Baby boomer health is a big issue for today's seniors.
The oldest baby boomers will celebrate their 65th birthdays in 2011.
Fortunately the focus is notso much on which of the many ailments people will be stricken with and how soon, as it is on: how do we slow the aging process and maintain a high quality of life.
Boomers are the generation most terrified of getting old.
In addition, almost two-thirds of baby boomers thought the best years of their life were already behind them, compared with just 48 per cent of their parents.
Rather than rely on their families to care for them in retirement, researchers say Baby Boomers will face a new set of challenges in order to stay healthy longer.
Aging baby boomers will drive health-care innovation Products which will be developed to serve the "geezer boom".
But despite this, the average baby boomer's health is worse today than adults 20 years ago.
That's why much of the talk about Baby boomer health revolves around keeping mentally and physically fit.
The bad news is that Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation indicates that baby boomer's health is increasingly compromised because of their sedentary lifestyle and a soaring obesity rate.
So what do we do about that ?We look back at the diet & lifestyles of our parents and possibly their parents.
What do we find? Generations that,in most cases, worked hard physically to provide for their families and, in the absence of frozen dinners,ready made dishes,fast food,etc.
, meals were prepared in the home with proven recipes and fresh ingredients.
The obesity rate was obviously much lower than current times due to better nutrition and much more exercise.
Then what happened ?Along came us baby boomers who grew up in a fast changing world of modern inventions ,gadgets,fast cars and fast food.
At the same time, our parents worked hard to provide many things for us that they never had when they grew up.
We became the spoiled, "Me Generation".
And now, when we want something, we want it right now and we certainly will not sacrifice for something or wait for anything.
We refuse to get old or accept that process.
We want the health,vitality, and vigor we had in our twenties and we are willing to buy it if necessary.
While most of us scramble around looking for that fountain of youth invention,gadget, or potion,..
..
the answer lies in our past and what we have chosen to forget.
We simply have to understand that our Quality of Life depends on the right balance of diet,exercise, and possibly common sense.
Yes, health care costs,drug costs, and treatment costs have gone through the roofandis severely impacting this nation.
However, much more of our individual futures are up to good choices that we are all able to make.
No, we will not be twenty again.
But we can have enough health & vigor at our current age that we wouldn't want to be twenty again.
Let's not expect something or someone else to make our choices for us or to fix every mistake we might make.
Let's try to understand that our future Quality of Life is more heavily dependent on our own sensible choices in many areas, than it is on someone or something else doing everything for us.
As baby boomers, we were given so much as we grew up.
Maybe that is part of our problem.
But, it is not a problem that we cannot overcome.
Our best years can truly be ahead of us if we can learn to accept ourselves and understand how much control we really have over our lives by the choices we make.
Let's embrace a bright future ahead for all of us baby boomers and enjoy each new day.
The oldest baby boomers will celebrate their 65th birthdays in 2011.
Fortunately the focus is notso much on which of the many ailments people will be stricken with and how soon, as it is on: how do we slow the aging process and maintain a high quality of life.
Boomers are the generation most terrified of getting old.
In addition, almost two-thirds of baby boomers thought the best years of their life were already behind them, compared with just 48 per cent of their parents.
Rather than rely on their families to care for them in retirement, researchers say Baby Boomers will face a new set of challenges in order to stay healthy longer.
Aging baby boomers will drive health-care innovation Products which will be developed to serve the "geezer boom".
But despite this, the average baby boomer's health is worse today than adults 20 years ago.
That's why much of the talk about Baby boomer health revolves around keeping mentally and physically fit.
The bad news is that Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation indicates that baby boomer's health is increasingly compromised because of their sedentary lifestyle and a soaring obesity rate.
So what do we do about that ?We look back at the diet & lifestyles of our parents and possibly their parents.
What do we find? Generations that,in most cases, worked hard physically to provide for their families and, in the absence of frozen dinners,ready made dishes,fast food,etc.
, meals were prepared in the home with proven recipes and fresh ingredients.
The obesity rate was obviously much lower than current times due to better nutrition and much more exercise.
Then what happened ?Along came us baby boomers who grew up in a fast changing world of modern inventions ,gadgets,fast cars and fast food.
At the same time, our parents worked hard to provide many things for us that they never had when they grew up.
We became the spoiled, "Me Generation".
And now, when we want something, we want it right now and we certainly will not sacrifice for something or wait for anything.
We refuse to get old or accept that process.
We want the health,vitality, and vigor we had in our twenties and we are willing to buy it if necessary.
While most of us scramble around looking for that fountain of youth invention,gadget, or potion,..
..
the answer lies in our past and what we have chosen to forget.
We simply have to understand that our Quality of Life depends on the right balance of diet,exercise, and possibly common sense.
Yes, health care costs,drug costs, and treatment costs have gone through the roofandis severely impacting this nation.
However, much more of our individual futures are up to good choices that we are all able to make.
No, we will not be twenty again.
But we can have enough health & vigor at our current age that we wouldn't want to be twenty again.
Let's not expect something or someone else to make our choices for us or to fix every mistake we might make.
Let's try to understand that our future Quality of Life is more heavily dependent on our own sensible choices in many areas, than it is on someone or something else doing everything for us.
As baby boomers, we were given so much as we grew up.
Maybe that is part of our problem.
But, it is not a problem that we cannot overcome.
Our best years can truly be ahead of us if we can learn to accept ourselves and understand how much control we really have over our lives by the choices we make.
Let's embrace a bright future ahead for all of us baby boomers and enjoy each new day.