John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Geriatrics refers to the health and care of the elderly. Geriatrics focuses on providing the special health care needs of older adults and works to prevent and treat disease and disabilities among this population. A geriatrician is a physician who specializes in the treatment of the elderly, but geriatric care involves a wide spectrum of health care professionals including, but not limited to, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, nutritionists, and psychologists.
One of the worst diseases that older people face is inarguably Alzheimer's disease, with an estimated 12.7 million older people expected to suffer from the disease by 2050. In 2019, the death rate from Alzheimer's among those aged 85 years and older was 1,191 per 100,000 population. Alzheimer's disease is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Health risks
As older people are at greater risk of many diseases and disabilities, it is important for this population to avoid health risks that could increase the probability of these threats. However, in 2021, around 8.9 percent of adults aged 65 years and older still smoked cigarettes, a slight increase from previous years. Furthermore, an estimated 29.5 percent of older adults in the U.S. were obese in 2021, an increase from 26.7 percent in 2013. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for diabetes, which is a rising problem among older adults in the United States. From 2017 to 2020, it was estimated that around 29 percent of those aged 65 years and older in the U.S. were living with diabetes.One of the worst diseases that older people face is inarguably Alzheimer's disease, with an estimated 12.7 million older people expected to suffer from the disease by 2050. In 2019, the death rate from Alzheimer's among those aged 85 years and older was 1,191 per 100,000 population. Alzheimer's disease is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Health insurance and costs
As adults age and their health care needs increase, the importance of health insurance and quality affordable health care treatment becomes clear. As of 2021, around 38 percent of U.S. adults aged 65 years and older had private insurance (with or without Medicare), while 34 percent were covered under Medicare Advantage, and 12 percent only under Medicare. In 2022, Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older were expected to pay an average of 2,738 U.S. dollars annually for inpatient hospital services, but these costs rose significantly if the patient was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Although less than one percent of seniors in the United States do not have health insurance, some do still avoid care due to costs, with this more common among specific races and ethnicities. For example, in 2021, almost nine percent of Hispanic seniors reported avoiding care due to costs, compared to 6.5 percent of Black seniors, and two percent of white seniors.
