A peek at a best-seller list or a trip to the local bookstore reveals a plethora of books on aging. Their prevalence reflects considerable interest in longevity and healthy aging during a unique time in our country’s history. The U.S. population is older than it has ever been.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median age in the United States was 38.2 in 2022, which is a record high. Additionally, the bureau reports the number of persons ages 65 and older will reach 80.8 million by 2040 (up from 54.1 million in 2019), and the 85-and-older population is projected to more than double to 14.4 million by 2040 (up from 6.6 million in 2019).