The term “Grey Tsunami” was coined several years ago, likely as an analogy to the South Pacific natural disaster of 2004. The term forecasted a “catastrophic wave” of older adults who would “hit” society in the future. Today, this is not a prediction any longer. In 2011, the baby boomer generation started to cross the 65-year-old threshold at a rate of 7-10,000 people every day. That means the wave has reached us and its impact will be felt at all levels. This includes health care. Together, the “grey tsunami” and the coming health care reform changes will create the “perfect storm.”
The percentage of Americans 65 and older will grow from 13 percent to more than 20 percent of the total population by 2030; the fastest growing segment of this group, adults 85 years of age and older, will triple in number over the next four decades.1-2...