JCJC Marriage and Family Practice Test

The fastest-growing segment of the population is the oldest-old, those aged 85 and over. This happens because people are living longer thanks to better health care and advances in disease prevention and treatment, while birth rates in many places aren’t driving rapid growth in the younger brackets. As a result, the 85+ group increases more quickly in percentage terms, even though there are fewer people in that age range overall. This shift has important implications for families and practitioners, signaling rising needs for geriatric care, long-term support, and planning for aging-related decision-making and caregiving.