A new study reveals that an increase in broken bone cases among baby boomers could be a precursor to future long-term care needs.
Researchers at the University of California-Davis found 38.7 million Americans were 65 or older in 2008, but that number will be 71.5 million by 2030, and this growth in the senior demographic will correlate with a significant increase in hospital emergency room visits.
"Conditions like osteoporosis will increases a person's likelihood of sustaining a bone fracture as a result of even a simple fall,” said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. “Some can be fixed with a cast but other broken bones especially those that occur at older ages will require long periods of care and could seriously disable a person for long periods of time.”
Long-term care can be expensive, which is why it may be wise for pending baby boomers to consider an annuity of some kind. An investment designed to pay off at a later date and subsidize retirement or other expenses incurred later in life, annuities should be purchased after consulting a licensed financial professional or counselor.