Always remember aging is an accomplishment
August 5, 2019
By: Mark Harvey
Email: harvemb@dshs.wa.gov
Every year, at about this time, the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and probably several dozen other bureaus, administrations and departments, generate a “Profile of Older Americans” (or something like that).
I always get a kick out of sharing some of these “big picture” demographics because…I’m easily entertained? Well, yes, but I also delude myself into thinking that it’s helpful to be able to back away from the microcosms of our daily lives and see what the statistical macrocosm actually looks like; for instance, for instance, did you know that, between 2007 and 2017, the population are 65 or better increased from 37.8 million to 50.9 million? Of course you didn’t!
Further, that same crowd (Us!) is projected to hit 94.7 million by 2060! We’re winning! We’re also a voting bloc…
In that same period, the 60-or-better crowd increased from 52.5 million to 70.8 million! Granted, “60” is a somewhat arbitrary number, but it does confirm that (a) we are just NOT dying on schedule, and (b) a lot of us are not all atwitter on Twitter about the latest adolescent phenom! Thus, one would think these simple facts might suggest something to the powers-that-be, like fixing Social Security. Let’s make this plain:
More than one in every seven (15.6%) of the folks in this country are “older Americans,” defined as 65+!
Better than one in seven! That is NOT a “minority!” But, let’s stagger onward:
- The 85-or-better crowd is projected to more than double from 6.5 million in 2017 to 14.4 million by 2040 – That’s 21 years from now;
- In 2017, there were 86,248 folks age 100 and over! Stop! Remember when hitting 100 was and unheard of event? I do; now, it isn’t. Consider this:
- If you’re 65 today, you have an average life expectancy of an additional 19.5 years (20.6 for females, 18.1 for males)! So, 85ish, right? True, that’s an average, but it might make us want to think about our retirement planning, like (a) will I out live my money? – Or (b) How bored am I going to get if I don’t engage in something worth engaging in? – Or, (c) why am I acting “old” at age 60? There’s a LOT of road left ahead.
- None of us will be shocked to hear “older women” (I’m sorry – I didn’t make-up these terms) outnumber “older men” (Yes, 65 or better) 28.3 million to 22.6 million; predictably, then, a larger percentage of older men are married (70%) as opposed to older women (46%). In 2018, 32% of older women were widows. Thin about that. Think about this:
- Among women 75 or better, 44% lived alone. Right: 44%. That should tell us something about how we plan the trajectories of our lives, understanding that “planning” can only go so far; still, it warrants a modicum of reflection: Will Mom be just fine in the 4-bedroom, tri-level home? Well…
- …the median income for older persons in 2017 – That means that 50% are above and 50% are below – Was $32,654 for males and $19,180 for females. The latter = $1,598 per month. Is there something wrong with this picture? What’s the average minimum wage for making and raising babies? What? I didn’t hear you…
- In fact, in good old 2017, 4,681,000 older adults were below poverty level. If that makes sense to somebody, I wish that somebody would explain to me: In what universe does having 4.5 million Elders at poverty level seem rational? OK, I’ll calm down…
- Here’s the last one for today: For folks age 75+, 42% reported that TV is their first source of emergency information, as opposed to 31% for the general population; specifically, 9% of Elders reported receiving information via internet, as opposed to that 31% for the general population.
The “Profile” goes on (and on) to discuss the need for caregiving, racial/ethnic population percentages, etc. ad infinitum, but I decided to stop here, because this is more than enough for us to try to take in.
Is it all…dark? Well, I don’t think so. If we’re not “dying on schedule” (meaning, in line with what Medicare and Social Security might prefer), that suggests that we have a lot of LIFE ahead! A gift! What do we choose to do with that gift?
And it tells us that the pictures of “aging” and “retirement” have changed pretty dramatically from those that most of us grew up with. We can plan and we can look ahead and we can aim our lives in directions that suggest reasonable comfort, reasonable contentment and a sense of purpose; or, we can do absolutely nothing and hope for the best…
…which would make sense, because hoping for the worst would be stupid.
I believe in hope.
I also believe in doing everything I can to make life as joyous as possible which, for me, defines “faith.”
Aging is not an affliction – It’s an achievement!