ALABAMA A&M and AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

NATION'S HEALTH REPORT SPOTLIGHTS ELDERLY AMERICANS

AUBURN, OCT. 29---A growing and increasingly diverse elderly population in the United States is living longer but still faces health challenges as the next century approaches.

According to Health Secretary Donna E. Shalala, with the arrival of the new millennium comes the reality that in the next 30 years, one out of five people in America will be over 65.

"In planning for the nation's health care in the next century, we cannot ignore this group. That is why it's important now more than ever to modernize Medicare's benefits and strengthen its finances for years to come," Shalala said.

Life expectancy for older Americans has increased over the past 50 years. Based on current mortality rates, a 65-year-old person in 1997 could on average expect to live to be nearly 83. An 85-year-old in 1997 could expect to live to be over 90.

Contributing to longer life expectancy is the decline in mortality, especially from heart disease. Death rates from heart disease among persons 65-84 have been reduced by about half since 1970; among those 85 and over, death rates from heart disease have dropped 21 percent over the same time period.

The report shows that most older persons are not severely limited in their daily activities despite living with chronic conditions. A majority of noninstitutionalized persons 70 and over reported they suffered from arthritis, and approximately 1/3 reported they had hypertension. Diabetes was reported by 11 percent.

Overall, less than 10 percent of noninstitutionalized persons 70 and over were unable to perform one or more activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and using the toilet in 1995. This disability increased with age from almost 5 percent among persons 70-74 to nearly 22 percent among persons 85 and older.

The increase in life expectancy is one of the great achievements of the 20^th century. As research increases in the next century, Americans can look forward to spending more of the added years in better health. People of all ages should be tobacco-free, eat right and keep physically active so their golden years will be healthy years.

SOURCE: DR. BARBARA STRUEMPLER, Extension nutritionist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-2217.