Not so long ago, people in their 50s and 60s could expect to spend their “golden years” in rocking chairs. Not baby boomers! Just as their generation caused an upheaval in society by ushering in the liberalism of the late ’60s, the non-conforming individualism of the ’70s and the harsh excesses of the ’80s, boomers are determined to change the face of aging as well. Most commonly defined as “those born between, and including, 1946 and 1964”, the 76 million baby boomers in the United States are taking measures to remain active and vibrant as long as possible.
Baby boomers continue to have a huge impact on all institutions in our society. Research shows that over the years, they’ve blurred traditional social boundaries and have spent their hard-earned money excessively. Because they didn’t experience the Depression, they’re less prone to save a portion of their income, unlike their parents. They spend their hard-earned and well-deserved money on luxury items like exercise equipment and exotic vacations.
As baby boomers reach middle age and beyond, they have also reached another critical stage in their lives – a time when health concerns start to become important. While they do have advantages over earlier generations, including fluoridated water, improved agricultural methods, vaccination, and available antibiotics, the benefits and protection of youth can no longer be relied on. For this reason, many have turned to fitness and nutrition to stay healthy and active. They are entering a time of life when significant changes take place in all organ systems – including vision and hearing.
James V. Meli Jr., D.O. is a family practitioner who has noticed that boomers are more concerned and knowledgeable about their health than many of their older counterparts. “Patients in this age group are definitely more into preventative medicine,” said Meli. “Older people may say, ‘You’re the doctor – you tell me what’s wrong,’ whereas these patients often come prepared with questions and research.”
“They have realized that fitness is an important part of health maintenance, as is paying attention to diet. High cholesterol and Type II diabetes are still major concerns for this group, but they are doing more to stop these problems before they start,” said Meli. “My advice to them would be to get periodic check-ups and EKGs, depending on family history. There are many health problems that have no symptoms at all.”
In her role as director of health wellness for Saint Mary’s Health Network in Reno, Lisa Dettling notes that people “in their 50s and 60s are not just sitting around.” Dettling explained Saint Mary’s philosophy of reaching out to baby boomers: “The key to keeping the older population active is attracting them through the benefits of taking care of themselves at age 50 and older.”
To better serve this group, Saint Mary’s developed a program called “50 and Better.” The curriculum provides people in this age group with opportunities to explore alternative therapies (such as massage and yoga), as well as to receive valuable health screenings. “We’ve seen good numbers with alternative treatments,” said Dettling. “The people participating are active, enthused and social.”
While many boomers opt for early retirement, others are determined to keep working as long as they can. Because of that, Saint Mary’s works closely with Reno-area employers, including the Washoe County School District and Sierra Pacific Power Company, to develop health and wellness programs. “Through these programs, we have learned that while people in their 20s and 30s may be concerned with fitness, they’re not overly concerned with health,” said Dettling. “We are seeing much more participation from 40 and 50-year-olds in regards to getting health screenings and taking the time to visit medical professionals.”
Staying active can be hard on the body. As an orthopedic surgeon, Todd Swanson, M.D. has seen many younger patients suffering from arthritis. “Because people are staying active later in life, they’re wearing out their joints and having to undergo hip and knee replacements at a much earlier age,” he stated. “Today, 40 percent of the total hip replacement patients I treat are younger than 60 years old.”
Swanson explained that hip replacements used to last an average of five to 10 years, but now, because of the increased demands that people put on their joints by staying active after surgery, they need to last longer. “The demand has led to new technology and materials and these ‘new parts’ can now last 15 to 20 years,” said Swanson. “The mini-incision hip surgery cuts recovery time in half – patients can walk on the hip the first day after surgery. Today’s trend is less invasive surgery with quicker recovery. We’re no longer working on ‘little old ladies’ – today’s patients need to recover quickly so they can return to being active.”
When asked about preventing these problems, Swanson’s advice was for people to stay active. “I don’t encourage my patients to drop their level of activity,” said Swanson. “When people become couch potatoes, they have much harder problems to fix later in life.” He recommends that baby boomers concentrate on low-impact recreational activities, like swimming, cycling, walking and golf.
As you can tell, fitness is a large component of what baby boomers are doing to stay “young at heart”. Jeannie Paparone, a personal trainer who recently received her professional status card from the National Physique Committee, said about half her current clients are in their 40s and 50s. “I have seen a huge increase of older people wanting to work out and become stronger,” said Paparone. “I tell them it’s never too late.”
Before starting a fitness program, Paparone makes sure prospective clients are in good health by asking them to visit their doctor. “I want to make sure they don’t have any serious problems before we begin. The second thing we do is set a fitness goal for them to work toward.”
Paparone has seen success stories in many of her customers, including the 56-year-old woman who had not exercised in 12 years. “She started weight training three months ago and has already lost 20 inches,” exclaimed Paparone. “Now she’s addicted!”
In addition to fitness and health, travel is an important recreation to this generation. Last year, the Nevada Commission on Tourism (NCOT) introduced an “adventure” campaign in an effort to bring even more visitors to the state. “Since legalized gaming has spread throughout the country, Nevada has had to find a way to offer travelers something different,” said Chris Chrystal, NCOT’s media relations manager. “We offer tourists the best of both worlds – you can go out and do something adventurous, like rock climbing or parasailing, then come back to your hotel and enjoy a gourmet meal or a luxurious spa treatment. We’ve seen lots of enthusiasm for these activities from baby boomers.”
Chrystal went on to say that research has shown that boomers enjoy testing their abilities and endurance, in addition to being pampered. “Baby boomers have lived long enough to have done a lot of things,” said Chrystal. “Now they have time to do things for themselves – things they may have never gotten a chance to do or things that they want to do better. We can offer them whatever they desire.”
In addition to offering travelers opportunities for adventure and luxury, Nevada has an added bonus – many popular entertainers of the 1950s and 1960s still perform throughout the state. “We’ve still got all these old rock-n-rollers around,” said Chrystal. “Baby boomers love these performers, and seeing them live brings back fun memories and helps them recapture their youth.”
Chrystal also explained that as people get older, they tend to become more interested in history. Because Nevada has remained so unpopulated, travelers can see the spirit of those who helped discover the West. “There are so many dimensions to Nevada,” said Chrystal. “Many visitors look for things that they haven’t seen or done, and this is truly a state where you have to keep coming to stay current.”
