• In 2001, there were 170,912 people aged 65 and over living in Dallas County (7.7% of the total population). Sixty percent of these older adults were women. 16,493 were aged 85 years and older. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2002)
   
•  “The older population will continue to grow significantly in the future. This growth slowed somewhat during the 1990's because of the relatively small number of babies born during the Great Depression of the 1930's. But the older population will burgeon between the years 2010 and 2030 when the "baby boom" generation reaches age 65.” (Administration on Aging, Profile of Older Americans: 2000)
  
  
• “In 1999, about half (52%) of persons 65+ lived in nine states. California had over 3.6 million; Florida 2.7 million; New York 2.4 million; Texas 2.0 million; and Pennsylvania 1.9 million. Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and New Jersey each had well over 1 million.” (Administration on Aging, Profile of Older Americans: 2000)
  
  
•  “In twelve states, the 65+ population increased by 17.0% or more between 1990 and 1999 (Figure 5): Nevada (61%); Alaska (55%); Arizona (31%); Hawaii (30%); Colorado, Utah and New Mexico (23%); Delaware (21%); South Carolina and North Carolina (19%); Wyoming (18%); and Texas (17%).” (Administration on Aging, Profile of Older Americans: 2000)
  
  
• The ethnic composition of those older than 60 in Dallas County is: 75% White, 13.8% African American, 8.2% Hispanic, and 3% other. The proportion of seniors in nonwhite and Hispanic populations is smaller than whites, but it is increasing at much faster rates. (U.S. Census Bureau, 1999)
  
  
• Centenarians are the fastest growing segment of the population. (Brown University, 1999)
  
  
• Currently there are 57 nursing homes and over 8,000 nursing home residents in Dallas County. (Texas Department of Human Services, 2001)
  
  
• About 5% of the population over age 60 are in nursing homes at any one time. However, approximately 30% of the population will spend some time in a nursing home. (U.S. Census Bureau, 1990)
  

• The average age of widowhood in the U.S. is 56 (Waddell & Reed, 1997).
  
  
• Older women have less than three-fifths the personal income of older men. (AARP, 1998)
  
  
• Texas is one of ten states with the highest poverty rates for older adults (14.4%). The national average is 10.2%. (AARP and Administration on Aging, 2000)
  
  
• Nearly one out of every four households (23% or 22.4 million households) is involved in caregiving to persons aged 50 and over. (National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 1997)
  
  
• Forty-one percent of elder caregivers have children too. Part of the “sandwich generation,” many women will spend more years caring for a parent that they do raising a child. (National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, 1997)
  
  
• Forty percent of surveyed older Americans are working in retirement, or plan to work after they retire, while an equal percentage do volunteer work, or plan to volunteer. (Peter D. Hart Research Associates for Civic Ventures, 1999)
  
  
• A recent study by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research found that older adults are healthier and more likely to live longer because they volunteer. (The University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, 1999)
  
  
• "About 31% (9.9 million) of all noninstitutionalized older persons in 1998 lived alone (7.6 million women, 2.3 million men). They represented 41% of older women and 17% of older men." (National Center for Health Statistics, 2000)
  
  
• According to a 1996 report by the National Center of Elder Abuse, financial exploitation represents 12% of the substantiated reports of abuse against the elderly. Money Management volunteers' emotional distance from the individuals or companies that have been exploiting a senior allows them to detect financial exploitation and, at times, get their money returned.
  
  
• The table below show the increase in the number of seniors in Texas versus the total seniors in the United States. It also shows the percentage of seniors living in poverty in Texas and the United States.

Source: Population Estimates Program, Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census

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