How healthcare can enable healthy aging
One of the most pressing issues facing healthcare today is population aging.
Sometimes called the “grey wave” or “silver tsunami,” population aging is the shift in average age of a population from younger to older ages.
Current projections from the U.S. Census Bureau point to 2030 as a milestone year in which older people will outnumber children for the first time in history. All baby boomers will be older than age 65 and one in every five residents will be retirement age.
What population aging means for healthcare
In addition to the increasing number of individuals older than 65, we are also experiencing a significant increase in the life expectancy of older adults given improvements in nutrition, physical activity and medical care. The net effect, however, is the same – an increased number of people consuming more healthcare services.
In terms of direct impact on healthcare, an aging population will increase the demand for primary and specialty physicians, chronic disease management, age-friendly environments, and long-term care to more effectively meet the needs of aging adults at home and in their communities.
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