Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-2026

Abstract

The population of older adults in the United States is growing at a rapid rate, both because people are living longer lives and because older adults are an increasingly large share of the population as baby boomers age. It is predicted that by 2030, one in ¿ve adults in the United States will be of retirement age, and one in six people worldwide will be age 60 or older. By 2034 there will be more adults age 65 and older in this country than minor children under age 18.

Among the important consequences of this demographic trend will be a substantial increase in caregiving needs. While a high percentage of older adults report good health, as longevity increases, so inevitably will the need of many individuals for family caregivers as they age. While caregiving of adults has received less attention from policymakers than the care of dependent children, the data suggest that the care of older adults will assume growing importance in the future.

Disciplines

Elder Law | Family Law | Law

Comments

©2026 by the American Bar Association. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.

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