'The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America'

The baby boomers are getting older: This year, 4 million people in America will turn 65.
In her new book, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America, author Ai-jen Poo says that means the country is on the cusp of a major shift.

"The baby boom generation is reaching retirement age at a rate of 10,000 people per day," she tells NPR's Arun Rath. "What that means is that by 2050, 27 million Americans will need some form of long-term care or assistance, and that's the basis for this book."

Poo is the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the co-director of Caring Across Generations, an organization focused on improving the long-term care system in U.S. She says that the current approach of caring for the elderly comes from "a place of scarcity and fear," which has led to a flawed health care model.

Weaving research with stories from seniors and caregivers, she lays out solutions on how to avoid a potential nightmare.

Source:
As America Grays, A  Call for Dignity in Aging and Elder Care