Senior Spectrum
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Oct 2007
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Older Americans Skipping Retirement,
Institutional Care
Data released by the Census Bureau says more seniors and baby boomers are working longer, and are looking to age in the community rather than more restrictive environments.
According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the percentage of elderly living in nursing homes has declined over the past 15 years. The downturn reflects the improved health of seniors and more choices of care for the elderly. According to the data, about 7.4 percent of Americans aged 75 and older lived in nursing homes in 2006, compared with 8.1 percent in 2000 and 10.2 percent in 1990.
At-home care and assistedliving facilities have been a fast-growing segment of elder care in the past decade, says Elise Bolda, director of Community Partnerships for Older Adults, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program that helps communities develop long-term care and services for the elderly.
More than 1.8 million people live in nursing homes, but the percentage of the oldest age group of seniors living in nursing homes also has been dropping. Less than 16 percent of the 85-plus population was receiving institutional care in 2006. In 1985, more than 21 percent in that age group lived in nursing homes, according to the National Nursing Home Survey.
Statistics also indicate that older workers are waiting longer to retire. Nationally, nearly one in four people between the ages of 65 and 74 (23.2 percent) were in the labor force (either working or looking for work) in 2006, an increase from 19.6 percent in 2000. States with some of the lowest rates of older workers in the labor force include West Virginia (15.7 percent), Michigan (18.8 percent) and Arizona (19.4 percent).
Caring for the elderly and remaining active and independent for as long as possible is a major policy concern now that the oldest of 79 million baby boomers turn 61 this year. The number of people over the age of 65 will nearly double by 2030 to about 71 million.