Final answer:
As we look at older people in the United States, a larger share consists of women due to their longer life expectancy compared to men. This is part of the phenomenon known as "the graying of America," with broad implications for social institutions and financial stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we examine the demographic makeup of older people in the United States, we find a larger share of women compared to men. Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal that women have a longer life expectancy than men. In 2010, for instance, there were approximately ninety 65-year-old men per one hundred 65-year-old women, but the numbers drop to eighty 75-year-old men and only sixty 85-year-old men per one hundred women in the same age brackets, respectively. The sex ratio shows that although the gap is narrowing over time, women still outnumber men as they age. This trend contributes to a phenomenon known as "the graying of America," where a significant percentage of the population is becoming older.
Factors such as advances in healthcare, increased life expectancy, and the aging of the baby boomer generation contribute to the rise in the older adult population. As the older adult population grows, changes in social institutions are necessary to accommodate this demographic shift, including the need for additional housing in warmer climates, increased demand for elder care and assisted living facilities, and financial concerns related to pensions and retirement plans.