For nursing homes, it's 1% for ages 65-74, 3% for 75-84 and 9% for persons age 85 and over. Half of all those in nursing homes are older than 85. For general e

For nursing homes, it's 1% for ages 65-74, 3% for 75-84 and 9% for persons age 85 and over. Half of all those in nursing homes are older than 85. For general expenses, there are reverse mortgages for this. But again, I'm not sure what difference it makes to sell the house before rather than after you die -- especially for really old people. It will go on the market either way. Even if you give the home to a child, they will either sell it, or move into it and sell their existing home. Either way, when someone dies, the demand for housing decreases by 1. So declining populations do lead to cheaper housing (which is a good thing in places where housing is expensive).