Aging “baby boomers” are ushering in the new millennium. Indeed, the fastest growing segment of the population in this nation is older adults (Fig. 1). In the year 1900, approximately 1 in every 25 persons in the United States was 65 years old or older. In the year 2000, 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older. This demographic transition has enormous consequences for the society at large. It calls for significant research attention to the major biologic, social, and psychological challenges of aging.
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