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The Pew Research Center study indicates the typical Boomer believes old age does not begin until age 72. To many Baby Boomers, turning 65 is no longer a gateway to retirement. The Census office indicates 6.5 million people 65 and older were in the labor force in 2009 (55 percent of whom worked full time), with projections indicating by 2018, that number will grow to 11.1 million. Though more seniors are working, Census office reports the 2009 median income of households with householders ages 65 and older was $31,354, 37 percent lower than the corresponding median for all households, and in 2009 the poverty rate was 8.9 percent for people ages 65 and older. The qualifying age to receive full Social Security retirement benefits has been incrementally increasing since 1998 and will reach age 67 by 2020. The average age of the workforce has slowly risen and is projected to continue rising. This increase in workers' age is attributed to overall health of the older population, the change in eligibility in Social Security retirement benefits, general economic climate, need for health insurance and the availability and design of employer- sponsored benefits, which typically transfers greater responsibility to the retiree. There are some barriers that keep older adults out of the work force. Those can include reduced employment opportunities, decreased training participation, increased discrimination, increased disparities in health and more challenging workplace conditions. The social structure of families has changed. The Census office also reports more and more grandparents find themselves in the role of caregivers, with 2.7 million grandparents responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren under 18. The preponderance of multi - generational homes is on the rise, with Census data reporting approximately 16.7 percent of the population live in a house with at least two adult generations under one roof. There is a disparity when it comes to access to health care. A 1998 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that elderly households making less than $40,000 spend between 13.1 to 26.8 percent of their income on health, whereas elderly households making more than $40,000 spend between 4.6 and 8.2 percent of their income on health. The cost of advanced health care is on the rise. A 2012 MetLife Mature Market Institute Survey's key findings show that in the Charlotte area, the average monthly base rate in an assisted living facility is $3,770, the average daily rate of a semi - private room in a nursing home is $215, the average daily rate for adult day care is $58 and the average hourly rate for home health aides is $19. HealthyPeople.gov reports that more than 37 million people, 60 percent of Baby Boomers, will manage more than one chronic condition by 2030. Early prevention and physical activity can help prevent such declines. Unfortunately, less than 20 percent of older adults engage in the recommended 150 minutes a week of physical activity and even fewer do strength exercises. 3.17.14 DRAFT Cabarrus County Aging Strategic Plan Attachment number 1 F -5 Page 94