Caring for an aging US population—the good news and the bad news

Caring for an aging US population—the good news and the bad news
JAMA Health Forum; by Stuart M. Butler; 5/23/24
The US is a rapidly aging society. The proportion of the population older than the retirement age is increasing, and more people will reach very old age. The proportion of people older than 65 years of age is projected to increase from 18% today to 23% by 2054, with the number of individuals older than 100 years of age quadrupling. This trend poses enormous challenges for the health care system and the social structure of the US. For instance, aging is associated with loss of social connections, which is linked to accelerating mental and physical deterioration, including dementia. Caring for very old people with dementia and other chronic conditions is costly, compounded by a desperate shortage of care workers. In 2023, the yearly average cost was more than $116,000 for a private room at a nursing home and the cost was more than $75,000 for a home health aide. Affordable housing options continue to be in short supply. Community and health service organizations are bracing for a major increase in older people experiencing homeless, especially among those with dementia and mental illness. An increasing number of older people may have to move into Medicaid-financed nursing homes as their private resources are depleted, which would also place increasing strain on state and federal budgets. However, there is some good news regarding innovations in health care, technology, and housing ...