ABSTRACT
The world is crying for better health care, especially as a larger and larger fraction of the
population is in the older age brackets. Nearly 35 million people are 65 years or older in
the United States today. The number of older adults has grown by more than 10% over
the past 10 years compared with the population younger than 65 years, which grew only
8% during the same period. Over the next 20 years, the number of older adults will nearly
double. Moreover, those most likely to require extensive health and related services, the
oldest old (85 years and older) are the fastest growing cohort (U.S. Census Update, 1999)
In addition to the older adults themselves, caregivers will need to leverage
technological innovation fully to improve the quality and delivery of care. To remain
competitive, health care providers will seek ways to expand their capacity to deliver
quality care in an affordable manner. Informal caregivers, such as spouses and adult
children, will seek ways to extend their ability to ensure the well-being of a loved one
while reducing their own stress and the anxiety of uncertainty that often is part of
caregiving. Currently, one in four American families provide care to an older adult. As
the senior population grows, so will the number of family members seeking ways to care
for a husband, wife, father, or mother while balancing career, children, and family
(Coughlin, 1999; Schulz, Czaja, & Belle, chap. 8, this volume).
