Life expectancy for the average 65-year-old senior citizen has increased by one-tenth of a percent. This senior male has 17.3 years left but not as much as the female, who has 20 more years, according to preliminary 2009 death statistics released on March 17 by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Life expectancy at birth increased to 78.2 years in 2009, up slightly from 78.0 years in 2008, The other favorable news is that the age-adjusted death rate for the U.S. fell to an all-time low of 741 deaths per 100,000 people in 2009 — 2.3 percent lower than the 2008 rate

This marks the 10th year in a row that U.S. deaths rates have declined.

• Life expectancy was up two-tenths of a year for males (75.7 years) and up one-tenth of a year for females (80.6 years).

• Life expectancy for the U.S. white population increased by two-tenths of a year.

• Life expectancy for black males (70.9 years) and females (77.4 years) was unchanged in 2009. The gap in life expectancy between the white and black populations was 4.3 years in 2009, two-tenths of a year increase from the gap in 2008 of 4.1 years.

Age-adjusted death rates declined significantly for 10 of the 15 leading causes of death in 2009:

Heart disease: declined by 3.7 percent

Cancer: 1.1 percent

Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 4.1 percent

Stroke: 4.2 percent

Accidents/unintentional injuries: 4.1 percent

Alzheimer’s disease: 4.1 percent

Diabetes: 4.1 percent

Influenza and pneumonia: 4.7 percent

Septicemia: 1.8 percent

Homicide: 6.8 percent

Overall, there were 2,436,682 deaths in the United States in 2009 — 36,336 fewer than in 2008 (1.5 percent decrease).

To put this in perspective in 1850 life expectancy was 38.3 for men and 40.3 for women. I know they had a lot of challenges that we don’t have to face today, but this is a huge change. If you were born in 1949 the life expectancy was 66.31 for men and 72.3 for women. Today, if you are 62 chances are you could live another 20.9 years if you are a male or 24.1 years if you are a female.

What this is telling me is get out there and have fun. If you are retirement age you could have another 20+ years to enjoy. Come down to the senior center, stay active. We have something for everyone. Make your next 20 years your best 20 years. Your always Welcome at the Senior Center. See you soon.

Upcoming Events

Monday: Blood pressure check, 9 to 11 a.m.; cards, 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Get up and Get started Exercise with Evie, 9 a.m.; cards and Duplicate Bridge, 12:30 p.m.

Wednesday: Wood Carving Club 8:30 a.m.; Tai Chi Classes, 9:30 a.m.; Macular Degeneration Support Group, 10 a.m.; Pinochle, Cribbage Tournament, and Duplicate Bridge, 12:30 p.m.; Stitching Bee’s, 1 p.m.; open chess, 1 p.m.

Thursday: Get up and Get started Exercise with Evie, 9 a.m.; Caregivers Support Group, 10:30 a.m.; cards 12:30 p.m; Bingo, 1 p.m.; open chess 1 p.m.

Friday: Tai Chi, 9:30 a.m.; cards, 12:30 p.m.

Weekly Card Results

Monday Bridge

Tournament result for April 4, two tables

1st Mary Johnsen, 2nd Bud Higgins, 3rd John Allen, 4th Loretta Nelson, 5th Harriet Oldenburg.

Tuesday Bridge

Tournament result for April 5

1st Ray Schmidt, 1st Gail Schmidt; 2nd Phyllis Helgenson, 2nd Lorraine Lippert; 3rd Jaynard Johnson, 3rd Larry Larson; 4th Jim Fisher, 4th Bud Higgins.

Tues Afternoon “500”

Tournament results for Apil 5, three tables

1st Arnold Bergstrom, 2nd Eddie Hall, 3rd Beulah Luthe, 4th Barb Dickmen

Pinochle

Hilton Henschen

Weekly “500”

Tournament result for April 8, four tables

1st Wayne Chilson, 2nd Jerry Downing, 3rd Eddie Hall, 4th Ann Voeltz.

Weekly Cribbage

Tournament result for April 6, three and quarter tables

1st Hilton Henschen, 2nd Val LaVolka, 3rd John Allen (tie), 3rd Dorothy Paterson.

Friday Bridge

Tournament result for April 8, three tables

1st Ella Rouhoff, 2nd Betty Jorgenson, 3rd Russ Vaale, 4th Harriet Oldenburg, 5th John Allen.

Friday Cribbage

Tournament results for April 8, two tables

1st Loretta Prantner, 2nd Val LaVolke

Semcac Daily Meals

Monday: Chicken broccoli bake

Tuesday: Swiss steak

Wednesday: Baked ham or turkey

Thursday: Meatloaf

Friday: Baked cod