The upcoming year will be a big one for senior citizens in the United States, especially as federal and state governments and the private senior care industry make strides to improve the quality of life for older Americans.

Additionally, 2015 will also mark the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act, and Social Security will turn 80, as well.

Every 10 years, the White House hosts its Conference on Aging, which will also occur in 2015.

President Barack Obama will sponsor the event, which will discuss retirement, healthy aging and the increasing need for adult care options for the elderly. The Conference will also help make policy recommendations for the next decade to Congress.

It’s not only the federal government getting involved in elder care and senior health issues. State governments are also preparing for big changes as they examine funding issues and workplace challenges for nursing and assisted living homes.

The Minnesota House has formed the Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care Policy to address these issues for the state’s elderly community. The Committee will be chaired by Rep. Joe Schomacker, a Republican from Luverne, who wants to discuss the needs of workers in elder care and tax breaks for Minnesotans to put toward their long-term senior care.

And even the private sector is gearing up for increases in the senior care industry over the next few years.

According to the American Gerontological Society of America, the number of seniors who will need long-term care is projected to more than double nationwide to 27 million by 2050. But right now, short staffing is leaving many seniors without the services they need.

In the Sacramento, CA area, Home Instead Senior Care will increase staff by 180 to 200 caregivers over the next year. The company currently serves around 200 to 230 patients at a time, but with the additional caregivers, they will be able to meet the growing demand and, said a representative, not have to turn away as many seniors who need their help.