RT Book, Section A1 Eckstrom, Elizabeth A1 Kalin, Leah A1 Kinder, Nicholas A2 Feldman, Mitchell D. A2 Christensen, John F. A2 Satterfield, Jason M. A2 Laponis, Ryan SR Print(0) ID 1167756312 T1 Older Patients T2 Behavioral Medicine: A Guide for Clinical Practice, 5e YR 2019 FD 2019 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260142686 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1167756312 RD 2024/03/29 AB We are an aging society. In 2014, 14.5% (46.3 million) of the U.S. population was 65 and over. This will increase to 23.5% (98 million) by 2060. During this same time period, the share of the older population that is non-Hispanic white is projected to drop from 78.3% to 54.6%. Those living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias could nearly triple from 5 million in 2013 to 14 million in 2050. The oldest of the old, those over 85, are expected to reach 19 million by 2050, and present special challenges to health care providers. Good clinical care of older adults relies on knowledge of normal aging and the common diseases of older age. This chapter focuses on these aspects of mental health and illness.