Facts on Eldercare, Aging, and Caregivers

• Number of Americans currently age 65 or older: more than 34 million. Projected number in 2020: 53 million.
• Percentage of the 79 million baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) who have a living parent, step-parent, or parent-in-law: 73%
• Percentage of baby boomers helping to care for older family members with personal aid, financial assistance, or both: 41%
• Percentage who are not currently caregivers but worry about it in the future: 59%
• Boomers who have yet to talk to their living parents about their future care: Almost half (48%)
• Percentage who did talk to their aging parents about future care and found it "very difficult": 38%. Percentage who found it "easy": 32%.
• Percentage of care recipients who live in their own homes: 55%. Percentage living alone: 25%.
• Number of Americans providing unpaid care to friends and family: 34 million. Percentage of the U.S. adult population this represents: 16%
• Percentage of caregivers who are also are in full-time jobs: 59% In part-time jobs: 11%
• What it would cost if the work of unpaid caregivers were replaced with paid home care: between $45 billion and $94 billion per year
• What Americans spend annually on nursing home care: $83 billion
• Main problems or illnesses of people being cared for: "old age" (15%); cancer, diabetes, and heart disease (9% each); Alzheimer's disease (8%).
• Projected number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease by 2050: 13.2 million people -- three times what it is now.
• Year by which every baby boomer will be over 65: 2031

Sources: AARP Public Policy Institute, and Arizona State University Research