1990 Lace Over Steel™ - The Future is Coming ©
by Shirley Mitchell, Columnist
The Baby Boomers are getting older. In 1996, the leading edge of the 76 million babies born between 1946 and 1964 will reach 50 years old. Dr. Ken Dychtwald, author of the "Age Wave," compares this segment of our society with a 76 million pound elephant marching across America. This march of the aging elephant will endure for 18 years.
The approaching "Age Wave" was produced by the (1) senior boom (Americans are living longer, healthier and more active lives); (2) the birth dearth (the number of children being born will not offset the growing elder population); and (3) the aging baby boomers. As we anticipate this giant elephant of golden oldies, we must prepare for the future.
One solution is to create healthy aging. As science moves into better control of diseases, and people learn to exercise, eat and think healthy for prevention, at 90 years of age one could feel good.
Bob Hills, vice president of Merck and Co., made the statement, "We must make healthy aging a norm."
Maddy Kent Dychtwald, a member of Age Wave Inc., stated at a recent Age Wave Conference, "Contrary to popular opinion there is life after youth, and life can be good. "She believes Americans will change their paradigm from number of years lived to life stages.
We experience stages of life. Some examples are youth, parenting, career, empty nest, grandparenting, etc. As youth migrates into middle age, forty to sixty year olds will be center stage. America's old paradigm for life has been to march through life then retire at 65. The new paradigm will favor cyclic life or serial life. As we live longer and better, we will start new careers, new hobbies and new skills in mid-life. Life keeps getting better instead of deteriorating.
Age will be in charge of the future. Richness of life, God, family (roots), quality time, connecting with people, dining, care giving, dancing, music, adventure, gaining new skills, learning, traveling, exercise, health and spiritual growth will take precedent over things.
