From 2000-2010,the number of persons in the United States aged 65 and over rose 15%, from 35.0 million to 40.3 million, or in 2010 this age group represented 13% of the population. It is estimated that by 2030,nearly one in five persons will be aged 65 and over. Given their growing proportion of the population, older individuals will comprise an increasing share of emergency department (ED) patients in the coming years. This is notable because of the ED's role in treating acute illness and injury in older adults and providing a pathway to these patients for hospital admission. This report describes ED visits made by individuals aged 65 and over and compares age groups 65-74, or 75-84,and 85 and over.
Source: cdc.gov