ABSTRACT
Although other authors in this textbook have stated the demographics of aging, it is worthwhile to underscore that in 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 years and older (1). However, the population 85 years and older has been growing at a rate almost three times that of all persons age 65 and older. It has been estimated that by the turn of the century this segment of the population will be about 5.4 million, and by the year 2020 it will number 7.6 million (2).
