New Census Data Offers Insight on The 65+ Demographic

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released a report, funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of NIH, that offers a comprehensive look at the nation's population aged 65 and older, comprising 40.3 million in 2010.

The 65+ in the United States: 2010 report contains many findings about the 65-and-older population on topics such as:

• Socio-economic characteristics.
• Size and growth.
• Geographic distribution.
• Longevity.
• Health.

This report draws on data from the 2010 Census External Web Site Policy and other nationally representative surveys, such as the Current Population Survey, the American Community Survey and the National Health Interview Survey.

Here are a few key findings:

• The share of the older population residing in SNF's declined from 4.5 percent in 2000 to 3.1 percent in 2010. The share in other LTC facilities, such as assisted living, has been increasing.
• The average cost of a private room in a nursing home was $229 per day or $83,585 per year in 2010.
• Less than 1/5 of older people have the personal financial resources to live in a nursing home for more than 3 years and almost 2/3 cannot afford even one year.
• Medicaid funds for long-term care have been shifting away from nursing homes, with HCBS funding increasing from 13 percent of total funding in 1990 to 43 percent in 2006.

Of relevance to aging services providers, economic statistics from the Census Bureau's 2012 County Business Patterns also show changes in health care-related industries. 

For example, the number of employees in long-term care facilities, such as continuing care communities, grew by about 12 percent between 2007 and 2012.