Baby Boomers. They grew up with the Beaver and Wally and came of age at Woodstock. They huddled around family television sets as Elvis and The Beatles made their respective shocking debuts. In their lifetime they've seen racial segregation and Communism overthrown. As youngsters and teens, they witnessed the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Nearly 40 years later, they would witness the horrors of September 11.

In 2006, the first wave of the Baby Boomers - the 77 million babies born between 1946 and 1964 - turned 60. But they and their younger counterparts aren't going gently into old age. The same non-conformist attitude and openness to change that ignited a cultural revolution in the 1960s and 1970s are shaping what the future holds for aging Baby Boomers.

"It's not your grandmother's retirement anymore," said John Smith, executive director, Egyptian Area Agency for Aging in Carterville. "Over the past 20 years we have seen a definite change in what senior citizens expect out of life as they grow older."

Healthy at home

As they age, Baby Boomers are dramatically changing the face of America's demographics. In 2000, persons 65 and older made up 12.4 percent of the population. By 2030, that percentage is expected to grow to 20 percent as advances in healthcare and changing attitudes about growing older support a longer life expectancy for America's aging population.

But what good is a longer life if it's marred by chronic illness? According to 2002 research by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), many of the Baby Boomers they surveyed admitted that they have been lax on taking care of their health.

Ironically, in a country obsessed with dieting and exercise, obesity, heart disease, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) and diabetes are at the top of the list of Boomers' health challenges. However, 54 percent of survey respondents said they plan to exercise regularly during their retirement years and 51 percent expected to be healthier than most people their age in retirement.

Despite health challenges, Baby Boomers as they age want to remain independent and live in their own homes as long as possible. Agencies such as the Shawnee Alliance for Seniors, a division of Shawnee Health Service and Development Corporation, in Carterville, now offer home-based programs and services to meet that needs of present and future generations.

"We've already begun to gear up our comprehensive care coordination program to accommodate the aging Baby Boomer population," said Carol Aronson, director, Shawnee Alliance for Seniors. "More people will be staying home and living longer, but possibly with chronic health conditions. We know through evidence based research that basic education and self-management of chronic care conditions add to a greater quality of life."

"There's so much support that can be done in the home, even if it's a complex medical need," Aronson added. "You can have home health services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, all done in the home. You don't need to go to the hospital or nursing home, so there is the increased opportunity for people to remain in their own homes throughout their lives."

Aronson explained that the comprehensive care coordination concept is the overriding principle in a law that was passed in Illinois two years ago. It's aimed at restructuring long-term care in Illinois away from facility-based to one that promotes the development, availability and accessibility of home-based healthcare services.

"As the Baby Boomers age, the population bubble of the number of people who will need support is going to be huge," Aronson said. "We obviously don't want to build nursing homes everywhere."

"Today, we can do so much more for people in their homes. Of course, there will always be a need for nursing homes for some people, but certainly many people who previously would have been taken care of in nursing homes in the past can now be taken care of at home."

Demand for quality care

The rising demand for healthcare services, coupled with a shortage of nurses and other healthcare professionals, has also spearheaded initiatives across the country to ensure that the quality of care will not suffer.

Quality improvement organizations (QIO), such as the Illinois Foundation for Quality Health Care in Oak Brook, IL, are currently working in every state to assist health care providers in all settings to use quality data to improve performance. But many Baby Boomers themselves are taking an active role in investigating the quality of care offered by physicians and hospitals, as well as learning more about options for self-care.

"Baby boomers are pro-active and willing to participate actively in their health care decisions," said Donna Serrett, RN, BSN, MBA, Illinois Foundation for Quality Health Care. "They are more computer literate and are using the Internet to locate health information."

"Baby boomers are also accessing publicly reported data from websites providing reports on the quality of care delivered by their health care providers. These factors make Baby boomers a perfect population for use of self-management programs and the use of technology such as telehealth."

According to Serrett, with telehealth patients are being taught to use computerized equipment in their home to record and transmit data, such as blood pressure readings and weight, to their health care providers. Some systems may also include video or audio feeds that let patients at home communicate directly with the physician.

Telehealth is just one of many self-management tools that are geared to helping the aging generation remain in their homes and live independent lives.

"Senior citizens are becoming more savvy with technology, using cell phones and computers, so it will be easier for them to adapt to new devices," said Smith. "We're seeing that that they want to try to do as much for themselves as they can. They don't expect others to do things for them."

Smith also noted that a growing interest in technology is changing the way his agency delivers its services. "We went to install an emergency response system in a lady's home, but she didn't have a telephone," Smith said. "She only uses a cell phone now, so we had to find a different way to set up her system, which normally uses existing phone lines. We're running into issues like that that we've never had to deal with before."

Staying healthy at work

America's employers are facing new issues and challenges, too, as Baby Boomers are staying in the workforce longer than their parents did - some by choice to follow a lifelong passion or merely to continue getting employer-provided health insurance, while others must keep on working because of their financial situations. Other Boomers who do retire at the traditional age of 65 may find themselves being wooed back into the workplace by employers who see the value of older workers' expertise, proven skills, and positive work ethic.

Staying healthy on the job is yet another challenge as this generation ages.

"In addition to the usual problems that affect this age group, such as arthritis, we're also seeing people who are not able to meet all of the essential job requirements that they might have been able to do 20 years ago," said Dr. Glen E. Cooper, D.O., M.P.H., who practices Occupational and Environmental Medicine in the corporate health department at St. Francis Medical Center, in Cape Girardeau, MO.

"For example, the lifting requirement on the job might be 75 pounds, and back then they could do it. Today, they may not be able to do it anymore on a daily basis."

Cooper's advice to older workers as they compete in the job market is to take a hard look at their health and then take action to get in shape, whether it's losing weight or getting rid of unhealthy habits such as smoking cigarettes. Consulting with a physical therapist or occupational physician is also a smart thing to do before considering a move to a new job.

"A physical therapist can test to see if a person is agile enough to lift required weights and perform other various job duties," Cooper said. "Older workers should also consider the work environment. If you have respiratory problems, for example, you should stay away from dusty factory floors. If they have arthritis in their back, avoid jobs that require heavy lifting. Try to be more choosy about the type of job you do."

Beyond the bingo game

Indeed, Baby Boomers have always been all about freedom of choice. Today, these youthful seniors are making different choices about how they spend their free time.

If you think Southern Illinois senior citizens are staying home in their rocking chairs every night, think again. Just try to find a space on the crowded dance floor at the West Frankfort senior center, Wit & Wisdom, on the first Monday of every month. But don't expect to see many Baby Boomers there just yet - most of the dancing couples are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.

"We are starting to see a few more of the younger ones coming out lately, especially to the dances," said Ruby Melvin, director, Wit & Wisdom. "Some who have just turned 60 are coming out to play cards and bingo and go on our shopping trips to the local malls."

But in general, the majority of Boomers in their 50s and 60s are finding more exciting things to do on their own. Smith used to see new faces at the daily lunches at the Carterville senior center as soon as they turned 60, but now many of the newcomers are already in their seventies.

Today, aging Baby Boomers are finding other outlets for social activities, such as adult and continuing education classes, group travel, and volunteering with community groups.

"Many people at 60 don't even consider themselves seniors," said Jan Reed, project director, senior division, Jefferson County Comprehensive Services. "People who are 60 now are not the same as those who were 60 thirty years ago. Even if they're retired, they're not interested in coming to a nutrition site to have lunch and play bingo. They're going on cruises and playing golf."

Reed said that it's difficult to get her agency's clientele to even commit to a lunch reservation at the Sunshine Center, a senior nutrition center in Mt. Vernon, which pre-orders its meals the day before.

"The younger seniors don't want to commit to a reservation for the next day because something better might come up," Reed said. "They'd rather be out there doing something more active."

An exciting time to be alive

Whatever the future may hold for aging Baby Boomers, one thing is sure - they will revolutionize aging in America with the same rebellious and innovative spirit that has spearheaded cultural change for the past six decades. They're redefining retirement and seeking just the right balance between satisfying, possibly lifelong work and giving back to their communities as volunteers.

"I've read statistics that say that half of all retired people volunteer with their church or religious groups," Smith said. "About 25 percent also volunteer with community service groups. I think more seniors would volunteer if we'd just ask them, especially if we could take advantage of their skills, expertise, and interests."

Aronson, who describes herself as a "middle" Boomer, said it's an exciting time to be part of the Baby Boomer generation. "All kinds of things will be opening up for us as we move into our 60s and 70s, and I think it will be very interesting to see the flexibility that will open up in the workplaces," she said.

"I hope that we Baby Boomers will step up and volunteer as much as our parents' generation has, because there are so many community services who will depend on them," Aronson added. "In Herrin I've worked with some senior volunteers for about 20 years, so they were in their mid-60s when they started."

"They're still putting in 20 hours a week of volunteer work," Aronson said. "We Baby Boomers are probably more interested in travel and personal growth activities in our older years, but we also need to commit the time to keep volunteerism alive."

Online resources for baby boomers

Boot up your laptops and explore your options for health and happiness in your older years:

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

www.cms.hhs.gov

Learn more about quality of care initiatives, home health options, and technology such as Telehealth. Get your questions answered about the ever-evolving regulations for Medicare and Medicaid, too.

The Boomer Initiative(tm)

www.babyboomers.com

Click on "Baby Boomer News" for timely articles on health, work, money, and tips for living well in your older years. Check out the fun feature, "What happened the year you were born?"

American Association of Retired Persons

www.aarp.com

Visit the AARP website to read selected articles on health, fitness, financial management, travel, and relationships for persons 50 and older.

Third Age

www.thirdage.com

Recent articles geared to Baby Boomers on the home page included "All About Arthritis," "Nutrition and Menopause," and "Viagra and Your Heart."

Health milestones in the baby boomer years

Scientific discoveries and medical breakthroughs achieved during the years that Baby Boomers were growing up have contributed to this generation's longer life expectancy and overall better health.

1946 - Dr. Benjamin Spock's Baby and Child Care is published

1947 - "Broad spectrum" antibiotic introduced to fight typhus

1948 - Cortisone introduced as an arthritis treatment

1949 - Electron microscopy developed

1950 - Antihistamines become popular as cold relief medications

1951 - Mass production of penicillin and streptomycin reaches records

1952 - First contraceptive pill developed; Dr. Jonas Salk develops polio vaccine

1953 - First clear evidence linking lung cancer to cigarette smoking

1954 - First successful kidney transplant

1955 - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation founded

1957 - Interferon discovered

1958 - Invention of coronary angiography

1959 - Toy manufacturer Wham-O introduces the "Frisbee" (Exercise is healthy, too!)

1960 - First studies linking cigarette smoking with heart disease

1961 - First lasers developed

1962 - Morning sickness drug thalidomide found to be causing birth defects

1963 - First successful liver transplant

1964 - First lung transplant

(*Source: www.babyboomers.com)