-Elderly women now outnumber elderly men three to two. This disparity is even higher at age 85 and older, when there are only 40 men for every 100 women.

-The ratio of elderly persons to persons of working age has grown from 7 elderly per 100 persons age 18 to 64 in 1900 to 19 per 100 today. By 2010, there are expected to be 22 elderly persons per 100 of working age and by 2050, 38 per 100. -Life expectancy at birth improved dramatically over the last century. People born today have a life expectancy 27 years longer than those born in 1900. In 1985, life expectancy at birth for women was 78.4 years, while for men it was 71.3

years.

-The number and proportion of older veterans is increasing. By the year 2000, close to two-thirds, 63 percent, of all 65-plus males will be veterans, compared to a little over one-fourth, or 27 percent in 1980.

-Aging is an international phenomenon. The number of persons 60-plus in the world is expected to increase from 376 million in 1980 to 1.1 billion in 2025.

-Over half of the elderly live in just eight States: California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.

-In 1980, for the first time, more elderly lived in the suburbs than in the central cities.

-On average, older persons change residences half as often as younger persons, but those who move out-of-State tend to move to the Sun Belt.

-A new trend, called "countermigration," has emerged in which some 60-plus persons who migrated to the Sun Belt in their early retirement years return to their home States or the homes of family and friends.

Economic status:

-Older persons have substantially less cash income than those under 65. In 1985, the median family income of a family head age 65 or older was less than two-thirds (63 percent) the median income of a family head age 25 to 64. -Elderly persons are more likely than other adults to be poor. (However, when children are also considered, elderly poverty rates are slightly below poverty rates for the rest of the population.) In 1985, 12.6 percent of persons 65 and older had incomes below the poverty level, compared to 11.3 percent of those age 18 to 64 and 14.1 percent of all persons under age 65. -The old-old (85 years of age or older) have significantly lower money incomes than the young-old (65 to 74 years of age). In 1985, the median cash income of couples aged 85 and over ($15,111) was less than three-quarters the median cash incomes of couples aged 65 to 74 ($20,354).

-In 1985, the median income of elderly women was slightly more than half (57 percent) the median income of elderly men, $6,166 versus $10,800. Nearly three-quarters (72.4 percent) of the elderly poor population are women.

-Nonwhite elderly individuals have substantially lower money incomes than their white counterparts. For instance, among

those age 65 to 69, white males had a median income of $13,280 compared to a median of $7,092 for black men and $8,003 for Hispanic men.

-The elderly rely heavily on Social Security benefits and asset income. In 1984, 38 percent of all income received by aged units came from Social Security and 28 percent came from asset income.

-While Social Security and assets have grown in recent decades as a source of income for the elderly, earnings have become less important. Between 1968 and 1985, the share of income for elderly families provided by Social Security grew from 23 to 32 percent of income and the share provided by asset income from 15 to 23 percent. At the same time, the share contributed by earnings fell from 48 to 29 percent.

Retirement trends and labor force participation:

-In this century, retirement has become an expected part of an individual's life course. In 1900, the average male spent 3 percent of his lifetime in retirement. In 1980, he was spending one-fifth, or 13.8 years of his life in retirement.

-Age 65 is commonly thought of as the "normal" retirement age. However, almost two-thirds of older workers retire before age 65.

-The labor force participation of men and women drops rapidly with increasing age. For instance, according to labor force statistics for 1986, 45 percent of 62- to 64-year-old men were in the labor force compared to 25 percent of 65- to 69-year-old men, and 10 percent of those age 70-plus.

-In 1986, almost three-quarters (73 percent) of 65-plus workers were in managerial and professional; technical, sales, and administrative support; and service occupations.

-Three-quarters of the labor force would prefer to continue some kind of part-time work after retirement. In 1986, of the elderly who were at work in nonagricultural industries, 47 percent of the men and 59 percent of the women were on parttime schedules.

-For those elderly who desire to work, unemployment creates serious problems. Older workers who lose their jobs stay unemployed longer than younger workers, suffer a greater earnings loss, and are more likely to give up looking for another job.

Health status and health services utilization:

-Contrary to stereotype, most older persons view their health positively. Even if they have a chronic illness, two out of three elderly describe their health as good or excellent compared to others their own age.

-One out of five elderly have at least a mild degree of disability. -Over half of the oldest-old have no physical disability, but the chance of becoming disabled increases with age.

-Cross-sectional data have shown that the likelihood of having a chronic illness increases with age. More than four out of five persons 65 and over have at least one chronic condition and multiple conditions are commonplace in elderly.

-Elderly women now outnumber elderly men three to two. This disparity is even higher at age 85 and older, when there are only 40 men for every 100 women.

-The ratio of elderly persons to persons of working age has grown from 7 elderly per 100 persons age 18 to 64 in 1900 to 19 per 100 today. By 2010, there are expected to be 22 elderly persons per 100 of working age and by 2050, 38 per 100.

-Life expectancy at birth improved dramatically over the last century. People born today have a life expectancy 27 years longer than those born in 1900. In 1985, life expectancy at birth for women was 78.4 years, while for men it was 71.3 years. -The number and proportion of older veterans is increasing. By the year 2000, close to two-thirds, 63 percent, of all 65-plus males will be veterans, compared to a little over one-fourth, or 27 percent in 1980.

-Aging is an international phenomenon. The number of persons 60-plus in the world is expected to increase from 376 million in 1980 to 1.1 billion in 2025.

-Over half of the elderly live in just eight States: California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.

-In 1980, for the first time, more elderly lived in the suburbs than in the central cities.

-On average, older persons change residences half as often as younger persons, but those who move out-of-State tend to move to the Sun Belt.

-A new trend, called "countermigration," has emerged in which some 60-plus persons who migrated to the Sun Belt in their early retirement years return to their home States or the homes of family and friends.

Economic status:

-Older persons have substantially less cash income than those under 65. In 1985, the median family income of a family head age 65 or older was less than two-thirds (63 percent) the median income of a family head age 25 to 64. -Elderly persons are more likely than other adults to be poor. (However, when children are also considered, elderly poverty rates are slightly below poverty rates for the rest of the population.) In 1985, 12.6 percent of persons 65 and older had incomes below the poverty level, compared to 11.3 percent of those age 18 to 64 and 14.1 percent of all persons under age 65. -The old-old (85 years of age or older) have significantly lower money incomes than the young-old (65 to 74 years of age). In 1985, the median cash income of couples aged 85 and over ($15,111) was less than three-quarters the median cash incomes of couples aged 65 to 74 ($20,354).

-In 1985, the median income of elderly women was slightly more than half (57 percent) the median income of elderly men, $6,166 versus $10,800. Nearly three-quarters (72.4 percent) of the elderly poor population are women.

-Nonwhite elderly individuals have substantially lower money incomes than their white counterparts. For instance, among

those age 65 to 69, white males had a median income of $13,280 compared to a median of $7,092 for black men and $8,003 for Hispanic men.

-The elderly rely heavily on Social Security benefits and asset income. In 1984, 38 percent of all income received by aged units came from Social Security and 28 percent came from asset income. -While Social Security and assets have grown in recent decades as a source of income for the elderly, earnings have become less important. Between 1968 and 1985, the share of income for elderly families provided by Social Security grew from 23 to 32 percent of income and the share provided by asset income from 15 to 23 percent. At the same time, the share contributed by earnings fell from 48 to 29 percent.

Retirement trends and labor force participation:

-In this century, retirement has become an expected part of an individual's life course. In 1900, the average male spent 3 percent of his lifetime in retirement. In 1980, he was spending one-fifth, or 13.8 years of his life in retirement.

-Age 65 is commonly thought of as the "normal" retirement age. However, almost two-thirds of older workers retire before age 65.

-The labor force participation of men and women drops rapidly with increasing age. For instance, according to labor force statistics for 1986, 45 percent of 62- to 64-year-old men were in the labor force compared to 25 percent of 65- to 69-year-old men, and 10 percent of those age 70-plus.

-In 1986, almost three-quarters (73 percent) of 65-plus workers were in managerial and professional; technical, sales, and administrative support; and service occupations.

-Three-quarters of the labor force would prefer to continue some kind of part-time work after retirement. In 1986, of the elderly who were at work in nonagricultural industries, 47 percent of the men and 59 percent of the women were on parttime schedules.

-For those elderly who desire to work, unemployment creates serious problems. Older workers who lose their jobs stay unemployed longer than younger workers, suffer a greater earnings loss, and are more likely to give up looking for another job.

Health status and health services utilization:

-Contrary to stereotype, most older persons view their health positively. Even if they have a chronic illness, two out of three elderly describe their health as good or excellent compared to others their own age.

-One out of five elderly have at least a mild degree of disability. -Over half of the oldest-old have no physical disability, but the chance of becoming disabled increases with age.

-Cross-sectional data have shown that the likelihood of having a chronic illness increases with age. More than four out of five persons 65 and over have at least one chronic condition and multiple conditions are commonplace in elderly.

-Many psychiatric problems are not as common for older persons as for younger persons. However, the primary health problem of older age is cognitive impairment (which can be related to a number of sources, including Alzheimer's disease). A recent study has shown that 14 percent of the elderly have at least a mild form of cognitive impairment.

-Three out of four elderly die from heart disease, cancer, or stroke. Though heart disease has been declining, it remains the major cause of death today.

-Death rates, a statistical measure of the frequency of deaths in the population, reached an all-time low in 1983, increasing only slightly in 1985.

-"Informal supports," the help of friends, spouses, and other relatives provide valuable assistance to the elderly in the community. For instance, in 1984, relatives provided approximately 84 percent of all community care to disabled elderly men. -Only about 5 percent of the elderly live in nursing homes at any given time. In 1985, an estimated 1.5 million elderly persons will reside in nursing homes.

-The elderly are the heaviest users of health services. They account for 30 percent of all hospital discharges and one-third of the county's personal health care expenditures even though they constitute only 12 percent of the population. Health care utilization is also greatest in the last year of life and among the old-old.

-Out-of-pocket health expenses for the elderly are now the same as they were prior to the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid. In 1984, the average out-of-pocket expenses to the elderly was $1,059 annually, or 15 percent of their income.

-Per capita spending for health care for the elderly was $4,202 in 1984.

Social characteristics:

-Most elderly men are married and live in a family setting, while most older women are widows. In 1985, 68 percent of women age 75-plus were widowed while 67 percent of the men in this age group were married. In 1984, 50 percent of women age 75-plus lived alone, while only 20 percent of men in the age category lived alone.

-The gap in educational attainment between the elderly and nonelderly is closing. In 1980, the proportion of the population age 55 to 64 years which had completed high school nearly equaled that of the younger population.

-In 1983, 75 percent of the households maintained by an older person were owner-occupied and about 80 percent of these were owned free and clear.

-The elderly increasingly tend to rent rather than own as they grow older.

-The elderly are most likely to live in older homes. In 1980, 40 percent of both elderly owners and elderly renters lived in housing structures built in 1939 or earlier, and 14 percent live in structures built between 1940 and 1949.

-Significant numbers of elderly persons live in inadequate housing and do not have telephones. In 1980, 1 out of 10 elderly