Demographic Trends

According to the National Council on Aging, in 2020 there were about 58 million people over the age of 65, 38% higher than in 2010. The number of people over 100 tripled in 2020 over the number in 1980. The U.S. Census report commissioned by the National Institute on Aging predicted that the number of Americans over 65 will double by 2030, reaching 72 million. The age group of 85 and older is the fastest growing in American society.

Author’s Purpose

Dr. Parkhurst is passionate about wanting to help patients and their families arrive at the right decision when faced with a medical dilemma. It is her hope that this book will prompt family discussions and ultimate valid choices. She believes that by educating people concerning the changes in aging, they will be able to make informed decisions about how they wish to live out the balance of their lives and how they will be able to make decisions concerning their ultimate death.

Intended Audience

This book is written for the following people:

• Everyone who is old and all of those who hope to be.
• Everyone who has aging parents, partners or other loved ones.
• Everyone who may be called upon to make complex medical choices for themselves or others.
• This includes the so-called Sandwich generation: people who are still raising their children but are now called upon to help their aging parents.
• Another part of this broad readership will be those who are aging with partners they are worried about. For these readers, the daily challenges are relentless. As they live through the declines in their loved ones, they inevitably must negotiate choices that need to be made, and they are looking for help.