The aging U.S. population, an increasing incidence of conditions that require home care, and ongoing efforts to contain costs by shifting patients from expensive institutional care to relatively less costly home care will extend the home care products market's successful climb upward, growing overall sales to more than $10 billion by 2011, according to The U.S. Market for Home Care Products, a new report from Kalorama Information.

Strong growth-driven largely by the increased number of diabetics and by the growing need for regular self-care-is expected to persist for home health monitors, the home care market's largest segment, increasing overall market sales by more than $758 million by 2011. Defibrillators, however, supported by increased competition, decreased prices, and greater demand among the 2.3 million individuals with atrial fibrillation, are expected to lead the charge, posting an estimated 25.2 percent growth over the next five years.

The U.S. market for home care products and equipment witnessed steady six- year gains in 2006 as the general population aged and care for chronic patients shifted from hospitals to home. Kalorama Information projects that the number of home care patients will further expand as average life expectancy continues to rise and the large Baby Boom population continues to age.

"The elderly-patient population, which consumes a majority of the products profiled in this report, is large and growing," notes Steven Heffner, publisher of Kalorama Information. "And while the overall U.S. population is growing by about 1.2 percent per year, the group of those over age 65 is expanding at double this pace."