Wiregrass Seniors Magazine December 2017 DECEMBER ISSUE | Page 4

Page 4
WiregrassSeniorsMagazine.com
The Perks of Growing Older
Retirement doesn't have to be your one-way ticket to
a sedentary life. Learn about senior programs and
services that can help you stay vital and stimulated.
By Krisha McCoy
Your senior years can be one of the most enjoyable
and fulfilling times of your life. As the baby boomer
generation gets older, the number of senior citizens
in the United States is rapidly increasing, and seniors
are finding ways to be more active and involved.
There are more seniors today than ever before. In
1900, 3.1 million Americans were age 65 and older;
by 1994, this number had grown to 33.2 million. Re-
searchers estimate that by 2030, 20 percent of the
U.S. population will be senior citizens.
So what are some of the trends in this age group?
• Better economic position. Thanks to improve-
ments in Social Security and Medicare, the number
of seniors below the poverty level has dramatically
decreased, from 35 percent in the early 1960s to about
10 percent today.
• Higher education. More seniors than ever before
have completed high school, and it is becoming in-
creasingly common for seniors citizens to have earned
a bachelor's degree or higher.
• Lasting marriages. The majority of senior citizens
younger than 85 are married. Since women tend to
live longer than men, older men are twice as likely to
be married as elderly women.
• Longer life expectancy. People are living longer
today than in the past, and the number of people who
live until age 100 is growing.
• Better Services and Programs for Senior
Citizens In generations past, people felt that old age
was a time to take it easy and slow down. But today
senior citizens know that staying active is one of the
most important parts of healthy aging.
Some of the services available to help senior citizens
remain vital include:
• Fitness programs. A number of local community
centers, churches, fitness centers, and senior centers
offer exercise programs specially designed for older
adults. Regular exercise helps you stay
functional and healthy.