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According to the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, almost 25% of all U.S. households are already involved in caregiving. The number of caregivers will continue to grow exponentially as life expectancy increases. Consider these facts:
· In the next 30 years the population of people over age 65 will DOUBLE!
- The U.S.. Census Bureau
· At least 15% of those over the age of 65 are affected by depression.
- National Mental Health Association
· The elderly make up 13% of the U.S. population, but consume 30% of all prescribed medicines, and 40% of over-the-counter drugs.
- Nursing Spectrum Magazine, summarizing the results of several published studies
· Elderly individuals are hospitalized for adverse medicine reactions SIX times more often than the non-elderly population. Of all hospital admissions of the elderly in a recent study, 17% were attributed to medication problems.
- Archives of Internal Medicine reporting on The Role of Medical Noncompliance and Adverse Drug Reaction of the Elderly
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