Aches and pains; discounts at stores, movies, and restaurants; and monthly Social Security checks are reminders to lots of folks that they are getting older. For some people, aging is a bit worrisome; for others, it’s something to look forward to in a similar fashion as expressed by Robert Browning in his poem “Rabbi Ben Ezra,” in which he wrote “Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be.”
Currently throughout the world, there are more than 483 million people who are “seniors” (65 years of age or older). The number of seniors in the US is about 36.3 million (some 12.4% of the total population). According to recent longevity projections, the number of Americans 65 years of age or older will nearly double over the next 25 years to reach upwards of 71.5 million.
The Census Bureau recently reported that in the year 2000, every state had more people under age 18 than those 65 years old and older. In about half the states, the ratio was two to one. By 2030, 10 states are expected to reverse that statistic; in six of them, one in every four persons will be age 65 or over.
In 2000, there were about 2.1 million Texans (9.9% of the total population) who were at least 65 years old. By 2030, approximately 3.1 million individuals over age 65 will be added to the Lone Star State population. That’s an expansion in senior citizens of about 150.2% during the 2000-2030 period. For the same timeframe, the overall state population is expected to increase by 59.8%.
In other words, during the next couple of decades, the rate of growth in the 65-or-older category will be some two and a half times faster than the expansion rate for the total population of the state. By 2030, nearly 15.60% of all Texans are forecast to be at least 65 years of age.
Forty-one years ago this week (July 14, 1965), President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act to improve community planning and services programs for older citizens. The Act provides support for federal, state, tribal, and local partnerships and involves some 655 agencies and 500,000 volunteers. The law also authorizes grants to aid various research endeavors in the field of aging.
Through the years, amendments have increased the benefits and extended the Act through September 30, 2006. Congress is currently in the process of reauthorizing the Act. The House of Representatives passed its version several weeks ago, naming it the Senior Independence Act of 2006. The Senate is currently considering its decision.
In 1997, an initiative by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services was introduced to help prepare the state for the future. Named “Aging Texas Well,” the endeavor was designed to expand and enhance social infrastructures to facilitate and support all Texans through the aging process.
A recent survey of seniors in Texas shows that 64% are retired from the workforce, but 15% are still employed and another 10% are looking for a job. Approximately 77% of those 65 years of age or older continue to drive themselves. Almost 8% of older Texans are participating in formal educational classes, and 60% are actively involved in recreational activities. Also, 60% regularly give back to the community through organized volunteer activities.
Six out of every 10 elder Texans own their residences and no longer make mortgage payments; another 21% own their houses, but are still making payments. Some 55% of older Texans spend one-third or more of their income on household-related expenses. A great majority of older Texans have some kind of health insurance.
About 70% of those age 65 or over receive Social Security retirement benefits, and 44% indicate those monies are their greatest source of income. Some 16% rely on employer pensions for their main financial support, while 8% depend on personal savings for the majority of their income. Most senior Texans believe they have sufficient financial resources and state and local support to enable them to live independently.
People grow old naturally, but to age well depends on the combined efforts and relationships between individuals and services provided by federal, state, and community organizations.
The passage of the Senior Independence Act and the continued enhancement of Aging Texas Well are very important to the future of our nation and our state and should remain a high priority.