Baby Boomer Insights

U.S. Census Bureau releases stats about boomers for the first time in 13 years

With a new census just around the corner, I found it interesting to see that the U.S. Census Bureau recently released some new statistics about baby boomers. On the surface, that may not seem like a big deal, but since it's the first time in 13 years we've seen their specific data, I thought it was worth sharing. (The numbers, btw, are current as of 2006. Keep in mind that means the boomers were between 42 and 60 at the time.)

I couldn't help but notice that the bureau still refers to 55+ as "the older population" and 65+ as "elderly." Let's hope when the new census is conducted, the feds will be a bit more enlightened in their view of what constitutes "older" and "elderly." For the record, Edelman's research shows boomers don't consider someone old until they've reached age 74. Anyway, here are some tidbits from the 2006 data:

> There are 77,980,296 boomers living in the U.S. Women are a slight majority - 50.9%. By 2030, however, that number will increase to 54.9%, or 57,793,135 female boomers.

> Can you guess which states had the highest number of boomers? California, Texas, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania. That's pure numbers, but when you look at which states had the highest percentage of the population in the 42-60 year-old group, up pops Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Montana and Connecticut.

> Some 74.1% of boomers were employed and 22.4% were not in the labor force. The remainder were in the miltary or unemployed.

> Two-thirds of boomers were homeowners, while 25% rented.

> Only 10.3% were Hispanic, leaving 89.7% non-Hispanc.

> We're an educated group, too. Almost a third (29.8%) were high school graduates and 28.9% had some college, while 28.8% had earned a bachelor's degree or higher. The number of boomers holding less than a high school diploma was a low 12.5%. 

It will be interesting to watch how these numbers change when the new census is taken in 2010. Without question we'll see affirmation again that the U.S. population is rapidly aging, as people live longer than any generation before them. Expect an uptick in the number of boomers who are employed, or who are re-entering the work force. I think we'll see home owership go down as well, given that so many boomers lost their homes to foreclosure over the past couple of years. What other changes do you predict?

Marketers need to pay close attention to the 2010 census data when it is released more than a year from now. Since 2010 also marks the year that Gen Y will surpass boomers in number and perhaps even spending power, we can expect a very different picture to be painted going forward.

You can get a sneak peek at the questions on the 2010 form here.  (Incredibly, you still can't fill out a form online, but you can blog and tweet about how inconvenient it is to not be able to fill it out online!)

Getting ready for visits from the little ones during the holidays

Are you a boomer grandparent who expects to have a little one around for the holidays? I don't have grandhildren yet (a grandpuppy doesn't count, right?) but I love to be around children at Christmas. My second favorite time is when they're waving goodbye from the inside a car backing out of the driveway. 

Seriously, when you are no longer used to having small kids around on a daily basis, it's easy to forget that their visits require extra preparation. So, while you're putting the finishing touches on your decorating, consider these tips from the experts at THE MAIDS Home Services, a residential cleaning service:

> Dust off old playthings. Give grandchildren something to do while the adults are busy.  Set aside a room with toys and games for the little ones to enjoy and thoroughly dust and clean each item with a solution of warm water and dishwashing soap.

> Vacuum “crawl spaces.”  Little ones spend a lot of time on the floor, whether playing or simply crawling around.  Vacuum all floors to remove dust, dirt and small items like rubber bands that can easily wind up in a child’s mouth.

> When dusting, move small, breakable and/or antique items out of reach for your little ones. Make sure to move things, like picture frames, with sharp corners that can injure small children.

> Cover unused electrical sockets and move wires, such as those for Christmas tree lights, out of reach.

> Move garlands and other dangling holiday decorations out of your grandchildren’s reach.  A hanging garland can be a choking hazard for a curious child. If you have a holiday tree, keep breakable ornaments and loose tinsel off the lower branches.

>  Keep an emergency “stain remover kit” handy.  Include a bottle of club soda, dry cleaning fluid and a plastic spray bottle filled with the following solution: one teaspoon mild laundry detergent, one teaspoon white vinegar and one quart of cool water. 

>  Move cleaning products that contain hazardous chemicals to high shelves or cabinets to ensure they are out of sight and out of reach of children.

After you've done this, try and relax and enjoy the giggles and gasps. If you're anything like me, after everyone has gone home, you'll take down the decorations then call a cleaning service while you go after-Christmas shopping! Enjoy!

More great gifts for boomers (and you can buy them all online!)

Like many fellow boomers, I've spent a good bit of the weekend shopping for Christmas presents (mostly online, for the record). I've come across some interesting boomer-focused gifts I thought were worth sharing with you:

> Got arthritis, or perhaps you're trying to help a parent who suffers from arthritis in the hands? Now there's a way to safely strengthen your hands to relieve the pain. A medically-supported exercise device called the Xtensor actually trains your hands to perform better and do more. It's probably worth being seen wearing these odd-looking contraptions just to get more motion back in your hands. I'd say that's certainly worth about $40!

> We should all know by now that boomers have embraced the wireless world with gusto. That's one reason I was delighted to see the new Ira Wireless Internet Radio, a way to access over 16,000 internet radio stations around the country in every imaginable format  (country, news sports, and so on). There's no monthly subscription fee and you don't even need a computer. It's a steal at $149.99.

> No doubt, readers for e-books will be hot this year. I think I've probably persuaded at least  couple dozen folks to get a Kindle 2, ($259) one of my absolute favorite devices. It does have one downside - there's no back lighting, so you can only read in direct light. That's why I loved finding the Periscope Lighted Folio for the Kindle 2 ($49.95). The company offers other book lights too, including ones for people who still actually turn pages. Great stocking stuffer ideas here! 

> If you're going through menopause, or know someone who is, check out the book, "Eat to Defeat Menopause," by Karen Giblin and Mache Seibel, MD. I had the good fortune to spend some time with Karen recently and learned a lot about her amazing and fun organization, Red Hot Mamas. So when she offered me the book, I couldn't wait to dig in and learn more about how women can combat the symptoms of menopause through food.  Even if menopause is of no concern, buy the book anyway just for the great recipes! ($23.95)

Finally... check out the The Resistance Chair, which has been named "Gear of the Year" by industry professionals and ShapeYou. Used primarily for boomer and senior exercise, it has also been lauded as great for rehab therapy. For about $239, you can get the chair, plus instructional videos. The VQ ActionCare web site offers other products too, including videos and fitness assessories.

I'm feeling very green today, having shopped almost exclusively online, avoiding the malls and sharpened elbows, which are often connected to dull brains. I hope you'll find something here that works for you too! What other suggestions do you have?