by guest blogger Tony DiNuzzo, Ph.D., Director, ETGEC-C

I found the perfect article to wrap my blog around.  And then, in true fashion, I lost it.  I originally found it on my Safari iPhone and “e-mailed” it to myself.  It said “article sent.”  I felt satisfied.  So confident that I didn’t check if I actually received it.  So I sat down ready to use it as a reference and it wasn’t there!  I checked everywhere – in the inbox, the spam box, even in my “History.”  Did I send it to my AOL address or G-mail?  Did it simply vanish or is it still floating in cyber space?

By now you might be ready to say “enough of this” and move to another, more enlightening piece of literature. Well, I think you should stick around because it was about baby boomers. You know, that generation of post-World War II who I guess somehow wanted to make sure there would be enough people left in the world if there ever was another world war. So from 1946 to 1964, more than 76 million babies were born in the U.S.

And in 2011, the very first boomers turned 65 – think about for a second and the impact on social security (Reuteman, 2010), the home health care challenge, the shortage of good funeral homes and cemeteries to deal with the numbers who will need them, 41% do not have a will, etc. They have been called “The Greedy Boomers” and “The Gloomiest Generation.”  They are not to be trusted and that they simply suck!

Now, about that article I couldn’t find.  I did read it. It was a review of a book with great sounding chapters like “I am old now so I can be a racist” and “Ok, I don’t have a life. So what?” and my favorite “If I’m not entitled, then who is?” With age comes a feeling of “What the heck. I’m old, what can they do to me?”

I remember an old Jerry Seinfeld clip of him talking about being old in Florida.  “Ever see an old person back out of a driveway?  Most people are careful backing out, honk the horn and drive slowly.  Not the old folks.  They’re saying ‘Hey, I’m old and I’m coming through, so get out the way!’”

So is there a feeling of entitlement among Boomers?  What are the important questions and issues? Is there a way of sifting through mountains of information on how to succeed as you age?  How to stay healthy, wealthy and wise?  If you don’t have an “estate” do you really need an estate plan?  Are we ready to move retirement up to 70? When do I have my “end-of-life” discussion with my doctor or make those final arrangements?

Yes.  I am very confused about this aging, baby boomer thing?  And I am in the field of Geriatrics!  I should know all there is to know.  And yet, all I do know is I have fewer and fewer good answers since I’m not sure what the questions are.

But in an article by Rev. Amy Ziettlow, an affiliate scholar at the Institute for American Values in New York … and a strong hospice care advocate, asks the most basic question that needs to be addressed: “Baby boomers will live longer and in greater numbers than ever seen before with few youngsters to support them financially and physically.  What and who will ensure that the Baby Boomers have space and time to age gracefully? “

Anyone have any ideas?

(Join us for a discussion on this blog on Wednesday, 7:30 to 8:00 a.m. Link to the meeting room: http://tinyurl.com/cjfx9ag. Also, see Discussion and SL tabs above for details)

References

  1. Ziettlow, A. How Will the Baby Boomers Age and Die? Blog published at KevinMD: http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2012/01/baby-boomers-age-die.html
  2. Reuteman, R. Will Baby Boomers Bankrupt Social Security? Blog published at CNBC on 2-8-2010: http://www.cnbc.com/id/34941334/Will_Baby_Boomers_Bankrupt_Social_Security