It’s a fact everyone in health care is well aware of—the aging population is increasing and in the coming years, will dramatically affect the delivery of health care.

According to the CDC’s The State of Aging & Health in America 2013 report, the growth in the number and proportion of older adults is unprecedented in the history of the United States. Two factors—longer life spans and aging baby boomers—will combine to double the population of Americans aged 65 years or older during the next 25 years to about 72 million. By 2030, older adults will account for roughly 20 percent of the U.S. population.

One of the most concerning factors associated with this fact is the rise in chronic conditions, among the population in general and among older Americans in particular. According to this same report, more than a quarter of all Americans and two of three older Americans have multiple chronic conditions, and treatment for this population accounts for 66 percent of the country’s health care budget. Additionally, people with multiple chronic conditions face an increased risk of conflicting medical advice, adverse drug effects, unnecessary and duplicative tests, and avoidable hospitalizations, all of which can further endanger their health.

Here in Southern California, in Los Angeles County, we can see a glimpse of the current and upcoming picture. Los Angeles County has the largest concentration of Dual Eligibles in the United States, currently amounting to 374,000. In 2009, approximately $10 billion was spent on the care of this segment of the population, accounting for approximately 35 percent of the state’s combined Medi-Cal and Medicare expenses on Dual Eligibles.

For more serious ailments affecting the older population, or for long lasting diseases, many hospitals have begun implementing palliative care programs. Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for patients living with serious or life-threatening illnesses and their families while offering all other disease-directed and life-prolonging treatments. It can help to save hospitals money by avoiding invasive testing and procedures that ultimately cannot improve the quality of life. Those hospitals that haven’t already implemented a palliative care program are moving forward rapidly to do so. The growth in the number of palliative care teams nationwide is encouraging; this movement needs to continue in order to provide patients with the most appropriate care when they most need it.

Share your thoughts with us: what are some innovative ways we need to prepare for taking care of the aging population?