President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation in 1988 that created National Senior Citizens Day, which returns on Saturday, August 21, 2027. Since then, America’s older population has surged.
Each Year on August 21
August 21. Reagan’s proclamation named that date in 1988, and it has stuck ever since.
How a 1988 Proclamation Created the Day
Congress asked for the observance in House Joint Resolution 138. Reagan signed Proclamation 5847 on August 19, 1988, two days before the first one.
Proclamation 5847 credited older people, who “have achieved much for our families, our communities, and our country.” It praised them for “reinforcing their historical roles as leaders.”
Many were starting “second careers,” the proclamation said, setting an example for younger Americans. Better health care had given people more productive years.
More than 4.5 million senior citizens were serving as volunteers, by Reagan’s count. He urged “making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older.”
Reagan closed by asking for places where older people could “participate to the fullest” with “independence and dignity.”
A growing generation
The Census Bureau’s 2020 count found 55.8 million people ages 65 and older. That’s 16.8% of the country, or about 1 in 6 Americans.
A century earlier, the picture was very different. In 1920, the older population was 4.9 million, or 4.7% of the total.
Growth sped up after 2011, when the first baby boomers turned 65. Between 2010 and 2020, the group grew 38.6%, the fastest rate since the 1880s.
Even the very oldest grew fast. Americans 95 and older numbered 631,000 in 2020, up 48.6% in a decade.
Where older Americans live
Maine had the highest share of residents 65 and older in 2020, at 21.8%. Florida and Vermont came next, while Utah had the lowest, at 11.7%.
One county stood out. In Sumter County, Florida, 58.9% of residents were 65 or older, the highest share of any county.
Few live in nursing homes. Only 2.5% of Americans 65 and older lived in nursing or skilled nursing facilities in 2020, the census found.
Why the Day Matters More Now
When Reagan signed the proclamation, the youngest boomers were still in their 20s. By 2030, the Census Bureau says, every boomer will be 65 or older.
People ages 65 to 74 numbered 33.1 million in 2020, more than half the older population and about 1 in 10 Americans.
Reagan’s focus on volunteers still fits. AmeriCorps Seniors, open to people 55 and older, matches more than 143,000 volunteers with local groups each year.
Its Foster Grandparent volunteers mentor students, and Senior Companions help other older adults stay independent longer.
Other countries are older still. Japan led the world with 28.5% of residents 65 or older in 2020, while the United States ranked 34th.
Ways to Honor Older Adults on August 21
- Thank a senior volunteer, the group Reagan singled out in 1988.
- Read Proclamation 5847 through UC Santa Barbara’s American Presidency Project.
- Ask a boomer relative what turning 65 has been like, since their generation drove the 2010s surge.
- Sign up with AmeriCorps Seniors as a Foster Grandparent or Senior Companion if you’re 55 or older.
- Look up your state’s older population in the Census Bureau’s 2020 data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Americans were 85 to 94 in 2020?
About 5.7 million, up 12.6% from roughly 5.1 million a decade before.
Was the recent growth unusual?
Yes. It more than doubled the 15.1% rate of the previous decade.
Has the older population ever gained more people in a decade?
No. Its gain of 15.5 million was the largest for any decade on record.
How many Americans were 100 or older in 2020?
Some 80,139, about half again as many as a decade earlier. Women made up 78.8% of them.