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A PROFILE OF OLDER AMERICANS

The Older Population

The older population, persons 65 years or over, numbered 27.4 million in 1983
representing 11.7 million or 1 in every 9 Americans.  The number of older 
Americans incresed by 1.7 million or 6% since 1980, compared to an 
increase of 3% for the under 65 population.

In 1983 there were 16.4 million older women and 11.0 older men.  The sex
ratio increased with age, ranging from 124 for the 65 to 69 group to a high 
of 241 for persons 85 and older.

Since 1900 the percentage of Americans 65+ almost tripled(4.1% in 1900 to 
11.7% in 1983) and the number increased more than eight times (from 3.1
million to 27.4 million)

The older population itself is getting older.  In 1983 the 65-74 age group
(16.4 million) was over seven times larger than in 1900, but the 75-84 age
group (8.5 million) was eleven times larger and the 85+ group (2.5 million
people) was twenty times larger.

In 1982 persons reaching age 65 had an average life expectancy of an 
additional 16.8 years. (18.8 years for females and 14.4 years for males)

A child born in 1982 could expect to live 74.5 years, about 27 years longer
than a child born in 1900.  The major part of this incresed occured because 
of reduced death rates for children and young adults.  Life expectancy at 
age 65 increased by only 2.4 years between 1900 and 1960, but has increased
by 2.5 years since 1960

About 1.9 million persons celebrated their 65 birthday in 1982 (5,200) per
day.  In the same year about 1.4 million persons 65 or older died, resulting
in a net increse of over 560,000 (1,550 per day)
