• Growth in Numbers
  • Older adults are living longer due to gains in social condition and medical care
  • Greatest increases in numbers are in the oldest old (the most frail group)

Elderly People as a Percentage of Total Population:

Age	1940	1990	2010	2030
65+	6.8%	12.6%	13.9%	21.8%
65-74	4.8	7.3	7.4	12.0
75-84	1.7	4.0	4.3	7.1
85+	0.3	1.3	2.2	2.7

• Survival gains for older people reflect increases in both active and dependent years of life
• Use of Health Care Services
  • Elderly are >1/3 of all patients seen by primary care physicians, may constitute >50% by 2010
  • Older adults are disproportionate users of health care dollars
  • 12.6% of population, but 1/3 of health care expenditures in 1990
  • per capita cost of care 3 times higher than for population at large

   

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University of Washington, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

Copyright 1999, 2000 David A. Gruenewald, M.D. and Kayla I. Brodkin, M.D. All rights reserved.