Mission Magazine - Never too old

Never too old

September 2009

The oldest old - those over 85 - are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, according to recent reports. Their numbers are expected to more than quadruple between 2000 and 2050, rising from 4 million to 18 million.

For researchers, health care providers and students at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, time is of the essence.

In pursuit of new answers to age-old ailments, they travel across the world, from the South Pacific to the quiet bedsides of patients in local nursing homes and hospitals. Our faculty and students are making profound discoveries that are vastly changing and improving the way we age.

For both patients and caregivers, these findings suggest that one can never be too old to embrace an exciting and ever-evolving era in elderly care.

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