 So how do we ensure quality care for both, especially as demand for care work is expected to grow? By 2030, the number of senior citizens is projected to double to 72.1 million. As more seniors move into older age brackets, the demand for a younger generation of workers and family members to help with day-to-day life will increase, too. A UC San Francisco study estimates at least 2.5 million more workers are needed to fill the long-term care gap.