ABSTRACT
By 2030, there will be 70 million older Americans, twice as many as there are today. The oldest of the baby boom generation is now entering its 50s, and the first 65th birthday among this group, in 2011, is fast approaching. As they have since birth, the boomers will be responsible for another major population shift in the United States, the rapidly accelerating rise in the number and proportion of people age 65 years and older. Today, and in the near future, more people than ever before are coming face to face with diseases, disability, and a variety of complex health issues associated with growing older. They are also interested in seeking ways to live longer, healthier lives.
