How CAN LONG-TERM CARE SURVIVE? In 2010, 40 million Americans were aged 65 or older. By 2050, that number is expected to jump to nearly 88 million. Seventy percent of seniors are expected to need long-term care, although not all of that care will take place in a formal setting. The "oldest old," those 85 and older, are expected to number 19 million people. The costs of caring for the elderly will be enormous. At the same time, a decreasing number of working adults will be paying taxes into the already struggling Medicare and Medicaid systems (Freundlich 2014). Discussion Questions 1. How do you think the United States will pay for long-term care in the future- or should it? What services should Medicaid or Medicare cover? How does the shrinking number of taxpayers affect your argument? 2. Should long-term care look different in the future? What services could be offered differently, and how might the workforce change?