The Baby Boomers
Mar 3rd, 2010 by Becky Schwantes
On Thursday, March 4, Tom Brokaw’s latest generational investigation gets its television debut on CNBC called “Boomers: History’s Wealthiest and Most Influential Generation.” The Baby Boomers, those born following World War II between 1946 & 1964, count just under 80 million Americans in their cohort with 8,000 of them turning 65 each day. The Boomers represent over 26% of the US population and have had huge influence on American policy, business and life. They came of age during the Vietnam Conflict, Civil Right’s Movement, the Woman’s Movement, and were the generation that made Woodstock legendary. Now, they are the moving force behind most of our country’s politics, policies and financial institutions. Yet they are starting to retire, receive Medicare benefits and will become our oldest generation over the next 20 years.
Is the Baby Boomer generation doing enough to prepare for their older adulthood? Is our society addressing the future care-giving needs of this large generation? How will their aging be different from Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation?” How are their attitudes toward aging, retirement, long-term care, mental health, medical care and other issues different from the older adults of today?
For more information about CNBC’s report on the Boomers, visit: http://www.cnbc.com/id/34840866/
I like your blog, Becky. I’m looking forward to the Brokaw documentary on CNBC tomorrow, but am going to be pissed off if they include people my age (born 1961) as Boomers instead of including us with our real generation: Generation Jones (born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and Xers).
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I am pleased to say I am one of those “baby boomers” and every day I just hope I have prepared adequately so my finances will last as long as I last. We, all of us, are facing the high cost of living, especially medical care, food and everyday expenses. The only differences between the boomers and the younger generations is that we are at the end of our earning years. I certainly hope our younger generations learn from us and begin to prepare for their golden years because it looks like they may have to do it all on their own.