National Survey of the Aged, 1975

This survey was conducted during the spring and summer of 1975 under a grant from the Administration on Aging and with supplemental funding from the Social Security Administration. It surveyed noninstitutionalized Americans aged 65 and older with a special focus on developing national estimates of the economic needs and social concerns of the elderly. The survey attempted to describe the aged population and to indicate the degree of health, financial independence, and familial support of 2,143 older Americans. Also studied were the work status of respondents, their past and present attitudes toward work, their desire for gainful employment, their income and assets, their evaluation of their own financial status, and their reported use of health and welfare services. The data collection comprises three files. Part 1 contains the general survey, Part 2 is a survey of proxy respondents, and Part 3 supplies information on persons who could not complete an interview.