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The “aging of America” has become a familiar part of people’s understanding of today’s world. This dramatic change in the nation’s demography began several decades ago and will continue for many more. By 2030 there will be about 70 million people in the United States who are older than 64, nearly 22 percent of the population. This older population will be quite different from earlier cohorts: it will be more ethnically and racially diverse, with almost 26 percent comprised of ethnic minorities; it will be better educated than any in history; and it will be the first cohort to anticipate old age as a normative stage in life. The “oldest old”—those over 85 years of age—will increase from 4.2 million to 8.9 million by 2030.