Lifestyle of Old Folks-Questions

Questions
1.What percent of older Americans are healthy?
Older Americans are healthier, with 19.7 percent suffering from a disability in 1999, versus 26.2 percent in 1982. Still, in Census 2000, some 14 million people 65 and older reported some level of disability, most of it related to chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, arthritis or respiratory disorders. About 80 percent of seniors have at least one chronic health condition, and 50 percent have at least two. The percentage of obese elderly Americans continues to expand, with about 33 percent of men and 39 percent of women considered obese in 1999-2000, up from 24 percent and 27 percent, respectively, in 1988-94.

2.At what age are you considered old? 50-65s

3.What percent live in poverty?
The proportion of Americans 65 and older living in poverty declined from 35 percent in 1959 to 10 percent in 2003, largely because of the safety net of Social Security.

4.What percent are divorced?
Changes in family structure, specifically more divorce, fewer children and more stepchildren, may mean less family support for this older segment of the population. In 1960, 1.6 percent of older men and 1.5 percent of older women were divorced. By 2003, 7 percent of older men and 8.6 percent of older women were divorced and had stayed single.

Fairly Objective
5. What percent of old people live with their family?
6. What percent work for money?
7.What percent volunteer?
8.What percent are in good shape?
9.What percent is depressed?
10.What percent are happy?
11.What percent live with their families?

Subjective
12. How bad is it in nursing homes?
13. How often do your families visit?
14. What do you do now that you didn't do in your youth?
15. What did you do in your youth that you don't do now?
16. Is this where you thought you'd be?
17. Do you enjoy yourself more now?
18. What do you wish you can do?
19. Who are role models for old people?
20. How often do you think about your health?
21. How often do you think about dying?
22. What is it like to not do stuff on your own?
23. How active are old people?

SOURCES: Visiting Nurse Service of New York, New York City; March 9, 2006, U.S. National Institute on Aging report, 65+ in the United States: 2005, Mia Oberlink, project director, AdvantAge Initiative,