Growing older in America isn’t what it used to be. For aging baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964 during the post-Second World War baby boom, they’re working into their late 60s and 70s – long past the customary retirement age. The question is: What does this mean for boomer health issues?
Data from the National Institute on Aging’s Health and Retirement Study shows that people are ready to retire in their early to mid-60s, but retirement trends are changing, with older adults increasingly interested in part-time opportunities and other activities to stay busy and productive with age. Essentially, baby boomers are expecting to work longer, making for a reversal in the century-long trend toward earlier retirement. Compared with 1992, in 2004, a substantially larger proportion of people in their early to mid-50s expected to work after 65.
The structure and availability of pensions strongly influence the decision about when to retire, of course. People are living much longer, with the average life expectancy now at 78.8 years, and need to balance their financial resources – and boomer health issues – to afford those senior years.
Boomer health care: What to expect after 60
When it comes to baby boomer health trends, the outlook isn’t particularly rosy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just released a landmark report on the health of America’s baby boom generation, with the news that many are facing chronic illness. Nearly half of people ages 55 to 64 are taking a prescription heart drug and about one in five are dealing with diabetes. Obesity rates are also a concern.
While prescription drug use is high for boomers, the report found the overall death rate in this age group has gone down over the past decade. Cancer death rates are now higher than those for heart disease, the report found. Experts suggest the new findings show that interventions focusing on heart health are beginning to pay off.
The shift from treatment to prevention has its benefits – and that’s what boomer health care has to focus on now: Healthy living tips so we can continue to be active and productive with age. Let’s start with diet, a top concern in an era of microwaveable and convenience foods.
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