More Americans are likely to reach the age of 90 than ever before, according to the results of a new census.
The number of people over 90 has tripled in the past 30 years to almost 2 million, which has led to a rise in Medicare costs and Social Security initiatives.
Experts have said that better nutrition and medical care has had an impact on the figures. However, older people still have to face a number of health conditions like arthritis, dementia, diabetes and heart disease as they age.
Previously the Census Bureau covered the 80-plus population but decided to extend the remit of the study to 90 and above in light of the rise in life expectancy.
Wan He, a Census Bureau demographer, said: “Given its rapid growth, the 90-and-older population merits a closer look. The older people get, the more resources they consume because of health care, and disability rates significantly increase. This creates demands for daily care, and for families the care burden increases dramatically.”
Have a senior living related news story or product release? Send us a message from the 'Contact Us' page.