ABSTRACT
Population shifts in the United States over the past several decades have resulted in a rapid increase of older ethnic minority individuals. These demographic changes have been due, in part, to immigration and improved survival in ethnic communities (Haan et al., 2003). Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the U.S. and constitute approximately 16.7% of the population or 50.5 million individuals (U.S. Census, 2010). Multiple cultural groups are encompassed under the term Latino, including individuals of Mexican (63%), Puerto Rican (9.2%), Cuban (3.5%), Salvadoran (3.3%), and Dominican (2.8%) descent. Among these individuals, 47% were born outside of the U.S. (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012). Compared to other ethnic groups, Latinos are younger in age, with approximately 5% to 8% of the population aged 65 and older (U.S. Census, 2010). However, the growth of Latino elderly is expected to increase dramatically in the coming years, with estimates suggesting that by 2050 Latinos will constitute 17% of the U.S. population over 65 years of age (Krueger et al., 2009; Passel & Cohn, 2008).
