>> Elderly

>> Substance Use Disorders among Older Americans

More than 75 million baby boomers, having grown up in the 1960s and '70s, were known to have experimented with drugs during their adolescence. Millions of these initially “experimental” forays into substance misuse have continued as the users entered into middle age, and now many older Americans in their “Golden years” struggle with decades-long substance use disorders. Reliable data about this problem are difficult to obtain, but older substance abusers are clearly a growth sector in the field of drug abuse recovery. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, there are an estimated 1.7 million Americans, over age 50, who are dependent upon recreational drugs. By the year 2020, SAMHSA predicts that the number of dependent Americans will have reached 4.4 million. Another ongoing federal study has also determined that the number of Americans aged 50 or older, seeking help for heroin or cocaine abuse has roughly quadrupled; from 1992 to 2002. You can find more on this topic at the following link: http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,1149389,00.html  

>> Elderly

The Elderly population is defined as those more than 65 years of age. Bureau of the Census population projections, released in 1996, anticipate a moderate increase in this older population until about 2010, a rapid increase between the years of 2010 to 2030, and then a return to a more moderate increase between 2030 and 2050. (Similar projections prepared by the Social Security Administration (SSA) support these figures (SSA, 1995).

The elderly population is expected to increase from 33.5 million in 1995, to 39.4 million in 2010, to over 69 million between 2010 and 2030. By 2050, the number of elderly is expected to increase to about 79 million. (1) From 2010 to 2030, the growth rate of the elderly will exceed that of the population under age 65, so that the proportion of the elderly in the overall total will increase sharply to 20 percent.

Women comprise up to 59 percent of the population age 65 and older, and up to 70 percent of the population age 85 and older. Therefore, older women are less likely than older men to be currently married and are more likely to live alone. Poverty rates are higher for older women who live alone than they are for older women who live with a spouse. Poverty is likely to increase with age, and is particularly acute among older women of color and older women who live alone.

In 1998, about 19 percent of white older women who lived alone were in poverty as were approximately half of older black and Hispanic women who lived alone. (2) Because older women are disproportionately represented in American society, the challenges of aging are magnified in this population. Older women are more likely to live alone, spend more years disabled, and more likely to live in poverty.

Growing Diversity Within the Aging Population

The United States is a nation with a complex mix of persons from various racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. By 2030 the minority older population will likely have tripled. At that time, it is expected that around one quarter of the elderly population will belong to a minority racial or ethnic group. In some parts of the United States, California for example, the upsurge in the number of older minority adults will be quite dramatic. (2)

Between 1984 and 1999, the median net worth of households headed by older persons increased by about 70 percent. But there are large disparities in net worth. Households headed by older black persons had median net worth of about $13,000 in 1999, compared with $181,000 among households headed by older white persons. (3)

Over the next 50 years, rapid growth is expected in the elderly population. As we enter the beginning of a new century, older Americans are living longer and better than any earlier generation. At the same time, there remain significant inequities between the socio-economic classes, the races, and even the genders, and there will be increased demand for increased understanding among practitioners, policymakers, elected officials, and other caregivers, about the unique issues facing this group.

In order to enable minority older adults to enjoy equal opportunity and remain healthy, active, and independent, it is essential to use approaches and interventions that respect cultural values and beliefs and appropriately address their needs.

Mental Health Issues in Older Americans

Older Americans are at increased risk of committing suicide. In 1997, while they were only 13 % of the total US population, they accounted for 19% of all deaths by suicide. Major depression is a significant risk factor for suicide in older adults, yet it is widely under recognized and untreated. It is estimated that 6 % of Americans, aged 65 and over, approximately 2 million people, have a diagnosable depressive illness. Many older adults face physical illnesses, and also socio - economic difficulties, so many health care professionals and patients think depression is to be expected. Depression is not a normal consequence of aging. (4)

Protecting the Rights of Older Americans

In 1965 the Older Americans Act was passed (OAA), still many of the elderly continue to be denied their basic rights and benefits or suffer abusive situations including financial exploitation and serious abuse and neglect. In 1992 amendments to the OAA, congress created Title VII, the Vulnerable Elder Rights Protection Program, to protect and enhance the basic rights and benefits of vulnerable older people. For an in-depth overview of this program, visit the following site: http://www.aoa.gov/ (Administration on Aging)

Age Discrimination

The 1967 Age Discrimination In Employment Act (ADEA) is designed to protect workers, aged 40 and older, from discrimination in employment and retirement practices. Still, age discrimination continues in our society, resulting in damage to both the economic status and the self-confidence of many older Americans. In The Untapped Resource, a 1993 report on "The Americans Over 55 at Work Program", one million workers aged 54 to 64 reported that they would likely be forced to retire earlier than they wanted to, and that 5.4 million older citizens - one in seven- were willing to work but could not find a suitable job. If you think that you are a victim of Ageism, you can obtain information on filing charges ant the following Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website: http://www.eeoc.gov.

(1). Projections of the Total Resident Population by 5 Year Age Groups, Race, and Hispanic Origin with Special Age Categories: Middle Series, 1999 to 2000," U.S. Census Internet Release Date: January 13,2000 with "Population Projections of the United States by Age, Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin: 1995-2050," Current Population Reports, P25-1130. Data for 2000 are from the 2000 Census.

(2). Dalaker, J. (September 1999). Poverty in the United States: 1998. Table 2. U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports P60-207. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

(3). Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics. Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. August 2000.

(4). Wells, K.B., Stewart, A., Hays, R.D., Burman, A; Rogers, W., Daniels, M., Berry, S., Greenfield, S., and Ware, J. (1989). The functioning and well-being of depressed patients. Results from the Medical outcomes Study. Journal of the American Medical Association. 262: 914-919.

Below are some web sites that provide resources for the elderly.
http://www.seniors.gov/ (First Gov for Seniors)
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5224.html (Tips for aging well)
http://agenet.agenet.com/?Url=link.asp?DOC/267 (Fitness facts for older Americans)
http://www.maturityworks.org/ (Resources and training)
http://www.eldercare.gov (Eldercare locater)