Volume 1

Long-range program and research needs in aging and related fields : hearings before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, first session Washington, D.C. December 5 and 6, 1967.

United States Senate Special Committee on Aging

Date:: 1968-

Credit: Long-range program and research needs in aging and related fields : hearings before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate, Ninetieth Congress, first session Washington, D.C. December 5 and 6, 1967. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$persons living alone or with nonrelatives was $1,448. About 30% of older people live below the poverty line; another 10% are on the border. Many aged poor are poor primarily because of age! On expenditures.—Like most low-income groups, the aged spend propor- tionately more of their incomes on food, shelter, fuel, and medical eare. Aged do not necessarily need so much less, they just can’t afford it. (From report by H. B. Brotman, Chief of Reports and Analysis, Administration on Aging.) B. PROJECTIONS OF FUTURE GROWTH CENSUS BUREAU PROJECTIONS OF POPULATION OF UNITED STATES {In thousands] 1966 1970 1975 1980 1935 1990 Age 55 through 64_____- 17, 261 18, 491 19, 331 21, 032 21, 236 20, 028 We 65 and nee eee” 18, 457 19, 989 Zi), Log M23; bos 24,977 27,005 The Caairman. Now, while Mrs. Mathiasen could not be with us, we are honored with the presence of Mr. Milton Shapp, Mr. Jack Ossofsky, and Dr. Robert Morris. Now, why don’t you fellows just explain for the record exactly what your position in life is in this context ? Panel 1: Present and Future Status of the Aged and Aging in the United States* STATEMENTS OF MILTON SHARP, CHAIRMAN OF PUBLIC POLICY, NCOA; JACK OSSOFSKY, DIRECTOR OF NCOA, ECONOMIC OPPOR- TUNITY PROJECT; AND ROBERT MORRIS, D.S.W., PROFESSOR OF SOCIAL PLANNING, FLORENCE HELLER GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED STUDIES IN SOCIAL WELFARE, BRANDEIS UNIVER- SITY, AND IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT, GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY Mr. OssorsKy. Senator, my name is Jack Ossofsky. I am the associa- tion’s director and also the director of the council’s contract. under the Office of Economie Opportunity called Project FIND. With us here this morning is Mr. Milton Shapp, who has just been named the chairman of the council’s public policy committee. Dr. Morris. I am Robert Morris, immediate past president of the Gerontological Society of America, which is a, scientific association of individuals and includes scientists and investigators and patholog- ical personnel in the field of social welfare. I hold rather an honorary position which I have just left from Brandeis University. The Cuarrman. You have left that position ? Dr. Morris. I was president of the Gerontological Society. The CuatrmMan. You are still at Brandeis ? Dr. Morris. I am still at Brandeis; yes. Mr. Ossorsxy. On behalf of the council, Mr. Chairman, we would like Mr. Shapp to present our basic testimony and then, if time permits, I will talk about our early findings and some of the limitations in the communities that might be of some help to the committee and supports the general trend of the testimony that Mr. Shapp will present. *Additional information concerning this subject appears in app. 1, p. 219.$