In the United States, 14.5 % of the population is 65 or older. That’s according to the most recent census. In North Carolina, the number of elderly people is a fraction of a percentage higher at 14.7%. In New Hanover County, nearly 16% of residents are 65 or over. And that number shoots to almost a third of the population in neighboring Brunswick County.
According to the American Psychological Association, the number of Americans over age 85 is increasing faster than any other group. Since 1900, the proportion of Americans age 65 and older has more than tripled.
The World Health Organization puts life expectancy for American men at 76; for women, 81. More people are using more resources and different kinds of resources to live a satisfying life through their senior years.
Joining us in the studio to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing our elders and those who care for them are:
Dr. Angela Wadsworth is a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology and Criminology Department at UNCW. Some of her classes include The Sociology of Aging and the Sociology of Death and Dying.
Susan Silver is the Executive Director of Aging In Place Downtown, a nonprofit that helps seniors find the resources they need to stay in their own homes longer.
To visit the website of Aging in Place Downtown, follow this link: http://www.aginginplacedowntown.org/or call 910-805-HOME (4663).
Other resources for seniors:
New Hanover County Senior Resource Center: http://src.nhcgov.com/
Phone: 910-798-6400
Brunswick Senior Resources: http://www.bsrinc.org/
Phone: (910) 754-2300
Pender County Adult Services: http://www.penderpas.com/
Phone: (910) 259-9119
