Baby boomer statistics indicate that an unprecedented rise in the proportion of the world’s old people will be the 20th century’s defining demographic trend.
"Something unprecedented and irreversible is happening to humanity". The Economist – 27 March 2004
The United States Census Bureau considers a baby boomer to be someone born during the birth boom between 1946 and 1964.
There are no precise dates for demographic cohorts (groups that are considered to have common defining characteristics). But it is generally understood that the baby boomers are the post 2nd World War generation.
They preceed Generation X – born between 1965 and 1976 and Generation Y or Millennials born somewhere from the late 70's to 2000.
Generation Y are also known as Echo Boomers as they are the offspring of the baby boomers.
For the first time in human history aging baby boomers have created the situation where the proportion of elderly people (aged sixty or over) surpasses the proportion of under-fives.
The Baby Boomer Statistics
Western world
Western countries are facing a demographic tidal wave. According to UN estimates the population of elderly persons is likely to reach 22 per cent of the total world population by the year 2025.
China
The same baby boomer statistics trend exists in China - but their problems has been compounded by their one child policy introduced in 1979. This led to a significant reduction in birth rates and an imbalance between the number of males and females.
In China children traditionally take care of their parents and grand parents. But in future with the imbalance oof young and old and increased life expectancy they are going to find this much more onerous.
Theoretically it is possible for one Chinese youngster to have to support himself, two parents and four grandparents. Often referred to as the "4:2:1" phenomenon.
New solutions are needed.
Baby boomer statistics indicate that as more and more changes overwhelm our world we'll have to find new solutions. Traditional economic models are being invalidated. In the US alone there are about 80 million baby boomers or over 25% of the population.
Considering this, one can fully understand the concern that the ex-chairman of America’s Federal Reserve Board, Alan Greenspan, has about this situation "we will almost surely be unable" to meet the demands on resources.
The increasing number of retired and semi-retired is being compounded by extended life expectancy.
If we analyse the impending baby boomer statistics of the aging situation through the century, there emerges another interesting feature.
Firstly we subdivide the elderly population in to ‘younger old’ (those below 75 years) and ‘older old’ (those above 75 years). We then analyse the composition of the elderly population as it is likely to unfold in the next 25 years.
The ‘older old’ will steadily swell in greater numbers than the ‘younger old’.
It will mean that at national levels there will be a growing number of ‘older old’ persons to be taken care of, with all their related costs.
To meet the growing challenges of the baby boomer demographics this generation will be called on to be as innovative and creative with their retirement planning as they were in meeting the challenges of their younger years.
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