- Life expectancy at birth is now age 78
- People in the fastest growing age group in this country are those over 85
- If you and your spouse both reach age 65, one of you can be expected to live to age 90
- 90% of all the people in world history who ever reached age 90 are alive today
- More than half the women and about one-third of the men who reach age 65 will spend some time in a nursing home
- Seven out of 10 couples can expect at least one partner to use a nursing home after age 65
- The average cost of a nursing home is about $73,000 per year
- Half of all older Americans who live alone will spend themselves into poverty after only 13 weeks in a nursing home
- 56% of couples spend their income down to the poverty level after one spouse has spent six months in a nursing home
- Two out of five people 65 and over will need long-term care. Half will stay in a facility six months or less, while the other half will stay an average of two and a half years.
