Other demographic factors which may bear significantly on energy usage patterns of the elderly are: • Urban/Non-Urban Mix; • Living Arrangements; and • Housing and Heating These factors are all significant in the conclusions which may be drawn relative to the predominance of fossil fuel heating systems in use in homes of the elderly, the inferred insulation condition of this older housing and the efficiency of this arrangement as a total system. The elderly are a unique constituency sharing certain characteristics of the poor and handicapped. They are a reasonably articulate group which will exert well-informed pressure for what they consider to be the needs of their group and the Nation as a whole. They are extremely concerned about the energy problem largely because of their medical and economic vulnerability. The combination of a weakening physical constitution; lower than average income; generally older, less energy efficient housing; living mostly in the city and, to a significant extent, nearly alone or completely alone leads to the conclusion that needs of this substantial, growing segment of our society must be afforded consideration as the social assessments of our alternative energy systems are proposed and developed.
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