Aging In America: Help us ensure a better future for older citizens

Pioneer Institute’s 2017 Better Government Competition  topic, “Aging in America,” is timely and critical. The older population in the United States and elsewhere is expected to increase dramatically in the coming decades as those in the post-war baby boom generation approach retirement. The population of people 65 and over will double – from 36 million to 72 million – by 2030. The 85-and-older population will also double, from 4.7 million to 9.6 million.

Senior care will likely become an even more pressing social, economic and political issue. While only 5 percent of the U.S. population is over the age of 65, this demographic accounts for half of all health care spending, using resources such as hospital inpatient admissions, residential care facilities, adult day care, hospices, home care, long-term care and nursing homes.

For the 2017 Better Government Competition, Pioneer seeks ideas on how to ensure a better future for aging citizens in Massachusetts and throughout the country by providing more effective and sustainable support systems for older citizens, and leveraging their social capital. Pioneer will identify ideas that will help elderly individuals reliant on government services manage the spiraling cost of personal care. Specific focus areas include: transportation, Medicare, financial planning and companion care through technology, among others.

Please watch our video below and help us spread the word about this year’s contest. Visit our announcement page, where you can share our contest guidelines and learn more about how to enter.

Introducing the 2017 Better Government Competition