ABSTRACT
As of 2013, the population of older adults has grown at a faster rate than all other age groups combined, in part due to the aging Baby Boomer generation. Approximately one-in-five Americans is a Boomer, born between 1946 and 1964, and members of this largest generation are expected to live beyond age 80, longer than any prior generation. Growth in the population of older adults, coupled with increased longevity, creates a policy dilemma in meeting seniors’ needs adequately. These needs include facilitating autonomy, as recent studies have shown that most older adults (88%) wish to remain independent in their homes for as long as they are able (AARP, 2000, 2010). This goal of living independently has given rise to aging in community, a phrase often used interchangeably with other terms including aging in place and healthy aging (Vasunilashorn et al., 2012).
