Trends in the health of older Americans, 1970-2005.

The health of Americans age sixty-five and older has improved on nearly all major indicators: longevity, self-reported health, and functioning. Both health care services use and health spending have risen. The increased use of restorative procedures and prescription medicines suggests that medical advances have had an important role in the better health of older Americans.

Health, life expectancy, and health care spending among the elderly.

Background: Life expectancy among the elderly has been improving for many decades, and there is evidence that health among the elderly is also improving. We estimated the relation of health status at 70 years of age to life expectancy and to cumulative health care expenditures from the age of 70 until death.

Methods: Using the 1992-1998 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we classified persons' health according to functional status and whether or not they were institutionalized and according to self-reported health.