What the years past 90 look like
There have been few studies about how people in their 90s live and cope with the challenges of aging. Credit: iStock
Most people hope the road of life leads to their 90s, or beyond. But few know what to expect if they reach that destination.
As the first wave of boomers celebrates birthday No. 66, it may be comforting to know that from 1980 to 2010, the number of people 90 or older tripled, and is expected to quadruple over the next 40 years. But there have been few studies about how people in their 90s live and cope with the challenges of aging.
In "90+ in the United States," a new report from the Census Bureau, we see for the first time a snapshot of how the "oldest old" are living today, and what that may mean for younger seniors and boomers in the future.
"People are living longer, and a larger proportion of the older population are 90-plus," says Wan He, who co-authored the report. "It's a human success that we're living longer."
For those who worry the road will invariably lead to a nursing home, the report offers some consolation. Nearly 75 percent of those 90-plus lived in a household, either by themselves or with family and friends. Most assisted-living centers fall into the "households" categories, although some may be considered group quarters. Only 23 percent of the over-90 population lived in an institutionalized setting such as a nursing home or hospital.
There are, of course, daily challenges. About 98 percent of the 90-plus population reported having at least one disability or limitation, most commonly difficulty doing errands alone. "It's not chronic or terminal illness," He says. "But disabilities do make daily life more difficult."
Virtually all were covered by health insurance, thanks to Medicare. But data on income is worrisome -- not so much for those 90 and older, but for the generations to follow. Social Security accounted for half the personal income. The next biggest slice -- nearly 20 percent -- came from pensions. While defined-benefit pension plans were common when the 90-plus generation was working, they are rare today. And Social Security continues to be in the crosshairs of cutbacks.
Not surprisingly, the report showed that women are the vast majority of the oldest old, and face the most problems. "Seventy-four percent of 90-plus are women, and 84 percent of them are widowed," He says. "That's a special group that family and society needs to pay special attention to."
