Recognizing Elder Abuse

The year 2010 marked a record in the United States. For the first time in history, older Americans (age 65 or over) numbered 40 million, accounting for 13 percent of the total U.S. population.¹ This “Boomer effect” is expected to grow. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2050, 20 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 or over.² In 2010, the United States had 5.8 million seniors over the age of 85. By 2050, this number will skyrocket to 19 million.