Live Long and Flounder

The United States is ill-equipped to face the challenges of caring for its aging population.

Since about 1920, the life expectancy of the average American has increased by 30 years. People 85 and older are among the fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States. Research reveals that as many as 75% of them may require financial and medical assistance, and some are already dealing with a disability. However, the nation has little infrastructure to accommodate this massive surge in the number of older people who may need care.

Author M.T. Connolly, who explores these issues in her book, The Measure of Our Age: Navigating Care, Safety, Money, and Meaning Later in Life, explains that as baby boomers reach retirement age, the United States must find a solution for assisting in their care. 

One problem is that Medicare and most private health insurance policies do not cover long-term care. And, even people who can afford to go to a nursing home or adult living ...