According to this new report from the Economic Research Service, the oldest segment of the US population, those 85 years old and older, grew 37 percent between 1980 and 1990. The "oldest old are more likely to be women, to be in poor health, to live alone, and to be poor." Changes in the Older Population and Implications for Rural Areas considers this change in the population and the effects of being elderly and poor in the rural parts of the United States. The report concludes that the US needs to be aware of this shift in population and allocate funds in order to cover the costs of Social Security, health care, and other services for the elderly.