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Clinical Pharmacist Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Medical Center Bay Pines, Florida THERE ARE an estimated 35 million people in the United States over the age of 65, accounting for nearly 13% of the population. Current projections call for this older population to double by the year 2030, with the fastest growth in the group of those aged 85 and older. 1 Indeed, adults 85 and older make up 2% of the population (4 million) and those numbers are expected to rise to 5% (19 million) by 2050. 1 The older population uses health care services and products at a higher rate than the younger population. For example, medication use is disproportionately greater in the older population: Though only 13% of the population is over 65, they account for 30% of prescription and 35% to 40% of nonprescription medications used in the United States. 2–4