The Future of California’s Seniors: More Diverse but More Disabled, Too

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Seniors are now about 13 percent of the state population; by 2060, they will be 24 percent, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office report. Creative Commons image by

By Carrie Feibel, KQED News Fix/State of Health
The number of seniors in California is expected to more than double by 2060, from roughly 5 million to 12 million. A new report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office says this future senior population will be more racially diverse than seniors in the U.S. as a whole: The state’s elderly population is projected to become majority nonwhite as soon as 2030.

The proportion of these future seniors who are disabled will also increase. That’s because nonwhite populations have higher disability rates. Seniors are also expected to live longer, and seniors over age 85 experience higher disability rates as well.

Read the complete story at KQED News Fix/State of Health.

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