February 14, 2006
Older Americans 2004: Key Indicators of Well-Being
The second in a series of reports produced by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics (Forum) that describe the overall status of the U.S. population age 65 and over. This report provides Federal statistics from over a dozen national data sources to monitor several important areas in the lives of older Americans—population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health care. . . . Older Americans 2004 has added several new indicators to provide a more complete picture of the health and well-being of older Americans: sensory impairments and oral health; obesity; cigarette smoking; air quality; prescription drugs; sources of health insurance; sources of payment for health care services; and residential services. In addition to these new indicators, this report has been expanded to highlight an important and rapidly growing group of older Americans—older veterans.