In looking for the latest research on baby boomers, I found more of interest at the library than on the Web.
Recent studies report that:
Boomers like their age: More than three-quarters of baby boomers are comfortable with their age, a study by BoomerEyes showed. In the study, 39 percent said these are the best years of their lives. Boomers most optimistic about their lives were those in their fifties. The expectation by more than half of those interviewed is that they would work as long as they could. BoomerEyes is a research and demographic group.
Boomers are interested in personal care products. Boomers will be driving up sales of natural and organic personal care products, mineral based-makeup, and men’s grooming products, according to research by The Doneger Group, a source for global market trends and merchandising strategies.
Boomers create a challenge for hospitals in 2008. New facilities will be offered by many health systems just for baby boomers, and they will have more private rooms. Oncology, cardiology, and orthopedic departments will grow, according to Tefen USA, a health care consulting firm.
Boomer Internet use continues to grow. The number of American baby boomers who use the Internet at least once a month will grow by more than five million over the next five years, a study by Research and Markets Report showed. Internet use among boomers will rise from 58.2 million in 2006 to 63.7 million in 2011.
Many boomers are unconcerned about eye problems. In a study on eye care, 62 percent of baby boomers said they weren’t concerned that they could become visually impaired or have vision loss that can’t be corrected with glasses. Officials from Lighthouse International, an organization providing health-care services to those with vision loss, expressed concern boomers aren’t taking steps to avoid age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The study was conducted by Lighthouse.
Boomers are giving more financial help to adult children. Nearly 40 percent of adults age 60 and older gave financial assistance to adult children, although only about 12 percent received money from their children, a study by the Pew Research Center showed. When boomers give money to their adult children, they could be putting their own retirement in jeopardy. An article in the Dec. 24, 2007, issue of U.S. News and World Reports discusses this topic.
Some baby boomers face uncertain retirement. About one third of baby boomers, 25 million, have virtually nothing saved for retirement and face a shaky retirement, according to a recent AARP study. Skyrocketing health care costs, the rising age for full Social Security benefits, and recent lower returns on investments make retirement difficult for the 76 million boomers who will turn 65 in the next two decades.
That’s it for boomer news for today.
