Time Trends in Poverty for Older Americans Between 2001–2009 – April 2012, Vol. 33, No. 4. Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2012

• “Generally, poverty rates fell from 2001–2005 for almost all age groups, and then started rising. This correlates to the two economic recessions that occurred during the last decade.
• During this period, poverty rates rose among seniors, as did the number of new entrants into poverty.
• Blacks, Hispanics, and single women face a higher poverty rate than other seniors.
• Poverty rates for women are nearly double of that of men for almost all survey years. For example, in 2009, the poverty rates were 7 percent and 13 percent, respectively, for men and women.
• The chance of suffering a health condition (acute or otherwise) rose 45–55 percent for those below the poverty line.”