The aging of the US population is one of the big, quiet stories of the coming decades. By 2040, the US Census projects that the number of Americans 85 or older will more than double to 14.6 million, while the 65+ population will rise nearly 60 percent to 82.3 million.

Many older people will develop disabilities that mean they need help with daily tasks like dressing and bathing. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects jobs for home care workers who provide this kind of support to rise from around 2.5 million now to nearly 3.5 million by 2024. But many policy experts say it’s going to be hard to find workers to fill all those jobs.