Plan programs that reflect Baby Boomer values by Lynda J. Sperazza, PhD, CPRP

As of January 1, 2011, the first of 76 million Baby Boomers turned 65 years of age. Over the next 19 years, our facilities, programs and services will be flooded as Boomers mature into retirement. Keep in mind that at every life stage, Boomers have rewritten the rules. They are going to do it again.

The Baby Boomer cohort (born between 1946 and 1964) has a unique set of values and characteristics, vastly different from previous generations. Their values encompass all aspects of life, affecting their beliefs about self, career, home and leisure. Baby Boomers are an individualistic, self-focused generation that is economically optimistic (Gillon, 2004). They are highly educated, comfortable with technology, healthier and more affluent than any generation before them (Cochran, 2005).