Many babies were born between 1946 and 1964; which is why this era is called the “Baby Boomers”. Research in this paper will show the impact they have and will have on the healthcare system in the U.S., statistics in this generation on medical and population. This paper will prove that the “baby boom” from 1946-1964 will have a large impact on the healthcare system.
When World War II ended there was a surge in the U.S. baby population, which is rightly called the “Baby Boom”. This “baby boom” goes from 1946 to 1964 (the post WWII in 1946 to 1964). By the end of the “baby boom”; those labeled “baby Boomers” made up 40% of the population in the U.S.! (history.com) Analysts are concerned about this aging population and the obsticles it will bring to the healthcare system in the U.S.; there will be good and bad obstitcales. This boom is likely due to those who waited to have kids due to the Great Depression and WWII. Many women in the 1940s (8%) decided to wait to have kids; unlike in the 1930s 15% of women decided to wait. Our grandparents looked forward to having kids after the war. They felt that the future of our parents was going to be good. In some ways it is true: large corporations grew larger which allowed them to become more profitable, those working under unions saw an increase in wages and benefits; in turn made buying items like TVs more affordable and plentiful. Many of the “baby boomer” families moved to the suburbs into houses instead of renting apartments. This was due to the government G.I. Bill for soliders and getting them mortgages to buy a home with low interest rates.
As the “boomers” boomed (grew-up) they became actively involved in activist and demonstration groups against those less fortunate ( gays, black...
... middle of paper ...
... complications from Scleroderma. And my dad will be 69 years old this year. He was just at the beginning of the “boom”. He is healthy and doing well. I learned a lot from writing this paper and finding the information to write it. The statistics were astounding. The following are statistics that I found from the CNN Library (11/06/2013):
These are as of 2008
77.3 million Baby Boomers
1946-post WWII
3,411,000 babies born in the US
1954-post Korean War
4,078,000 babies born in the US
1957-the year the boom peaked
4,300,000 babies born in the US
1964-the end of an era
4,027,000 babies born in the US.
January 1,1996
The first of the baby boomers turn 50
January 1, 2011
The first of the boomers turn 65. 2/3 of seniors 65 and over and 60% of those 50-64 have atleast 1 chronic disesase.
1979
Divorce rate peaks 39%
December 31, 2029
Last of the boomers turn 65 years old
After World War II, Americans experienced a time of rapid social change. American soldiers were discharged and returned home from the battlefields, hoping to find work and to get on with their lives. Marriage rate increased dramatically after the war. North American population experienced what is known as the “Baby boom” – an 18-year period of rapid population growth from 1946 to 1964. During this period, many children were born than in the same period before or after. During the post war years, the United States embarked on one of its greatest periods of economic expansion. Many Americans had enjoyed economic prosperity. However, the United States has changed since 1950. American society today is different from our grandparents’ generation. The rising divorce rates, population growth in the suburbs, the lives of women and mothers working outside the home marked the tremendous social changes in American society today.
Everything was starting to settle down after World War II and the Korean War having all the men return home to either see there beautiful wife or gorgeous women if the men were still single. Men coming home started the baby boom. Even the teenagers and young adults participated in the baby boomed as young as 15 years of age. By the year 1958, 15-19 year olds hit almost 100,000 births in the United States (Teen birthrate chart). From 1945-1965 the population of babies took a huge spick reaching over 4,000 births per thousand. People finally settled down after the two wars and started thinking about their future in having a family hence the baby boom (U.S. Census Bureau
Jacobsen, L. A., Kent, M., Lee, M., & Mather, M. (2001). America's aging population. Population Bulletin, 66(1).
The “Baby Boom” era occurred between the years of the late 1950s thru the 19970s and shaped America and its culture into the type of country it is today. It helps to understand these times to prevent history from repeating itself while better understanding how people were feeling during that time. Also, to better understand what was happening during that time by reading the literature that was written during that time period. Through Tim O’Brien’s “How to Tell a True War Story” to Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, they reflect the cultural, economic, political, and intellectual upheavals the United States was experiencing. These stories affect your way of thinking about these times, especially the war.
World War II was happening as the 1950’s were happening and it soon drew to a close. This brought more men home from the army and thus led to the “Baby boom.” The baby boom was started as part of a security aspect for if there was another war there would still be a child to carry on the name. However, many men from the army just missed their wives and decided to have a few kids. This was a big impact on the 1960’s because those youths involved in the baby boom were starting to become adolescents and young adults as the 1960’s counterculture ideas started. Another aspect of this baby boom was that they didn’t really recognize the hard work that their father had to endure to provide them with a good life. They saw everything getting better, but never understood that things would fall apart if you let it get that way.
years of age. Prior to Medicare, barely half of the population age 65 and older had health
An aging population is indeed a problem for the society and will possibly cause many social and economic difficulties in the future. According to David Foot (2003), professor of Economics at University of Toronto, an effective birth rate of 2.2% against current 1.75% will be necessary to replace the current work force in the near future and the government’s policy of bringing in more immigrants will eventually fail (Foot, 2003, 2). However some people predict that the increased size of an aging population will drive growth in the home, health care, and many other industries resulting in job creation and economic growth (Marketwire, 2013, 1). Majority of the people are of the opinion that the issue will be mainly in the health care and economic activity. As humans age, they start to develop health problems, leading to more visits to a medical clinic putting extra burden on health care system.
The generation of women, who were born between 1946 and 1964 or the post WWII era, are commonly referred to as the ‘Boomer Women.’ In fact the whole generation of babies born in that period was known as the Boomer Generation. People returning from the war were facilitated to have a home and build up families and this consequently led to the Baby Boom.
Many issues, both genetic and environmental, affect how we age. A 2014 Census Bureau report, “65+ in the United States: 2010,” present some statistics regarding people over 65 years old in the United States. Laura Skarnulis publishes her study titled “7 Health Challenges Of Aging” where she explains seven of the most common heath issues senior citizens face. Obesity, arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer are among the most common challenges senior citizens have to face. Skarnulis mentions that we should take care of ourselves while we are young. Some of these health issues can be prevented if the respective precautions are taken on
... in the global market as a competitive nation, accomplished greater economic prosperity, and gave birth to the suburban regions. The baby boom generation clearly has had positive short term effects; however, a negative reaction loomed over the proceeding generations as it put a burden on Canadian government to build more retirement homes and to look for a new labour force to replace the old. In other words, some of the long term effects of baby boom generation are unfortunately frightening such as Canada having a huge old population to support with the urgent need to fill gaps that would be left by the baby boomers as they retire. Still, the society must recognize that the baby boom generation was crucial to the Canada in the 1950s. Nothing else would have created a strong economy through the huge number of job opportunities and development of suburban homes.
Almost exactly nine months after World War II ended in 1945, approximately 3.4 million babies were born. That was twenty percent more than the previous year. 1946 is considered the beginning of the “baby boom”, which continued until 1964, when it tapered off. By then there were 76.4 million baby boomers in the United States, which comprised forty percent of the nations population at the time. There are a few different theories that historians believe were the cause of the baby boom. One belief is that the baby boom was caused by the desire for normalcy after 16 years of war. Another is that the baby boom was a cold war campaign to fight communism by outnumbering the communists. The final, and most likely theory as to why so many babies were born is older Americans that were putting off marriage and
The Baby Boomer Generation (Born between 1946 and 1964) was born into the post-World War II economic prosperity and opportunity (Weston, 2006). Baby Boomers were members in smaller families and were doted on by parents, schools, and society as a whole (Weston, 2006). For the most part, they grew up in two-parent households where the father earned the family income and the mother was the home caretaker (Weston, 2006). News became more visual and dramatic as world-changing events such as men landing on the moon and the shooting of a president were seen on television (Weston,
The existing U.S. population is over 315 million and rising. In the year 2030, 72 million Americans will be 65 or older, a 50 percent change in age demographics since the year 2000. The change is primarily due to the aging baby boomers, who were born at the end of World War II. Americans are living longer than ever befo...
The baby boom generation, as described by Reich, will live longer than past generations due to the improvements in health sustaining drugs (Jacobus). This will create more opportunities in health care, but this baby boom generation will have mostly used all their money by that point in their lives. They will have to rely on social security. This generation will need others to help pay for their medical care which will fall upon the family members. This will result in more jobs for younger adults, but also more things to pay for. In-person services income mainly relies on whom they serve. Reich gives an example in his essay describing how a waitress in a small town may not make as much as a waitress surrounded by moguls and superstars. The income is based on the local economy and the perception of
largest generation. Due to its large size, the Baby Boom generation has had a significant impact on society, business, and the economy. The impact of the generation has been felt in all areas of consumer spending, from increased sales of baby products when they were young; to rising demand for houses as they set up their own households; to growth in retirement savings vehicles as they prepare for their senior years. Members of the Boomer generation share many characteristics, making it possible for companies to target the