LAST YEAR OF LIFE

The National Center for Health Statistics 1986 study noted that in the last year of life:

1. Most do not have much money or property

2. Many smoke, drink and get no exercise

3. Nearly half are disabled and most need assistance with daily living- particularly bathing. Many spend time in a hospital or nursing home, but about one quarter were living alone when they died.

4. About 1 in 7 were still working but more than half were retired or out of the work force for over 10 years.

The study reviewed about 95% of the 2,000,000 Americans over age 24 that died that year. About 30% were under age 65; 20% were age 65 to 74; 30% were 75 to 84 and 20% were over age 85. 31% of those who died smoked 25 or more cigarettes per day. 42% of those who died under age 65 had been heavy drinkers in their lives versus only 22% that were abstainers. Only 17% engaged in any regular exercise. Three quarters who died were/had been in a hospital in their last year and about one quarter had been in a nursing home. One in eight had no visits from a doctor; one third saw a doctor about nine times and one in six saw a doctor 25 times or more.

Income and assets: Family income was about $5,000 for 17.2% in the full year before death; between $5,000 and $14,999 for 33.7%: between $15,000 and $24,999 for 14.1% and $25,000 or more for 14.8%. 16.3% of families had no assets; 25.9% had between $1 and $24,999; 33% had between $25,000 and $249,999 and 4.5% had over $250,000. No information was available for the other