Baby Boom Generation

Dec 10, 2019  Baby boomers have changed the face of the U.S. Population for more than 70 years and continue to do so as more enter their senior years, a demographic shift often referred to as a “gray tsunami.” The 2020 Census will provide the most up-to-date count of the baby boom generation, now estimated at about 73 million.

Greg O’Neill, in, 2011 Research NeedsThe aging of the baby boom generation creates tremendous potential for civic engagement, yet raises questions that researchers and policymakers must address. Will civic engagement by older people decline as the baby boom generation ages, as Putnam (2000) has argued? Or, might civic engagement increase as baby boom move into retirement and other life demands – such as hours spent at work – decrease? How will new work options, such as flexible schedules, retraining, and “bridge jobs,” affect civic roles? How will future participation rates of women in the paid labor force affect civic engagement?

What kinds of social institutions will improve the ability of older adults to participate in civic life? How will increased economic, racial, and ethnic heterogeneity of baby boom, compared with previous cohorts, affect civic engagement?Although a corpus of research exists that can help answer these questions, scholars and policymakers are just beginning to consider the implications of these findings. Baby boom could boost the volunteer sector, not just because of the generation’s size, but also because of its relatively high levels of education, wealth, and skills. Recent studies find that baby boom are volunteering at higher rates than were previous generations ( Einolf, 2009; Rotolo & Wilson, 2004).

According to US CB surveys of volunteer activity, an estimated 31% of baby boom volunteered when they were aged 46 to 57, compared with an estimated 25% of the “greatest generation” (born between 1910 and 1930) at the same ages ( Foster-Bey et al., 2007).Researchers are finding the newly retired committed to formal volunteer work. Using data from the HRS, Zedlewski (2007) examined transitions from work to volunteering for adults aged 55 to 64 who retired between 1996 and 2000. About 45% engaged in formal volunteer activities within a four-year post-retirement period, even though only 34% had volunteered while working. Noting that the population aged 55 to 64 will be about 75% larger by 2020 than in 2000, Zedlewski remarks that “nonprofit organizations seem destined to benefit from a significant growth in the services of retirees” (p.

6).Demographics are changing faster than societal structures can adapt, creating a situation of structural lag. Surveys find that most nonprofit and voluntary organizations are not prepared to engage large numbers of baby boom in meaningful service ( Casner-Lotto, 2007). For the last two decades, the voluntary sector has benefited from the substantial contributions of older volunteers whose strong community values were shaped in the World War II era. Despite being placed mostly in routine administrative or fundraising roles, this small cohort of older volunteers has provided a disproportionate share of volunteer hours ( Reed & Selbee, 2001). Now the “long civic” generation members are rapidly aging out of the volunteer ranks, leaving gaps to be filled. But a growing body of evidence suggests that baby boom are not willing to perform the traditional “envelope-stuffing” tasks relegated to past and current volunteers.

Consistent with their higher levels of education and professionalism, boom seek “interesting, growth-producing, mission-critical, productive, high-level, high-impact work that allows them the freedom to apply their high skills and influence” ( Graff, 2007, p. Studies show that baby boom who engage in professional or managerial volunteer roles are the most likely to continue volunteering from one year to the next, while those involved in general labor and routine activities are least likely to continue ( Grimm et al., 2007a).More research is required on older adult civic engagement to inform program and policy development. Evidence asserts that volunteering is good for older adults, but we lack research to determine which programs and policies will maximize older adults’ engagement in volunteer roles.

We need research to identify: (1) volunteer behaviors and motivations of the baby boom generation, (2) effective strategies to mobilize younger baby boom and older adults, (3) best practices for volunteer program structure and design to attract and retain older volunteers, and (4) how to attract a diverse population of older adults, not only in terms of ethnicity, but also in terms of education, income, and functional abilities. Storlie PhD, in, 2015 ConclusionOlder adults are the fastest growing segment of the US and global population.

This increase—related to the baby boom generation—is expected to impact most aspects of society over the next 20 years.The quality of communication between service providers and older adults is important and can impact the service quality and resulting interactions. For service providers, communicating with older adults can be rewarding yet demanding and stressful.A large percentage of older adults are dissatisfied with providers and cite the quality of the relationship as the main reason. Poor communication results from overuse of professional jargon and widespread ageist attitudes. Communication can be further impeded by the normal aging process, and by age-related physical, social, and psychological changes.The position of this book is that communication is mutually interactive; it is interpersonal. Older adults are not objects to be spoken at, they are people to be spoken with. In every encounter, the older adult wants to be seen for who she or he is—a person, heard and listened to, respected, and appreciated.

In each encounter, the older adult is listening, not only to the content of what is being communicated, but to how he or she is being treated ( Greene & Burleson, 2003). Sara Holder, Amber Lannon, in, 2018 AbstractThis chapter looks at the final phase of a librarian’s career, the late career. Currently, the librarians in this phase are mostly from the Baby Boom Generation. These librarians have not been retiring as early as was initially predicted, choosing instead to stay in their careers longer than the generations before them. As libraries place a greater emphasis on youth, senior librarians may find it difficult to stay involved with work that they find both challenging and interesting. Also explored in this chapter are issues related to the late career, including succession planning, retirement, and professional development.

Betty Yung, in, 2017 DementiaDepression and anxiety can be co-occurring conditions in the aged ( Beekman et al., 2000). Tiger woods pga tour 2003 gamecube. Between 2010 and 2030, all of the “baby boom” generation will age past 65. The old age dependency ratio will grow from 22% to 35% in that period ( Vincent & Velkoff, 2010). Older adults with depression often experience cognitive difficulties. Depression is also common during dementia, with reported prevalence rates of up to 86%, and may even be the first sign of a dementing illness ( Wright & Persad, 2007).

A study of the elderly (55–85 years old) in the Netherlands found that comorbidity of depression and anxiety was highly prevalent: 47.5% of those with major depressive disorder also met criteria for anxiety disorders, whereas 26.1% of those with anxiety disorders also met criteria for major depressive disorder ( Beekman et al., 2000).Solomon was 60 years old and had suffered from depression for a long time. In addition, he had conflictual relationships with many family members. When he was diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, he became afraid and felt life would not be worth living. His father had attempted suicide after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. One day, after leaving his son’s residence, Solomon went to his farmhouse, which had been vacant for months.

Later that morning, a passerby reported the farmhouse was on fire. After the flames subsided, Solomon’s body was found in his bedroom and his dog, who was always with him, was found in the bathroom. Solomon had shot his dog and then shot himself with a handgun.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of progressive dementia in older adults. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Pick’s disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, AIDS dementia, alcoholic dementia (Korsakoff’s), dementia due to head trauma, and mixed dementia.

Although each of these forms of dementia is distinguishable, with its own symptoms and pathology, all forms of dementia affect one’s memory, thinking, and social abilities, which interferes with the ability to complete daily activities ( Alzheimer’s Association, 2013).The connection between increased risk of suicide in those who are diagnosed with depression and dementia is not well-documented. Some studies found a low incidence, especially when compared with the higher risk of suicide in those with comorbidity of depression and substance abuse ( Waern et al., 2002). There is evidence that Alzheimer’s disease does increase a “wish to die” and suicidal ideation ( Draper, MacCuspie-Moore, & Brodaty, 1998).

A study of veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs found the majority (75%) of suicides among that population occurred in those with a new dementia diagnosis, and the individuals in the study who died by suicide were significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with depression. Tulchinsky MD, MPH, Elena A.

Varavikova MD, MPH, PhD, in, 2014 The New Public HealthThe New Public Health has emerged as a concept to meet a whole new set of conditions, associated with increasing longevity and aging of the population, with the post-World War II baby-boom generation reaching the over-65 age group facing the growing importance of chronic diseases. Inequalities in health exist in and between affluent and developing societies, as well as within countries, even those having advanced health care systems. Regional inequalities are seen across the European Region in an east–west gradient and globally a north–south divide of extremes of inequality. The global environmental and ecological degradation and pollution of air and water present grave challenges for developed and developing countries worldwide.

Yet optimism can be derived from proven track records of success in public health measures that have already been implemented. Many of the underlying factors are amenable to prevention through social, environmental, or behavioral change and effective use of medical care.The New Public Health idea has evolved since Alma-Ata, which articulated the concept of Health for All, followed by a trend in the late 1970s to Health in All policies and establishing health targets as a basis for health planning. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the debate on the future of public health in the Americas intensified as health professionals looked for new models and approaches to public health research, training, and practice. This debate helped to redefine traditional approaches of social, community, and preventive medicine. The search for the “new” in public health continued with a return to the Health for All concept of Alma-Ata (renewed in 2008) and a growing realization that the health of both the individual and the society involves the management of personal care services and community prevention, with a comprehensive approach taking advantage of advancing technology and experience of best practices globally.The New Public Health is an extension of the traditional public health. It describes organized efforts of society to develop healthy public policies: to promote health, to prevent disease, and to foster social equity within a framework of sustainable development.

A new, revitalized public health must continue to fulfill the traditional functions of sanitation, protection, and related regulatory activities, but in addition to its expanded functions. It is a widened philosophy and practical application of many different methods of addressing health, and preventing disease and avoidable death. It necessarily addresses inequities so that programs need to meet special needs of different groups in the population according to best standards, limited resources, and population needs. It is proactive and advocates interventions within legal and ethical limits to promote health as a value in and of itself and as an economic gain for society as well for its individual members.The New Public Health is a comprehensive approach to protecting and promoting the health status of the individual and the society, based on a balance of sanitary, environmental, health promotion, personal, and community-oriented preventive services, coordinated with a wide range of curative, rehabilitative, and long-term care services. It evolves with new science, technology, and knowledge of human and systems behavior to maximize health gains for the individual and the population.The New Public Health requires an organized context of national, regional, and local governmental and non-governmental programs with the object of creating healthful social, nutritional, and physical environmental conditions.

The content, quality, organization, and management of component services and programs are all vital to its successful implementation.Whether managed in a diffused or centralized structure, the New Public Health requires a systems approach acting towards achievement of defined objectives and specified targets. The New Public Health works through many channels to promote better health. The New Public Health provides a framework for industrialized and developing countries, as well as countries in political–economic transition such as those of the former Soviet system. They are at different stages of economic, epidemiological, and sociopolitical development, each attempting to ensure adequate health for its population with limited resources. The challenges are many, and affect all countries with differing balances, but there is a common need to seek better survival and quality of life for their citizens ( Table 2.6).

NANETTE SANTORO, in, 2007The U.S. Population is aging.

We are seeing an increase in the number of elderly people and an improvement in survival at advanced ages ( 1). As the post-World War II baby boom generation reaches age 65, which will occur between the years 2010 and 2030, the most rapid increase in the elderly population in history is expected to occur. As life expectancy increases, women will spend more of their lives in the postmenopausal period.

It is therefore critical to identify and correct risk factors that could adversely affect health and quality of life. The menopausal transition is a stage in a woman's life during which she has an opportunity to reduce her risk factors in order to maximize the quality of the rest of her life. Elaine Wethington, Louis D. Burgio, in, 2015 The Need for Translational Research on CaregivingHow can the lives of caregivers be improved?

Attending to the needs of care-givers has become even more acute in recent years because of the predicted dearth of family caregivers available for the baby boom generation as they age ( Redfoot, Feinberg, & Houser, 2013; Ryan, Smith, Antonucci, & Jackson, 2012). An AARP-sponsored report painted the coming crisis in vivid terms. Most care for older individuals suffering from one or more chronic conditions in the United States (and most other countries) is provided by family members such as spouses, children, and sometimes grandchildren and other relatives ( Redfoot et al., 2013). Both parents and children expect and recent cohorts of older people wish to preserve this situation (see Chapters 2–5 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of this book). Although demands for caregiving will rise as baby boomers age, the number of people available for giving care to elders is declining relative to the size of the aging baby boomer cohort.

The ratio of potential caregivers aged 45–64 to individuals (the age of most family caregivers) aged 80 and older in 2010 was 7–1. In 2030, the ratio will decline to 4–1, and it is predicted to be approximately 3–1 in the year 2050.There are three basic reasons for a predicted dearth of caregivers: (i) the large size of the baby boom cohort relative to current cohorts of the oldest old ( Redfoot et al., 2013); (ii) the lower fertility of baby boomer women, who had fewer children than their own mothers ( Brown & Lin, 2012); and (iii) the lower likelihood of baby boomers being married and the greater likelihood of late-life divorce as they enter their retirement years ( Brown & Lin, 2012; see Chapter 6). Yet families and health institutions rely on family caregiving as a substitute for institutional care ( Reinhard, Levine, & Samis, 2012).

The demographically derived concern is well founded; many older people will have fewer family members to care for them as they age in place, become widowed, and progress to greater disability. As a result, they may be more reliant on formal services for care than previous generations of older people ( Wethington & Pillemer, 2014) at the same time as there is increased pressure to control long-term-care (LTC) costs exacerbated by the growing numbers of older people.Assuming that effective preventive treatments for Alzheimer’s disease or pharmacological treatments of its symptoms are not found, there may be 13.8 million older adults with Alzheimer’s in the United States by 2050 ( Hebert, Weuve, Scherr, & Evans, 2013). Caring for a parent or spouse with dementia produces exceptional caregiving strain ( Kim & Schulz, 2008) and has a long-term impact on the physical and mental health of the caregiver ( Schulz & Sherwood, 2008). Projections for the future are grim—fewer caregivers will be available, and those available will be increasingly strained by the burden of caring for disabled older people.Yet as the four caregiving narratives in Chapters 2 through 5 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 show, there continues to be a strong preference among Americans to rely on family caregiving and delay institutional care as long as possible. Baby boomer adult children are very involved in the care of aging parents ( Redfoot et al., 2013), and both parents and adult children expect family caregiving to be the norm. Family care-giving is not simply a consequence of the preference of older individuals to age in place and maintain their autonomy.Chapters 2 through 5 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 vividly illustrate caregiver burden and strain.

The narratives in these chapters beg the question of whether our current caregiving research enterprise meets the needs of stakeholders. More specifically, are evidence-based caregiver support programs available for ready use in communities where family caregiving takes place and where it is presumed that families could benefit from such services? All four chapters, explicitly or implicitly, advocate for providing care to family members at home so long as it remains safe for them and their caregivers to do so.For example, Michele Kimball was a long-distance caregiver who provided care and support to both her parents. One of Kimball’s messages is that care­giving challenges even those who have resources and knowledge. She and her parents sat down early to arrange for advance directives and power of attorney. But even though her family had a number of resources available to cope with caregiving—a large extended-family network that seemed to be eager to help, a daughter who worked for AARP and knew how to arrange for the proper paperwork, and so on—providing care still caused significant distress.

Imagine how more typical caregivers with less knowledge and without extended family networks would have coped. Kimball advocates for a national Caregivers Protection Act, arguing that if caregivers “just gave up,” existing federal programs funding institutional care would be overwhelmed.

Garczynski, in, 2018 Social Media Will Reach Current and Future DonorsSocial media may not be where all the library’s major donors are, but it is where some of their current and most of their future donors are. While it is true that the Silent generation has been slow to adopt social media, the Baby Boom generation has steadily increased their engagement with select platforms over the past few years. It is probably unlikely that most Boomers will pick up the Snapchat app anytime soon, but that generation is on Facebook in increasing numbers ( Pew Research Center, 2016), and they are 19% more likely than other generations to share content on Facebook ( Chang, 2016).

In fact, because Facebook has so many users from across all generations, the social media management company Sprout Social recently released a report contending that “the Facebook generation is officially every generation” ( Morrison, 2017, para. Thus, social media may not be the way to reach all of a library’s current Silent and Boomer generation donors, but some channels, especially Facebook, will allow a library to reach at least some of them.Social media also allows libraries to reach their future major donors who are in Generation X (born 1965–80) and the Millennial generation (born 1981–95). Not only are these age groups the ones who are most likely to have social media accounts ( Pew Research Center, 2016), but they also spend the most time engaging with these channels ( Casey, 2017). On average, Generation X spends almost 7 h per week on social media and Millennials spend just over 6 h per week on these platforms ( Casey, 2017). In fact, the amount of time spent on social media by everyone over the age of 18 continues to increase, up 36% between 2015 and 2016 ( Casey, 2017) so these generations are using social media platforms now more than ever before.

While the social medium of choice for Generation X is Facebook, Millennials dominate every social network and use social media more than any generation ( MacLeod, 2015). Thus, if a library is planning a fundraising campaign for social media, they are most likely to reach Generation X and especially Millennials.But will Generation X and Millennials give? Especially to a library? They do give and will give, but not in the traditional ways that their parents and grandparents have.

Both Generation X and Millennials need to feel a connection to an organization before they give. Members of Generation X volunteer the most of any generation and this is positive sign for their future giving ( Joslyn, 2016).

Robert Wahlers, vice president of development for Meridian Health, believes that Generation X is “volunteering first to figure out the lay of the land, to figure out where they are going to put their giving” ( Joslyn, 2016, p. For Millennials, they are seeking to integrate their philanthropy into their everyday way of life and purchasing decisions ( Fromm, 2017). In 2014, 84% of Millennials gave to charity with 22% giving to a campaign promoted by their employers ( Philanthropy News Digest, 2015). Millennials are more willing to buy an item in support of a cause than other generations ( Fromm, 2017) and they expect charities to demonstrate “transparency, sophisticated storytelling and technical savvy” before they will give ( Fandos, 2016, para. Millennials want to be inspired by the organizations that they support and a critical piece of that inspiration is impact ( Fandos, 2016). Millennials will interact with and give to charities if they can see how their gifts have directly benefitted those in need ( Fandos, 2016).Both Generation X and Millennials are in the process of forming relationships with charities at this stage in their lives and even though it may not yield substantial transformational gifts at the moment, these generations do warrant library fundraisers’ attention because they are the future of philanthropy and they may result in larger gifts later. An example of this can happen is the story of Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, and Johns Hopkins University.

The year after Michael Bloomberg graduated, he gave a 5-dollar gift to the university and then continued to give more over time ( Johns Hopkins University, 2013). He made his first 1 million dollar commitment to the university in 1984 and in 2013, he gave 250 million dollars for an initiative aimed at fostering interdisciplinary work ( Johns Hopkins University, 2013). Bloomberg began to give and continued to give to Johns Hopkins because the university transformed his life while he was a student and throughout his political career. Hopkins “was where Bloomberg escaped the crushing boredom of Medford High and discovered an urban campus of stately Georgian buildings brimming with new people and ideas” and later Hopkins became “something of a brain trust for Mr. Bloomberg, shaping his approach to issues like cigarette smoking, gun violence and obesity” ( Barbaro, 2013, para. In return, Hopkins listened to Michael Bloomberg who has been described as a hands-on donor ( Barbaro, 2013). For example, Bloomberg got very involved in the design of a new campus building named for his mother ( Barbaro, 2013).

When Michael Bloomberg made his first 5-dollar gift in 1965, Johns Hopkins did not know the extent to which they would benefit from his philanthropy later on, but they stewarded him as a donor, maintaining a relationship with him over time. Thus, today’s 5-dollar Generation X or Millennial donor could be tomorrow’s multimillion dollar transformational gift if libraries can start and maintain the relationship with the donor.

Glicken DSW, in, 2009 1.3 Future Growth of Older AdultsThe older population will continue to grow in the future. This growth slowed somewhat during the 1990s because of the relatively small number of babies born during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The most rapid increase is expected between the years 2010 and 2030 when the “baby boom” generation reaches age 65.By 2030, there will be about 70 million older persons, more than twice their number in 1996. People over 65 are projected to represent 13% of the population in the year 2000 but will be 20% of the population by 2030.Minority populations are projected to represent 25% of the elderly population in 2030, up from 13% in 1990. Between 1990 and 2030, the white non-Hispanic population over 65 is projected to increase by 91% compared with 328% for older minorities, including Hispanics (570%) and non-Hispanic blacks (159%), American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts (294%), and Asians and Pacific Islanders (643%) ( AARP, 1997). Both the absolute size of the elderly population (age 65 or older) and its size relative to younger groups have relevance for the future of family caregiving ( Wolf, 2001). Between 1946 and 1964, more than 75 million babies were born in the United States, forming a cohort known as the baby-boom generation. The oldest people in this group turned 65 in 2011.

The aging of that generation, in combination with increases in longevity and other factors, will cause the share of the population aged 65 or older to grow rapidly from 2010 to 2030. The share of the population aged 85 or older will increase significantly beginning around 2030, continuing until at least 2050.

By 2050, one-fifth of the US population—89 million individuals—will be elderly, up from 12% in 2000 and 8% in 1950 ( Figure 6.1). The number of people aged 85 or older—those most likely to need LTSS assistance from family caregivers—will grow the fastest over the next few decades, constituting 4% of the population by 2050, or 10 times its share in 1950 ( Congressional Budget Office, 2013) ( Figure 6.2). Currently, the 85-and-over group represents 15% of the elderly population; one in five older adults are projected to be age 85 or older by 2050 (Jacobsen, Kent, Lee, & Mather, 2011).

The greatest generation might have had a lower, but many of its members also had corporate or union pensions—which could be considerable, after working for a lifetime for the same employer, as was once common. But the economy changed, many large corporations merged or disappeared, and unions dropped from 20.1% of workers in 1983 to. What's more, traditional have been largely phased out now, giving way to 401(k) plans, IRAs, and other investment vehicles that put the onus on saving on the individual. Because they were the first generation to encounter these changes, most boomers didn't start saving enough or early enough. Boomers, who came of age during the freewheeling 1960s and 1970s, often project an image that they will stay active forever—and indeed, many are in better shape than their forebears at the same age. Still, the human body isn't invulnerable. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol are inevitably all on the rise in the boomer population.

Cancer and heart disease are the leading cause of death. And then there's dementia:, it is estimated that 1 in 6 women, and 1 in 10 men who live past the age of 55 will develop dementia in their lifetime.