Why all the fascination with The Baby Boomers?

by Cathy Ellis

Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964

During the baby boom, 76 million Americans were born. I was born in 1961, I am a younger boomer married to an older boomer. There are major differences in the life experiences of Baby Boomers depending on which end of the spectrum that you grew up in from being a teenager during The Beatles, Woodstock-Vietnam War era to the disco-heavy metal transition from Jimmy Carter to The Ronald Reagan Era, but everyone will agree that “The Baby Boomers” are a rare breed that grew up in a very special time. Baby boomers had no hand held electronics except for an AM transistor radio, we played outside until dark, we walked to school, we grew up with a handful of television channels and we drank from the garden hose!

The peak of the baby boom was 1957.  I know as a boomer, we want to be known as the generation that is freer from social expectations, we didn’t want to necessarily follow in our parent’s foot-steps by doing everything that was expected during the 1950’s ideals of what was the American Dream.  All of our soul searching has made us free to be, but I think many of us baby boomers could learn a thing or two from our parents and grandparents who were a little more respectful of preserving more conservative family values and that is just my opinion.  Baby boomers are one of the largest generations in U.S. history. The baby boomer generation, makes up a whopping 76 million Americans, is rivaled in size only by millennials -- many of whom are the children of boomers. The millennial generation, born from 1980 through 1999, similarly includes about 76 million Americans.

Many baby boomers are supporting their children whether they are living at home or have moved out.  Many baby boomers are raising their grandchildren. 

Baby boomers are living longer than previous generations due to modern medicine, but this trend may change due to the lack of proper nutrition and the obesity epidemic. Baby boomers are also more likely to remain independent and stay in their own homes as they age.

Many baby boomers are working longer, maybe because they haven’t saved as much for retirement as their more conservative parents. By 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65, some experts believe that the aging of the population will place a strain on our social welfare system.

Again I ask the question, Are you ready for the Senior Tsunami? 

#seniortsunami, #agewave #babyboomers

Cathy Ellis, Senior Living Consultant  
[email protected] 
760-696-3542