Baby Boomers and Health Insurance (business schools)
No commentsBy Gail Logan
As people grow old, they become more and more prone to diseases or illness. At the point they reach old age, they will suffer from arthritis, and heart related conditions. Because of this, everyone should have some form of security in order to live a worry-free life. Although it may not prevent diseases from affecting you, this form of health security will ensure you that you will never worry about medical-related bills, such as hospitalization, and medicine.
This form of health security is called health insurance. Depending on the type of health insurance you purchase, it will cover just about anything. It will cover hospitalization bills, the doctor’s professional fee, medicine, and anything related to health care.
You have to remember that health insurance will not actually ensure that you will not acquire diseases or illness, what it does is assist you financially in order to help you recover from illnesses. Today, there are a lot of health insurance policies that insurance companies are now selling to people. Some covers only limited amount of health care, and some health insurance that is more expensive covers just about anything related to health care.
Today, baby boomers are getting more and more concerned about their financial and health security. So, why is it that baby boomers are getting more and more worried about their health security? And, who are the baby boomers?
First of all, you need to know who the baby boomers are. Baby boomers are people who were born between the post World War II in 1946 and before the Vietnam War in 1964. People who were born on this era were called baby boomers. They were called baby boomers because of the significant increase in the birth rate during this era.
The baby boomer generation population is one of the largest populations in the United States. In fact, the baby boomers generation is comprised of around 20% of the United States population. Obviously, that is considered quite a lot.
Baby boomers came of age during the time where civil rights protests were constantly in the streets and where most of them were drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Baby boomers are people who had a very large influence in politics and its influence is continually showing today and perhaps will go on in the future.
Baby boomers grew up in the time where the country was dominated by the American Military Might where the communists and socialists were the enemy. Because of the atmosphere they grew up in, baby boomers are well-aware about the different government structures and are also very aware of their civil rights. Besides, they should be aware because they were the ones who fought for it.
Back to health insurance, baby boomers are getting more and more concerned about this subject because today, they are currently in their late 40s and early 60’s. Obviously, aging is closely associated with diseases and illnesses. Because of the high population level of the baby boomer generation, they are concerned that when the time comes that they will need the assistance of health insurance, they think that because of the high population of baby boomers in today’s society, health insurance companies will be unable to provide enough financial assistance.
If you worked in private companies, there may be issues concerned about company health insurance. You may be covered by health insurance even when you are retired. However, in the event of bankruptcy, the court will cancel the entire employer’s obligation on paying for the insurance. Although it may not include pensions, you have to expect that in case bankruptcy is filed by your former company, your health insurance policy will not be covered anymore by the company. You will be the one who will pay for it.
If you worked for the government, you may still be able to get free health insurance provided by the government as a benefit for their former employees.
Today, the government is now adjusting the national budget to provide for aging and retiring baby boomers. However, there is another growing concern facing baby boomers. Health insurance policies are now expensive for aging people. Low cost health insurance may not be sufficient for your health needs.
However, pressures from the government are now providing several options for baby boomers who are applying for health insurance. So, if you are part of the baby boomer generation, you can expect that in the near future, all your problems facing health insurance will be solved with low cost comprehensive health insurance and also low cost health care provided by hospitals and doctors for senior citizens.
Read about desert snake, grasshopper habitat and other information at the Interesting Animals website.
Your Directory Of Community Business School Listings
Toys and the Baby Boomer Grandparent
By Gail Logan
Today, the baby boomers which once enjoyed their childhood on classic toys are now grandparents who pass the tradition to their grandchildren. They comprise a large number of the population that are spending their money on purchasing toys for their grandchildren. This trend gives toy manufacturers big profits.
According to the survey, people ages 50 years old above controls 70% of the United States wealth. Some consultants predicted that the population of grandparents will increase to 10 million in the succeeding four years. It was also revealed that grandparents spend 500 dollars each year per grandchild. Collectively, the total amount spent by grandparents on their grandchildren will be 30 billion dollars annually. Mostly, 25% of toy purchase comes from grandparents.
Every year, their group continuously increases. Those born during the 1957 period comprise the largest population of grandparents. It was recorded by demographers as the highest birthrate period. They shared common things like passing their childhood legacy to their grandchildren. It is also their way of bringing back old memories to stay young.
Kevin Curran, the Fisher-Price (Mattel subsidiary) general manager and senior vice-president stated that greater numbers of boomers becoming grandparents will contribute to their higher toy sales. It was because their toys are three generations older compared to other manufacturers. They even have toys that break sales records like the “Little People” play set which is 45 years older. Fisher-Price also created their “Loving Your Grandbaby” magazine to attract more buyers.
Boomers grandparents have their own categories for toys. They shows interests on learning toys which promote creativity in music and art, nostalgic toys like Snoopy Sniffer and Price’s Telephone, and modern electronic like the Kid-Tough Digital Camera which enables their grandchildren to keep in touch with them through email photos when they are on a vacation.
It’s not so surprising that Grandparents’ Rewards Club was launched by KB Toys. KB Toys in their recent reward clubs for grandparents, gives them 10% discounts on their items every Tuesdays. They have three area locations in Houston namely Almeda, Baybrook, and Willowbrook malls. They established such strategy because of knowing that boomer grandparents have already a strong segment on buying toys.
The strategy of Sababa Toys is bringing classic toys back once again. They develop nostalgic ways in attracting boomer grandparents. Their products include wood puzzles, Grandparents’ Treasure Chest scrapbook, and matching gifts like ‘Big Brain Academy’ stretching the brain power of kids and ‘Brain Age’ keeping the aging boomer’s memory sharp.
Baby boomers are coming on their grandparenthood stage with a unique history. Some even said that boomer’s parents are experiencing depressions caused by the World War II. As a result, they wanted to give everything to their children. But now, children and grandchildren of baby boomers have the best of everything. So, their reason for giving toys as gifts to their grandchildren is simply to create an unforgettable memory.
Boomers always appear contradictory. Some wanted their grandchildren to be more achievement-oriented while others give more emphasis on education. Baby boomers have gone to college with expansive horizons given a privilege idea that everything is possible. They instill this principle to their grandchildren. Baby boomers grandparents are once more technology savvy compared to previous generations. They are comfortable in purchasing modern electronic gadgets during this era.
Some boomer grandparents personally choose the toys they give. They realized that children today want Internet games, CDs and iPods. However, they don’t encourage the purchase of these technological advancements because they just get it anyway. As much as possible, boomers wanted their grandchildren to experience the same childhood they did. They explored the outside environment, played social games, and rode bikes with their family.
The parents of these kids are giving them toys that would help them in their education. But boomer grandparents want to infuse learning in a different way. They want their grandchildren to cultivate their awareness of the world’s beauty and global issues. Quality time is given to their grandchildren ensuring that they would enjoy the moment together. During birthdays and Christmas, they would buy educational toys like science project kits.
Baby boomers grandparents are the targeted buyers of toy industries. It is due to their money and care for their grandchildren. They are perhaps the group who spends their money powerfully throughout the history.
Visit the Interesting Animals website to learn about chinchilla house, cow breeding and other information.
Baby Boomers: Changing the Face of Retirement
By Gail Logan
”Old age” was never in the vocabulary of the boomer retirees. They live under a creed of despising the aging process throughout their history. Born as activists questioning everything, they combat inevitable aging and dispose antiquated retirement concepts embraced by their parents. Instead, boomers give more attention on how they are going to lace up rollerblades, download in their iPod’s, or skate into sophisticated, hip energetic adult communities. They called this as lifestyle communities created all over the country to cater to their whim.
The previous architecture director of Del Webb Corporation, Bill Parks foresees that the approaching great numbers of boomers retirees would delight and bewilder many developers. For a less period of time, adult communities will be springing up meeting the needs of active adults.
There are over 1,200 adult communities all over the country and some are on the stages of planning. The underlying purpose of building such communities remains constant. To give a place for empty nesters to rationalize after their kids leave them. The location, ambiance, size, and amenities are great, too far from what had already existed.
Home builders consider this as a very big trend. The senior housing councils for the National Association of Home Builders, Jeff Jenkins, announced that after the first set of age-qualified boomers availed more than 55 communities, it staggered the impacts since 2001. Boomers aged 55 years old and above accounted for about 1/5 (207,000) of the 1.1 million purchases of new homes in 2003. The adult active market accounted for approximately 51 billion dollars of sales in new homes. This is the main reason why adult communities are springing up in all places.
The generation of World War II in fact invented the retirement standard of living in various ways. They outlived their work and accumulated significant wealth to enjoy their golden years. Their prospective places are Florida, California and Arizona due to its sunny weather with a handy golf course and pool and a country club or community center where they could establish their new social functions.
However, the boomers have a different viewpoint according to the CEO and founder of ICAA (International Council on Active Aging) Colin Milner. ICAA is an adult active advocacy organization in British Columbia, particularly Vancouver.
Baby boomers have acquired so many life experiences that will soon be reflected in their adult communities. The only difference is that they have adopted what they have learned. Take for example fitness issues. Boomers parents didn’t incorporate fitness in their lifestyle considering it as a boring routine. So, the entire exercise trend was started by the baby boomers. It is not a turnoff for them because they have accessed it throughout their lives. Therefore, adopting it in their adult communities as a part of their lifestyle is not a big deal. Developers are creating adult communities reflecting their rich baby boomers history.
The major difference between the retirement villages of the first generation and adult active communities is location. Numerous surveys reveal surprising results. 2 out of 3 boomers wanted to live 100 miles away from where they lived and worked. The reason that motivated boomers to moving further does not mainly lie on the type of weather. But they chase their friends and family who have transferred in that location.
The phenomenon called as stay-at-home caught some developers off guard. They never realized that one day the resort-style adult communities near main urban centers will become lesser in demand. The Midwest and Northwest location was once the best seller. During the mid-90s one half of such communities are situated in Sunbelt. Washington D.C is not a very popular retirement location however there are dozens of adult active communities available wherein some people never believe it is possible. Today, three fourths of these communities are not within Sunbelt anymore. The price ranges 150,000 dollars and above for a town home having two bedrooms and two baths.
The boomers generation has been separated from its Me Generation. For ill or good, the history’s largest generation changes the faces of everything on the path they once lived. They exchange health care from entertainment, investing from childbirth, and education from fitness. It will hold no surprise that boomer retirees will reinvent the entire retirement village. Boomers regardless of their age still continue to make changes.
For tips on types of hawks, what do caterpillars eat and other information, visit the Interesting Animals website.
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 8:05 am and is filed under education. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
