Introduction to Special Issue: Foundational Knowledge Competencies in Geropsychology

An extraordinary thing is happening. Each day, 10,000 members of the so-called baby boomer generation turn 65 years of age. Unparalleled in human history, most people live to old age, and by 2030, 20% of the population will be over 65 years old (U.S. Census, 2017). By 2060, the average life expectancy will have risen to 85.6 years from 69.7 years in 1960 and from 79.4 years in 2015 (Medina et al., 2020). These phenomena are not unique to the United States, and most developed countries have populations with higher proportions of older adults than ever. The growth of the older adult population is, in part, the fruit of medical, public health, and social efforts to extend the length and quality of human life.