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Virginia Census Shows

Increase in Older People

The population of -"he state of Virginia shows an increasing number and percentage «f older people each year, according to the State Health Department Bureau of Vital statistics.

In 1930, 116,678 persons living in Virginia were 66 or older. The number of persons in this age bracket for the year of 1950 was 214,572. This represents an increase of 84%, while the population (all ages) increased only 37% during this period/

“Preventive medicine and private medical care have assisted in extending the life span,” stated Dr. Mack I. Shanholtz, State ritalth Commissioner.

“As encouraging as this fact may be, we should not forget that the aged are subject to the chronic diseases which destroy tissue structure and weaken the body,” Dr. Shanholtz continued.

“The three leading causes of death most prevalent among older ages are heart disease, vascular lesions, and cancer. These three causes constituted nearly threefourths (73 percent) of the deaths from all causes among persons 65 years of age and over in Virginia during 1050. In 1030, 2,486 per. sons 65 or over died from heart disease, representing a rate of 2,131.7 per 100,000 population of the same age bracket. This disease claimed 6,087 old persona in I960 at a rate of 2,836.8. Vascular lesions and cancer rates showed similar rises in 1960 over the rates of iaso.

“Overeating, undersleeping, undue worry, the habitual overuse of stimulants of various types, and disregard for personal safety, eontribute much to the total of those . persons who die in the period after 65. To this list must be added the failure of many old persons to have a periodic physical check-up by the family physicain to determine whether the body is as good as it appears to be or whether some condition exists that needs prompt medical attention.

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