Ethnicity and Aging
The number of older Americans has increased more than ten-fold since 1900,when there were 3 million people age 65 or older or 4 percent of the totalpopulation. In 2011, the "baby boom" generation will begin to turn 65, andby 2030, it is projected that one in five people will be age 65 or older.The size of the older population is projected to double over the next 30years, growing to 70 million by 2030. The population age 85 and older iscurrently the fastest growing segment of the elderly. In 2000, an estimated2 percent of the population is over 85. By 2050, the percentage in this agegroup is projected to increase to almost 5 percent of the United Statespopulation. This change in the population has affected every aspect ofAmerican society, presenting challenges as well as opportunities topolicymakers, families, businesses and healthcare providers. In addition,as the older population grows larger, it is also becoming more diverse,reflecting the demographic changes in the United States population as awhole over the past century. Over the next 50 years, programs and servicesfor the older population will require greater flexibility to meet thedemands of a diverse and changing population.
While Asian and Pacific Islanders tend to live the same or somewhat longer than whites, the higher numbers obscure considerable intragroup diversity: The life expectancy of Japanese Americans is many years higher than that of recent Cambodian refugees, for example. This does not occur with Hispanics due to high levels of-12- cardiovascular diseases. The overall score from the questions ranged from 0 to 14 of apossible 21. This vertical versus horizontal variancemay create differences in how social ties and depressive symptoms arelinked in the United States and Japan. The attitudes ofthe whites, however, were less consistent and positive. Most participants reported adequate consumption of high-protein foods, including meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts;men reported higher intakes than women. Healthcare needs are not the only differences among ethnic groupelderly. Depression often co-occurs with other seriousillnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and Parkinson'sdisease. They were asked to think about thepast month-5-and to report how many servings of foods in that food group they consumedper day, week, or month. * Health Policy and Ethnic Diversity: Although efficiency and costs are priorities in the 1990s, consumers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers are increasingly emphasizing quality-of-care issues, including concerns about access for all. For each food grouping, subjects saw an 11-in x 14-inch picture of representative foods. Items were aggregated into five mutually exclusivefood groups based on the Food Guide Pyramid. Lifestyle changes may alter these negative health trends. Seventy-four percent of subjectsreported less than-6-required intake of milk, yogurt, and cheese, and 53.
Common topics in this essay:
Elderly Hispanic,
Mexican Americans,
Guide Pyramid,
African Americans,
,
Americans Hispanics,
United Japan,
Japan Japan,
San Antonio,
Mexican American,
non-hispanic whites,
african americans,
age 65,
depressive symptoms,
nutritional risk,
mexican americans,
recommended servings,
heart disease,
health status,
compared non-hispanic whites,
contacts friends/neighbors/relatives,
americans age 65,
friends/neighbors/relatives participation community,
participation community organizations,
contacts friends/neighbors/relatives participation,
|
Acceptance Essays
