An updated edition of the June 4, 2025 article.
The world is in the midst of a historic demographic shift with populations aging faster than ever. According to the World Health Organization, people aged 60 and older outnumbered children under five for the first time in 2020. By 2050, that number will exceed 2 billion, up from 1 billion in 2019, with over 80% residing in low and middle-income countries. In the United States, the number of adults aged 65 and older is projected to nearly double by 2050, while the population aged 85 and older is expected to triple by 2060.
This shift is fundamentally transforming healthcare demand and investment dynamics. The global geriatric care services market, valued at $1 trillion in 2022, is projected to more than double by 2033, driven by growth in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, long-term and home-based care, and digital health solutions.
Recent findings from the National Institutes of Health using 2010-2024 data highlight growing healthcare challenges in the U.S. Mortality rates among seniors have risen by 4.5% annually, with those aged 85 and older seeing a 50% increase. Alzheimer’s and dementia-related deaths are up 40%, while cardiovascular disease remains the top killer. Stroke, diabetes, frailty, COPD, and cancer also show marked increases. These trends are fueling a surge in hospital utilization. Admissions rose 25%, average stay lengthened, readmissions jumped 20% and emergency visits soared 40%.
In response to the aging population, healthcare systems are rapidly adapting. Pharmaceutical firms, such as Roche Holding RHHBY and Novo Nordisk NVO, are focusing on high-demand areas, while device makers like Edwards Lifesciences EW and Stryker SYK are advancing tools for chronic disease management.
Digital health is reshaping elder care. AI-powered diagnostics, remote monitoring, and wearables like Medtronic’s MDT smart insulin pen and Abbott’s ABT Lingo are driving better outcomes and new revenue models beyond hospital settings. With more seniors choosing to age at home, demand for home care is rising. However, a projected shortage of 2.3 million long-term care workers by 2030 poses a major challenge, calling for workforce investment and tech integration.
Financial pressure is mounting, too. U.S. senior care spending exceeded $1 trillion in 2022 and could double by 2040. Sustainable care will hinge on value-based models, prevention and efficient chronic disease management.
Emerging tools in precision medicine and AI are improving treatment personalization and reducing risks tied to polypharmacy. Meanwhile, addressing social factors — like isolation, housing, and food access — remains vital to enhancing seniors’ quality of life.
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Roche: Roche is advancing Alzheimer’s diagnostics to meet the rising demand driven by global aging. Its Elecsys Amyloid Plasma Panel, unveiled in late 2024, showed strong performance in detecting amyloid pathology through blood biomarkers (pTau181 and ApoE4), with 91% sensitivity and 96.2% negative predictive value. Backed by FDA Breakthrough Device status, this non-invasive test could enable earlier, more accessible Alzheimer’s detection, reducing reliance on PET scans and supporting timely intervention.
To further support aging-related care, Roche announced a $50 billion investment in its U.S. operations over five years, including a new glucose monitoring facility in Indiana and an AI-driven R&D hub in Massachusetts focused on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. These initiatives align with the company’s long-term strategy to improve chronic disease management and diagnostic precision for aging populations. The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Novo Nordisk: Novo Nordisk is strengthening its chronic disease portfolio through key regulatory wins and expanded production. In early 2025, the FDA approved Ozempic to reduce kidney disease progression and cardiovascular death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and CKD, making it the most broadly indicated GLP-1 drug in its class. The European Medicines Agency also cleared a label expansion for peripheral artery disease, with U.S. approval expected later this year. Additionally, Novo Nordisk has submitted a higher-dose Wegovy to the EMA, citing clinical trial results showing 25% or more weight loss in one-third of participants.
Novo Nordisk is investing €2.34 billion to upgrade its Anagni, Italy, facility, acquired from Catalent, with production ramp-up planned through 2029. Novo Nordisk is also pursuing other indications, like liver fibrosis and MASH, for semaglutide. This Zacks Rank #3 company recently recognized 2025 as a pivotal period for chronic diseases and obesity, with the development of a new UN political declaration on NCDs aimed toward 2030 and 2050.
Edwards: Edwards Lifesciences is advancing care for elderly patients with aortic stenosis (AS). In May 2025, new clinical and economic data showed that early treatment of AS significantly reduces costs and improves outcomes in older adults. The FDA’s approval of the SAPIEN 3 Ultra RESILIA valve for asymptomatic severe AS further strengthens Edwards’ role in early intervention, crucial as undiagnosed AS rises with global aging.
EW also reported strong Q1 2025 growth, with TAVR sales reaching $1.05 billion, driven by aging populations in markets like Japan. Its mitral and tricuspid therapies, PASCAL and EVOQUE, grew 58% year-over-year, reflecting broader adoption in elderly patients with advanced heart disease. Edwards’ expanding portfolio and global reach position it well to meet the growing demand in aging-related structural heart care. Edwards, too, carries a Zacks Rank #3.
Stryker: Global orthopedic giant Stryker is also making strategic investments to penetrate the growing field of healthcare for seniors and the aging population. Through its Sage brand, Stryker offers products designed to improve patient outcomes and caregiver efficiency across various care settings. These solutions are particularly beneficial for elderly patients requiring home-based care.
In 2024, the company acquired NICO Corporation, thus enhancing its capabilities in minimally invasive neurosurgery. NICO’s technologies offer treatment options for intracerebral hemorrhage, a condition prevalent among the elderly. Further, the acquisition of Vertos Medical expanded this Zacks Rank #3 company’s presence in the lumbar spinal stenosis space, a common source of chronic lower back pain in older adults. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Abbott Laboratories (ABT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Roche Holding AG (RHHBY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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Stryker Corporation (SYK) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (EW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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