The Elderly Population in the U.S.
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The elderly population is growing rapidly, both in the United States and worldwide (Kaveny 15). The U. S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2005, one fifth of Americans will be over age 65. The most dramatic change is in the number of people over the age of 85 years. Two thirds of those over age 65 in America are women, and in the over 85 years group, three quarters of them are women. While 74 percent of men over the age of 65 still have living wives, only 40 percent of women over age 65 still have husbands living (18). This makes women not only a disproportionate component of the elderly, but also a disproportionate component of the elderly who are living alone, with little in the way of financial support, and often, less access to appropriate medical care than men of the same age, according to Kaveny. For example, Medicare provides better coverage for mostly elderly menÆs illnesses (e.g. lung cancer, prostate cancer, acute myocardial infarction) than it does for elderly womenÆs health problems (osteoporosis, arthritis, depression). Poverty among the elderly is a widespread problem in America with serious consequences for the victims. Rank and Hirschl estimate that at least 40 percent of the American elderly population will spend at least a year below the poverty level when between the ages of 60 years and 90 years (184), and that 48 percent will experience poverty at the 125 percent level while in this age bracket. These figures increase dramatically for those who a
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In 2002, Guthrie and Lin estimated that 19 percent of the elderly have incomes at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level (S3). They looked at people 60 years of age and older living in community settings (non-institutionalized). Data on dietary intake and behavior was obtained from the U. S. Department of AgricultureÆs Continuing Survey on Food Intakes by Individuals, 1994-1996, and food security data was obtained from the 1999 Current Population Survey. They found that lower-income elderly consume significantly fewer calories than those with higher incomes, consume fewer servings of the major food groups, and consume less of most nutrients. Food insecurity exists in approximately six percent of households, according to the study. Most elderly poor do not take advantage of food assistance programs, and many were found to have physiological and social obstacles to obtaining a healthy diet.
Prothro and Rosenbloom studied participants in the Title III-C Nutrition Program, who were between 60 and 103 years of age, for nutrition/energy intake, relation to income status, and comparison with the National Evaluation of the Elderly Nutrition Program (M315). Results showed that six percent of subjects had adequate energy
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Approximate Word count = 2300
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)
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