Seniors account for over 10 % of the total county population according to Washington State Office of Financial Management (83,390 out of 790,500 total estimated population of Pierce County).  The number of those seniors who accessed DSHS Client Services increased by over 1,300 individuals, from 9,450 in 2000 to 10,787 in 2006.  During state fiscal year (SFY) 2007, the number of seniors accessing DSHS Client Services fell slightly to 10, 580, or 12.7% of the population 65 years of age and older. 

SFY2008 showed an increase of over 200 seniors accessing DSHS services over 2007 from 10,580 to 10,778 or 12.9% of the seniors living in Pierce County.

Despite the increase in absolute numbers, the actual percentage of the population over age 64 accessing DSHS Client Services has remained relatively constant since the year 2000.   In SFY 2009/10, the number of seniors accessing DSHS services fell slightly to 10,764 (-14) a 0.9% decrease in use.