Demographics of the Aging Population

The aging population will likely impact the future demand for health services. Approximately 44 million people who live in

It is widely believed that the aging of the U.S. population is a major driver of the annual growth in the demand for health care and in national health spending

The age of population is one of the challenges the United States faces. The shift of demographics may have an effect on the needs and services of this particular population. In this paper it will be discussed how the demographics may have an impact on the health care market, how changes will affect health care such as increase in health care cost and increase in prescription drug cost.

The rapid growth in the number of seniors in America and around the world is creating a global demographic revolution without precedent. During this century, advances in hygiene and water supply and control of infectious diseases have reduced the risk of premature death much. As a result, the proportion of population over 60 years in the world is growing faster than in any previous era. In 1950 there were approximately 200 million people aged over 60 worldwide. By 2000 there will be over 550 million, and by 2025, the number of people over 60 is expected to reach 1,200 million.

The rate at which our population is aging is one of the most demographic trends that will changes the face of the future workforce of healthcare. The demand for services and they type of services offered will change as well. The impact will be felt on a economic level

The Living Old program is about the United States of America population of people who are over 85 years old. This video was broken down into a six chapters. The first chapter was called, “Our Aging Society.” This chapter was about how the geriatric population is growing and changing our current society. In addition to the present changes, Doctor Audrey Chun commented on how people in the past died from pneumonia, flus, and other things such as infectious diseases. Whereas, in present time people are dying from chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, strokes, diabetes and other things that require management over the years. This chapter also touched on how the current health care system is not set up to treat chronic diseases.

The aging population in America is growing quickly and is projected to double by the year 2050. The current growth in the number and proportion of older adults in the United States is unprecedented in our nation’s history. By 2050, it is anticipated that Americans aged 65 or older will number nearly 89 million people (The State of Aging and Health in America, 2013). Along with this increase in the aging population, it is estimated that by the year 2020, 157 million Americans will have some form of chronic illness (Taking Care: Ethical Caregiving in Our Society, 2005). With advances in medicine, people are able to live longer lives with chronic illnesses that in the past resulted in a decreased life expectancy.

The elderly population is estimated to double in size from 43.1 million in 2012 to 83.7 million by 2050 (Ortman, Velkoff, & Hogan, 2014). The increase in the elderly population is a result of Baby-boomers reaching retirement age. The size of the elderly population will have implications for the health care delivery system due to the increased demand for Medicaid and the prevalence of chronic disease among the population. Health care shortage will continue to increase as Baby-boomer health professionals to include physicians and reach retirement age. Key opportunities include an increasing demand of advanced technology and innovation. The elderly population will increase at a rapid rate but, technology and innovation are also changing at a rapid pace. The health care industry has an opportunity to embrace advancements in technology that have a strong possibility to fill in gaps in care due to health care shortage, the prevalence of chronic disease, and the elderly

These are just two of the important population trends when considering for the planning, financing, and delivery of healthcare in the United States. The ageing population and the racial and ethnic diversity population are two fast-paced population trends in terms of growth over the years. Healthcare services have already made great strides to accommodate the needs of the elderly and racial diversity groups. I believe the future of healthcare will be able to make changes and adjustments so that adequate healthcare will be provided to these population trends.

Throughout the world and throughout history, the young have always outnumbered the elderly. Over the next 40 years this will change. The population over 60 will grow by one billion to a total of two billion. For the first time in human history there will be more people over 60 than under 15. One in every five people will be elderly. In 1950 there were twelve working people for every elderly person, today nine working people and in 2050 4 working people. More money will go out and less money will come in. (HelpAge International, 2014) Economies will face a change in terms of growth, savings, debts, investment, consumption, labor markets, pensions and taxation. Social impacts will consist of changes in family composition, living arrangements,

For the elderly population is at risk of being affected by the health care crisis that currently exist in the United States in the near future. Many individuals have conflicting views on how resources should be allocated to this population, but as health care workers we should advocate for the best interest of this population. Resources should not be allocated in a certain way based on a human being age. The article, Paying the Price: The Pressing Need for Quality, Cost, and

Many believe that the aging population is a big crisis. Aging population does put pressure on the government limiting financial resources particularly in the healthcare system. Half of the healthcare system is used by seniors and it is expected to grow. (In-text citation)

The Older adult population needs more health services and mobility resources from the government and private or community organizations due to their emerging and increasing healthcare needs. This attention to the older adult population reduces the chances of them being isolated, mistreated, and experiencing poor health. Two of the most influential laws that impact the older adult population are the Social Security Act Title XVIII and The Older Americans Act of 1965. These two pieces of legislation provide our elderly community with some form of financial stability and the ability to get around their community.

For my immersion experience, I immersed myself in the elderly population. The elderly population is a population that I do not have much experience with. Before starting the immersion experience, I felt the elderly population experienced a great deal of oppression and discrimination. Because every individual will more than likely become part of the elderly population, it is important to understand the negative experiences of the elderly population. As social workers, it is important to understand these experiences and try to change them for the positive.

The world’s population is ageing rapidly. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world's older adults is estimated to double from about 11% to 22%. In absolute terms, this is an expected increase from 605 million to 2 billion people over the age of 60.