Senior Living History: 1950 – 1959

Early National Focus on Aging

The first National Conference on Aging convened in August 1950 with over 800 delegates from across the country.1 The event brought together experts, policymakers and advocates to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by an increasing number of older Americans. The spotlight on aging signaled a growing national awareness of the demographic and the need for focused attention on the well-being of older adults.

The nonprofit National Council on Aging (NCOA), also formed in 1950. Dedicated to improving the lives of older adults, the NCOA advocates for policy changes and empowers older adults through resources and tools. They aim to ensure that every person can age with health and financial security.

The Dawn of Geriatric Medicine

Geriatrics, a new medical specialty, gained momentum in the 1950s. The American Geriatrics Society, founded in 1942, saw increased activity and membership during the 1950s. The growing professional focus led to more research and training aimed at understanding and treating the specific health needs of older adults.

Understanding Chronic Illness

A major transition in health care involved transitioning concern from primarily acute diseases to chronic conditions for the older population.

Early findings from chronic disease studies began to emerge in the 1950s. The Framingham Heart Study, initiated in 1948, started publishing data linking factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol to an increased risk of heart disease, a major concern for the aging population.

Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death for older adults.2 The early evidence-based research influenced future preventive and treatment strategies for chronic conditions affecting older adults.

Federal Steps Taken in Health Care and Housing for Seniors

The federal government took notable steps to address the health care and housing needs of seniors during this decade. Below are a few examples.

• Social Security Act Amendments of 1950: The amendments allowed for direct payments to health-care providers, including nursing homes, for beneficiaries in public institutions. The financial incentive played a role in the growth of the private nursing home sector.
• Hill-Burton Act Amendments of 1954: The amendment required skilled nursing facilities to meet specific definitions and standards, often in a hospital-like context. The amendment provided federal funds to nonprofit organizations to build nursing homes, helping older adults with expanded access to long-term care.
• Housing Act of 1956: The act included provisions for low-interest loans specifically for the construction of housing designed for older adults, acknowledging their specialized housing needs.
• National Housing Act of 1959: The act offered FHA-insured mortgages for the construction or rehabilitation of rental housing specifically for older adults, thereby further expanding housing options.

The Rise of Retirement Communities

The first master-planned, age-restricted retirement communities opened in the 1950s. Youngtown, Arizona, which opened in 1954, is considered the first of its kind in the U.S.

Del Webb then developed Sun City, Arizona, offering a new vision for senior housing focused on recreation and amenities for active retirees, primarily in a warm climate. When it officially opened on New Year's weekend in 1960, an astounding 100,000 people showed up! The company sold 1,300 homes.3

The concept of an active retirement community with amenities such as golf courses and recreation centers took off quickly. It also affected how the country now viewed its seniors. Rather than seeing older adults as bored (and boring) old people who can’t do much, it shifted the perception of seniors to that of active, productive, vibrant older adults.

Mobile Homes Gain Popularity

Mobile homes experienced a surge in popularity during the 1950s. They offered an affordable housing alternative for many, including retirees. The expansion in size to 10-foot-wide models made them more suitable for longer-term living. The Trailer Coach Association held its first show in 1954, reflecting the growing significance of the housing sector — particularly in states like Florida and Arizona.

Early Advocacy and Social Engagement

The seeds of modern-day senior advocacy and social engagement were also sown in the 1950s. In addition to the NCOA, another major organization that stands up for seniors in powerful ways is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, it has become a major voice for retirees’ interests and has a major impact on legislative issues.

AARP also offers very inexpensive membership ($15 for the first year) and provides a wide range of benefits you can use every day. Popular benefits include car insurance and home insurance discounts, travel discounts, and entertainment deals. Other benefits include help with health-care savings, as well as tools and resources to assist members with managing their money, planning for retirement and accessing financial planning services.

Federal Focus on Aging

During the 1950s, the federal government wanted to further address the unique needs of older Americans. To that end, the government took steps to better understand the aging population. The following helped in achieving that goal:

• The Special Staff on Aging was established within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1956 to coordinate federal activities related to aging.
• The Federal Council on Aging was convened in 1956, signaling increasing federal attention to aging issues at an advisory level.
• The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), a landmark research project, was initiated in 1958, focusing on the long-term processes of aging.

Shifting Perceptions and Changing Face of Work

The 1950s saw a gradual shift in how retirement was viewed. It moved toward the notion that old age could be a time of leisure and a period for new opportunities, rather than just decline.

The economy experienced significant growth during the 1950s and unemployment remained pretty low, but the nature of work changed. Fueled by the rise of large corporations and increased administrative needs in the service sector, white-collar occupations (those in the managerial, clerical and professional fields), accounted for over 33 percent of all occupations.

At the same time, because of the new developments in technology (cars, planes, radios and televisions), skilled mechanics and repairmen were also in demand. The need for specialized technical skills also arose in the wake of technological advancements.

Seniors could work until age 65 in the 1950s. In 1956, the Social Security Act was amended to allow women to take early retirement at age 62, with reduced benefits.

1950s Culture and Lifestyle

What was life like in the 1950s? Consumerism — a culture of consumption — took hold in the postwar economic boom as Americans had more disposable income. Thanks to the adoption of new technology such as television, appliances and cars, as well as the development of credit cards, Americans happily shopped — often at new shopping malls.

You’d see structured women’s fashions featuring cinched waists and full skirts. The rising popularity of Levi Strauss & Co. jeans among youth, fueled by icons such as Marlon Brando and James Dean, exploded in popularity in the 1960s, but they could also be seen in the ’50s.

Television’s growth during the decade was huge. TV ownership soared from 9 percent in 1950 to nearly 90 percent by 1960, eclipsing radio’s dominance.5 “I Love Lucy,” starring Lucille Ball, consistently topped ratings with its innovative comedy, and “Dragnet,” a realistic police drama, also captivated audiences.

Hollywood produced epic films such as “Ben-Hur” and musicals such as “Singin’ in the Rain” that drew huge crowds. Drive-in theaters numbered over 4,000 across the country and became a popular family entertainment venue.6

Suburban growth, which took off after World War II, spurred backyard barbecues and neighborhood parties. In the suburbs, you could often find family station wagons parked in the driveways. As the early Interstate Highway System was developed and connected states, families were able to go on road trips across the country.

Rock ’n’ roll artists such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry dominated youth leisure, and they could be heard on transistor radios and at local sock hops. The 1955 opening of Disneyland in California marked a new era of themed family entertainment destinations. The first major theme park to be built on such a large scale, it was unique for offering an immersive, themed experience unlike other typical attractions of the time.

The 1950s may not have been as legislatively active as the following decade for older adults, but the developments in health care, housing, research, advocacy, work and culture during the time shaped American seniors. The decade marked a growing societal awareness of the needs and potential of an aging population.