There are 55.8 million senior citizens currently living in the U.S., making up 16.8% of the population, or 1 in 6 people (U.S. Census Bureau)
"In the tapestry of life, seniors are the golden threads, weaving their unique stories into the fabric of our existence." ~Unknown
February is Senior Support month, when we help organizations working to make the lives of seniors happier and healthier.
Economic Insecurity is a "Pressing Issue" for Older Adults (National Council on Aging)
More than 17 million Americans age 65+ live at or below the federal poverty line
($30,120 per year for a single person in 2024)
10% of older adults earn less than $10,000 per year
Senior adults struggle with rising housing, health care bills, inadequate nutrition, lack of transportation and diminished savings
Nearly 1 in 10 households of Americans 65+ can’t buy enough food – this is more than during the Great Recession (2007 to 2009)
About 1 in 4 of older adults scrimp on food, utilities, clothing or medication due to health care costs
11.2 million people age 65+ were looking or actively seeking employment in 2023
How do we stack up?
The Elder Index*, developed by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, is a measure of income that older adults need to meet their basic needs and “age in place with dignity”. This Index is specific to household size, location, housing tenure and health status. Here, the filters applied for our three counties, DuPage (Wheaton's county); Travis (Austin's county) and Williamson (Franklin's county) were: Couple, No Mortgage & Good Health.
*Full name: Elder Economic Security StandardTM Index.
Since 2012, the Foundation has donated nearly $150,000 to organizations that work to help with senior support, including:
AGE of Central Texas | DuPage Care Center Foundation | Meals on Wheels
Senior Home Sharing | Twilight Wish Foundation
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