Changing demographics and the need for education

A report released recently from the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Commerce entitled “An Aging World: 2008” should make people pause. Consider these key findings:

· People aged 65 and over will soon outnumber children under age five for the first time in history.

· Most countries show a steady increase in longevity over time, which raises questions about the potential for the human lifespan.

· The world’s population aged 80 and over is projected to increase 233% between 2008 and 2040, compared with 160% for the population aged 65 and over and 33% for the total population of all ages.

· As people live longer and have fewer children, family structures are transformed and care options in older age may change.

Anthony Cirillo, FACHE, ABC, is a marketing consultant, professional speaker, aging and senior health expert, and the owner of Fast Forward Consulting. Visit his personal blog at www.anthonyssong.blogspot.com.

Anthony Cirillo

Anthony Cirillo, FACHE, ABC, is president of The Aging Experience. He’s a passionate advocate for family caregivers and older adults, helping them lead a quality life through a platform of educated aging – physically, emotionally and financially. Cirillo is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives with a Masters from the University of Pennsylvania, His clients have ranged from the Cleveland Clinic, Unisys, and King Faisal Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Carolinas Health Care, Novant Health, Wall Street startups and many more. Anthony serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for PPS Alert for Long-Term Care and is an editorial board member for the Journal of Aging and Geriatric Psychiatry.