Life expectancy for the average 65-year-old senior citizen has increased by one-tenth of a percent. This senior male has 17.3 years left but not as much as the female, who has 20 more years, according to preliminary 2009 death statistics released March 17 by the Centers for Disease Control's National Center for Health Statistics.
Life expectancy at birth increased to 78.2 years in 2009, up slightly from 78.0 years in 2008, The other favorable news is that the age-adjusted death rate for the U.S. fell to an all-time low of 741 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009 — 2.3 percent lower than the 2008 rate.
This marks the 10th year in a row that U.S. death rates have declined.
• Life expectancy was up two-tenths of a year for males (75.7 years) and up one-tenth of a year for females (80.6 years).
• Life expectancy for the U.S. white population increased by two-tenths of a year.
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• Life expectancy for black males (70.9 years) and females (77.4 years) was unchanged in 2009.
The gap in life expectancy between the white and black populations was 4.3 years in 2009, two-tenths of a year increase from the gap in 2008 of 4.1 years.
Other findings:
• Age-adjusted death rates declined significantly for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death in 2009:
heart disease (declined by 3.7 percent), cancer (1.1 percent), chronic lower respiratory diseases (4.1 percent), stroke (4.2 percent), accidents/unintentional injuries (4.1 percent), Alzheimer's disease (4.1 percent), diabetes (4.1 percent), influenza and pneumonia (4.7 percent), septicemia (1.8 percent), and homicide (6.8 percent).
• Overall, there were 2,436,682 deaths in the United States in 2009 — 36,336 fewer than in 2008 (1.5 percent decrease).
To put this in perspective, in 1850 life expectancy was 38.3 for men and 40.3 for women. I know they had a lot of challenges that we don't have to face today, but this is a huge change. If you were born in 1949, the life expectancy was 66.31 for men and 72.3 for women. Today, if you are 62 chances are you could live another 20.9 years if you are a male or 24.1 years if you are a female.
What this is telling me is get out there and have fun. If you are retirement age, you could have another 20-plus years to enjoy. Come down to the senior center, stay active. We have something for everyone. Make your next 20 years your best 20 years.
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Upcoming
Tuesday
• 9 a.m.: Get up and Get started Exercise with Evie.
• 12:30 p.m.: Cards and duplicate Bridge.
Wednesday
• 8:30 a.m.: Wood Carving Club.
• 9:30 a.m.: Tai chi classes (Newcomers welcome.)
• 10 a.m.: Macular Degeneration Support group.
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• 12:30 p.m.: Pinochle, cribbage tournament and duplicate Bridge.
• 1 p.m.: Stitching Bees bring your handiwork.
• 1 p.m.: Open chess. Bring a friend.
Thursday
• 9 a.m.: Get up and Get started Exercise with Evie.
• 10:30 a.m.: Caregivers Support Group. Everyone welcome.
• 12:30 p.m.: Cards.
• 1 p.m.: Bingo.
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• 1 p.m.: Open chess.
Friday
• 9:30 a.m.: Tai chi.
• 12:30 p.m.: Cards.
Weekly card results
Monday Bridge tournament results for April 4, with two tables playing:
First — Mary Johnsen; second — Bud Higgins; third — John Allen; fourth — Loretta Nelson; fifth — Harriet Oldenburg.
Tuesday Bridge tournament results for April 5:
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First — Ray Schmidt and Gail Schmidt; second — Phyllis Helgenson and Lorraine Lippert; third — Jaynard Johnson and Larry Larson; fourth — Jim Fisher and Bud Higgins.
Tuesday afternoon "500" tournament results for April 5, with three tables playing:
First — Arnold Bergstrom; second — Eddie Hall; third — Beulah Luthe; fourth — Barb Dickmen.
Pinochle
Hilton Henschen.
Weekly "500" tournament results for April 8, with four tables playing:
First — Wayne Chilson; second — Jerry Downing; third — Eddie Hall; fourth — Ann Voeltz.
Weekly cribbage tournament results for April 6, with three and one-fourth tables playing:
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First — Hilton Henschen; second — Val LaVolka; third (tie:) John Allen and Dorothy Paterson.
Friday Bridge tournament results for April 8, with three tables playing:
First — Ella Rouhoff; second — Betty Jorgenson; third — Russ Vaale; fourth — Harriet Oldenburg; fifth — John Allen.
Friday cribbage tournament results for April 8, with two tables playing:
First — Loretta Prantner; second — Val LaVolke.
Semcac daily meals
Tuesday
• Swiss steak.
Wednesday
• Baked ham or turkey.
Thursday
• Meatloaf.
Friday
• Baked cod.
