The US population is aging, and the life expectancy of the average adult is increasing. According to the US Census Bureau (2009), by 2050, 20 percent of the total population will consist of people who are sixty-five years or older. There are several issues that challenge older adults from myths regarding aging to the significant life changes such as retirement.

• Explain some of the things that may change because of the increasing life expectancy and a growing older adult population.
• Describe some of the myths that deal with both physical and psychological aging. Explain some of the realities that dispel these myths and identify how older adults are engaged in their lives both in leisure and in work activities.
• Explain some of the reasons individuals who are sixty-five years or older are still part of the workforce, both from a psychological and a social perspective? Identify ways in which older adults are looking for other career options than simply retiring.