As Americans live longer, the problems of financing their retirement and paying their medical bills continue to make headlines. But the growing number of healthy seniors also means opportunities. Both the problems and opportunities are in the spotlight in May — it’s Older Americans Month. There are just over 41 million people aged 65 and older in the U.S., over 13 percent of the population. By the year 2060, the number of elderly is projected to be 92 million. About one-in-six seniors is still in the labor force, and just under one-in-four is a military veteran. More than eight-out-of-10 older Americans own their homes. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.
Sunday, May 12th. It seems like a simple device, really — that a row of numbers on the speedometer that measures how far your car has traveled since it was new, or how many miles you’ve covered on a trip. Called an odometer, it was used for the first time on this date in 1847 by a Mormon pioneer named William Clayton, who was crossing the plains in a covered wagon. Up until his invention, elapsed miles were calculated by tediously counting the revolutions of a rag tied to the spoke of one of the wagon’s wheels. Today, most of us regularly drive a lot of miles. Smaller cars, light trucks, vans and SUVs average nearly 10,500 miles annually. Larger vehicles cover more than 15,000 miles a year. Trucks drive about 26,000 miles on average each year. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.
Saturday, May 11th. Tomorrow is Mother’s Day — one of the nation’s most revered national observances, with meaning beyond flowers, cards and brunches. The idea started in 1908 with Anna Jarvis of West Virginia, to honor her deceased mother — who had hoped that there would come a day to commemorate all mothers. By 1911, every state observed Mother’s Day, and in 1914, Congress made it a national event. There are an estimated 85.4 million mothers across the U.S. In recent years about 4 million babies are delivered of women between ages 15 and 50. The average age of women giving birth for the first time is just over 25. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.