LAGOS, NIGERIA - Betty’s health deteriorated when her husband died, and as cold mornings rolled into lonely nights, the 65-year-old living in Ramsey County, Minnesota developed eating and sleeping problems and stopped taking her medications. 

One night she got up to get a glass of water, became dizzy, fell, and broke her left hip. Luckily for Betty, her hip replacement surgery was successful but her children still feared that her health might further decline without assisted living and health monitoring. 

Aging Crisis

Betty's story is one of many such tales from seniors living in the United States, who require holistic care to navigate complications caused by aging. According to the Urban Institute,¹ the population of US citizens aged 65 and above will double by 2040, reaching 80 million, while the number of adults aged 85 and above will quadruple. This figure means about one in every five Americans will be 65 or older by 2040 due to declining fertility rates and improved life expectancy among senior US citizens.

The Implications

If the earliest retirement age remains 62 years, it will increase the number of older adults receiving social security retirement benefits and the number of years they'll live on such benefits. This situation will cost the US government US$400 billion² in spending for at-home care services for older adults and persons living with disabilities.

In addition, this may lead to an increased demand for the health workforce to a point where there are not enough workers to meet the needs of an aging population.³ Increasing demands on senior caregivers and healthcare professionals can lead to burnout and impact the quality of care they receive.   &