The population of the United States age 65 years and over was nearly 36
million in 2003 (12% of the total U.S. population) and by 2030 is projected to increase
to 71.5 million. After that time, it is predicted that the proportion of elders will remain
stable at 20% of the total U.S. population, even though the absolute number will
continue to grow. In addition, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts the oldest-old (age 85
years and over) will quadruple to nearly 21 million by 2050 as Baby Boomers move
into this age group (Older Americans 2004, 2004).
The older population is not only growing larger, it is also becoming more
diverse. The older Latino population is projected to grow the fastest, from 2 million in
2003 to 15 million in 2005, surpassing the older African American population by
2028. The older Asian population is also projected to increase quickly from nearly 1
million in 2003 to 7 million in 2050 (Older Americans 2004, 2004).