Page "Old age" Paragraph 26

In the industrialized countries, life expectancy has increased consistently over the last decades.

In the United States the proportion of people aged 65 or older increased from 4 % in 1900 to about 12 % in 2000.

In 1900, only about of the nation's citizens were 65 or older ( out of 76 million total American citizens ).

By 2000, the number of senior citizens had increased to about 35 million ( of 280 million US citizens ).

Population experts estimate that more than Americans — about 17 percent of the population — will be 65 or older in 2020.

The number of old people is growing around the world chiefly because of the post – World War II baby boom, and increases in the provision and standards of health care.