenly.
• 40% will die according to a gradual but unrelenting trajectory, with steady decline, enfeeblement, and growing dependency often lasting a decade or longer. For a married couple with four living parents, Rand statistics suggest:
• 87% chance one or more parents will die this way
• 52% chance that two or more will
• 18% chance that three or more will
• 2.5% chance that all four will