Baby Boomers Essay Example For Students

Baby Boomers Essay Our children are our future; our seniors are our foundation (Wissel L. 2000). Fifty five million Americans are age fifty five and older, according to the United States Census Bureau, of that number, thirty five million are age sixty five and older. By the year 2030, the sixty five and older population will double to seventy million, and the fastest growing segment of the older population is age eighty five and older. The baby boomer generation will soon reach the retirement age, and expected to redefine old age. Just as they have redefine every stage of their lives because boomers will be the largest generation of elderly, they will impact everything from housing to health care as the market and society caters to their wealth, longevity, and interest in new technology (Dytchweld K. 1999). The baby boomer generations also the first to have the luxury to examine personal issues and raise questions concerning work, health care, technology, politics, and social and moral issues (USA Today Magazine, November 19, 1999). No other generation reflects the complex world we live in today. The baby boomers have left their indelible mark on America’s social landscape. The baby boomers created pop culture and a new form of political activism (Breaux J. November 1999). Education, medical advances, and technology afforded more freedom and independence. Soon America will look different; the average age of the population will go up to fifty-five. The baby boomers will have the benefits and face the challenges of longevity. Can America afford the social, medical, and political issues the aging baby boomers demand? Will our transportation system ensure more old drivers have safe alternatives? How will our national housing policy adapt to the senior boom? How about the pension and financial plans that allow older Americans to move in and out of retirement (Breaux, J. November 1999). The size and distinct characters of the baby boomers will not only create a sense of urgency to current issues, but also creat e a whole new set of aging issues. Among the many cultural contributions of the baby boomers along with the free love, the drug scenes and Grateful Dead ties, was the concept of generation gap (Veith G.). In every other culture and throughout history, children were socialized to be adults. When children grew up they took their parents places, roles and their values. There was no separate subculture, no music and fashion to set off the younger generation from their parents. Children were dressed, for the most part, like little adults, but in the mid twentieth century, American culture became stratified along generational lines (Veith G.). The generation prior to the baby boomers, after World War II, had extra ordinary prosperity and better living through technology, may have spoiled their children a little. The baby boomer generation never concentrated on learning their parent’s skills and disciplines, but worked hard on entertaining themselves. This process was helped along with not only television, but perhaps even more importantly radios and record players, which made possible the mass production and nationwide distribution of music (Veith G.)The baby boom generation has always been in the spotlight reshaping every American institution. As children, the public school systems were reinvented to meet their needs. As young adults, music and pop culture was drastically changed by their participation. As they move towards old age, they will also redefine and revolutionize the American aging experience. Baby boomers have reaped the benefits of change. They grew up with more education and high expectations, technology and medical research have blossomed throughout their lives and they have come to expect lifestyle improvements in every turn. With their political clout, they will expect the government, corporate America, the research community and the health care sector to meet their growing needs. Government policies should encourage private sector investments in products and services to help the needs of the aging baby boomers and reflect the diversity in lifestyle, race and income of the future senior citizens. For the last few decades the influential baby boomer segment of the population dominated the American culture virtually in any aspect. Television programming may not specifically target baby boomers, but since baby boomers fit into the prime eighteen to forty nine year old or twenty five to fifty four year old demographics that are preferred by most advertisers, the baby boomers are, by default, the biggest part of many network audiences (Walther C. 1998). Because the baby boomers capture the lion’s share of attention from programmers and advertisers, programming might change to attract the demographics. We are now seeing a change on today’s cable programming, we now see more cable network stations that cater to travel, such as the Travel Network, educational programs like the one’s shown in the Discovery Channel, technology and information systems like Tech TV and many more. The biggest network that is boosting high following from baby boomers is the Home and Ga rden TV (HGTV), which profiles people who have undertaken midlife career or lifestyle changes; and vacation living, a program targeting the more affluent and older baby boomer segment considering extended vacations (Walther C. 1998). Networks will also use on air talents with â€Å"a little gray hair†, use older music that is familiar to the boomers, or try to reach or alter programs for boomers to fir their lifestyle (Walther C. 1998). Music videos are even changing nowadays, Music Television (MTV) still caters to younger viewers, but Video hits One (VH1) has change their focus. Rather than focus on a general audience, they are specifically targeting baby boomers with their shows. They are featuring artists that the baby boomers listened to while growing up. Artists like the Beatles and the Beach Boys just to name a few. The supermarket of the future will be redesigned; they will carry more varieties of foods and products that will be geared towards the needs of the baby boomer segment. Prepared take-out food, more organic fruits and vegetables, specially prepared and raised meat products are some of the varieties that we can expect to be a main staple on future grocery store. Services such as banking and laundry services will also be provided to consumers to maximize the consumer’s shopping experience. The baby boomers will influence how our food will be manufactured, the concern on health and moral values will force the food manufacturers to reshape the way they prepare and select their ingredients (Saccomano A. 1999). They have to offer foods that will benefit health or fortified products that contain vitamins and nutrients. Since the boomers will be the leading edge of expectation and preference, with their demands on quality and convenience, will also benefit all consumers, young and old. Have You Come a Long Way Baby? EssayTo elaborate more on the subject of health care concerns of the baby boomers, an article written by Amy Turnbull, (Morning Star November 15, 1999) Quoted Mr. Patrick Brady, who is the executive director of Citizens for Long Term Care (CLTR), a non partisan Washington D.C. based nonprofit organization that wants to raise awareness of problems in the long term care system. He talked about problems that can be exacerbated as baby boomers age. Mr. Brady told residents and others at the Manorhouse that in thirty one years, more than twenty percent of the population will be sixty five or older and the cost of long term care will be astronomical. By 2030, unless significant changes are made in America’s entitlement programs, social security spending, Medicare and federal civilian and military pensions, spending will exceed the government’s revenues. In conclusion, The baby boomer generation will be the largest retiring population that our society will experience. They will affect decisions that in turn will be the basis on how society will live in the near future. Because of their political clout and voting power the baby boomers will basically decide the future of the nation, how society will view beliefs, how laws will be enacted and create more laws that will be made for the needs of the retiring baby boomers. Because of their wealth and longevity, many businesses will cater to their needs, changes on food manufacturing will be affected for the better, and we will see more nutritious food and many more facilities offering convenience. The medical fields will be impacted the most by the retiring baby boomers, the need for more facilities, better services and care, and effective prescription drugs will be in high demand in the near future. Future careers of people will also be impacted by their retirement; people will get jobs that are related to directly or indirectly to the needs of the retiring baby boomers. Research and technology will also benefit from their retirement; their usual demands for better things will predict what new ways people will be doing or making in the near future. Everyone should be made aware of the consequences of the retiring baby boomers. There will be lots of technological advances and exciting changes that will happen, but there are also issues that the nation as a whole should start thinking and finding ways to solve right now, issues like social security benefits, Medicare, aging society issues, medical care and many more. Facing issues at an early stage will not only benefit the retiring population, but the nation as a whole. The near future can be an exciting place to be the benefits that the aging baby boomers will demand can also make everyone’s life better. They will affect all aspects of life; politics, businesses and social life will change to conform to the aging baby boomers’ needs. So get ready, The baby boomers are coming. ReferencesWalther, C. October 12, 1998. Cable News Network Play to Baby Boomers. Multi Channel NewsLucas, F. July 17, 1999. Food Market of Future Affluent Boomer’s Influence Grows. Washington Times, Business SectionMonaldo, F. March 21, 2000. What Goes Around Comes Around. Available. http://www.suite101.com/aricle.cfm/392/35287Breaux, J. November 9, 1999. The Baby Boomers Are Coming. Available. http://www.senate.gov/breaux/columns/991108a.htmlDytchwald, K. September18-5, 1999. How the 21st Century will be Ruled by the New Old. Chicago, Putnam Thatcher. USA Today Magazine. November 1999. Aging Baby Boomers May Help Slow Down Society. Available. http://findarticles.com/cf_0/m1272/2654/jhtmlFahey, M. January 29, 2001. (Almost) Ready to Retire. Insight on the news; WashingtonKirchheimer, B. January 15, 2001. A Baby Boomer Boom. Modern Healthcare; ChicagoGriffin, M. December 18, 2000. Gear Up for the Coming Aging Wave. Drug Store News; New YorkRosenberg, D. January 15, 2001. A Place of Their own. Newsweek Magazine; New YorkHoagland J. November 5, 2000. Baby Boomers Politics. The Washington Post; Washington D.C. Kurth, J. October 10, 2000. Suburban Boomers Take on the City Hall From Macomb Township to Westland. They are getting into politics. Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan. Saccomano A. October 18, 1999. Picky Eaters. Available. http://www.findarticles.com/cf/_0m0voo/3/article.jhtmlTurnbull, A. November 15, 1999. Tar Heel Politics. Morning Star News. Wilmington, NCSocial Issues