Key Indicators of Well Being Explored
The government is definitely keeping its eyes on aging Americans. Not only is this group a significant source of political clout, something every politician needs to be aware of, but even more important is the fact that the Baby Boomer generation will start reaching retirement age soon. And as they have done in the past, this generation of Baby Boomers is slated to continue impacting the economy like no other generation in history.
According to the report entitled Older Americans 2004: Key Indicators of Well-Being, put together by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, at issue is the fact that, "In light of the anticipated growth of this segment of our population, it is increasingly important for policymakers and the general public to have an accessible, easy to understand portrait that shows how older Americans are doing."
The report goes on to explain the 37 key indicators of well being and how this aging generation fares in regards to these indicators. In you’ve never stopped to think about the Baby Boomer population in terms of actual figures then consider this: Right now the population aged 65 and over is holding steady at 12%. In the year 2030, that percentage will grow to just under 20%, from 35 million to over 71.5 individuals, the majority of whom will live in the United States!
 Of particular concern on the list of well being indicators is the increasing prevalence of obesity among men and women aged 65 – 74. Obesity is nearing cigarette smoking not only in terms of the amount of physical damage this condition causes the body but in terms of how much the medical costs associated with treating obesity and its secondary conditions including heart disease, respiratory trouble, Type 2 Diabetes and many others have increased.
The report also shows that of the percentage of older Americans who regularly participate in physical activity has remained relatively flat for past 8 years. These two revelations alone seem to contrast what we have come to believe as true about the aging population: That they’re the healthiest elderly group ever.
Another of the key indicators shows that marriage still makes sense. Only a small percentage were divorced or had never married. For women in this age group, however, more were widowed at this stage. Living together in marriage has been shown time and again to have a positive impact on a person’s emotional well-being and financial situation.
Older Americans for the most part are living together with a spouse, are living alone, or are living with a relative. Maybe the Baby Boomers will change that, but so far, it’s status quo.
Except for the very rich, most still rely on Social Security as their primary source of income. Overall net worth has increased in the last ten years, with white people seeing the biggest jump. And interestingly, whether by necessity or by desire, men and women aged 65 and older are still actively participating in the work force.
If you’d like to know more about this enlightening report, go to Older Americans 2004: Key Indicators of Well-Being for the full report.
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