White Paper - New York State Office for the Aging

THE FACE OF NEW YORK – The People
government should now be considering what the needs are likely to be in 2015 and what
can we do today to be prepared for them at that time. In addition, it will be essential to
assume a more adaptive system for dealing with social changes so that as government
agencies are confronted with obstacles in the years to come, they will be better able to
deal effectively with the needs at hand, simultaneously re-addressing the then future
needs. Those Boomers who are relatively healthy, more affluent, better educated, and
technologically sophisticated are likely to provide the primary impetus for change.
Policy makers must bear in mind that those who are not as healthy, financially poorer,
less educated, and outside the “mainstream” cannot be ignored even if they are less
visible and less likely to be able to press for new, relevant programs.
There are many examples that we can observe right now that emphasize how
Elder Boomers will make new and different demands on the state system of solutions. In
the health care domain, it is likely that new pressures will be brought to bear on such
matters as the openness of medical procedures. Just as the Boomers demanded the right
for fathers to be present for the births of their children, so will they likely seek the right to
be present for medical procedures for aging conditions. In the same arena, as Viagra and
other sex stimulants become more widespread doctors will be faced with new pressures
to help keep AIDS and other STDs under control among the older population of sexually
active Boomers. Similarly, as nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have
more of these same sexually active Boomers under their care, the distribution of condoms
will signal a new face on the institutionalized elderly. Add to these issues such systemic
matters as the growth of preventive health care and maintaining wellness, and the existing
solutions fall short of the demands.
Children and families will also have a new (or greatly changed) face. Starting in
the 1970s, there was an emerging shift in that there were proportionately many more
divorces among the Boomers than in previous generations. Today, that shift is translating
into the beginning of a generation of kids with multiple grandparents. For the children of
2015, there will be vast numbers of compounded and often very complex family
dynamics. The fact of several sets of grandparents may mean some advantages for child
care. However, a more likely scenario is that Elder Boom grandparents will have too
many personal activities, both professional and leisure time, that will make them choose
not to provide baby sitting services. Conversely, there will be some Elder Boom
grandparents who are totally responsible for raising their grandchildren. These paradoxes
and predicaments will put new burdens of a unique variety on agencies dealing with
children, families, caretaking, and aging.
It is fairly easy to predict many of the immense demographic changes that are
already taking place, and although it is absolutely critical to understand them and their
potential impact, it is quite another matter to handle them effectively. Today,
governments and communities are contemplating their futures. The task of reinventing
public policy is a prodigious responsibility, especially when dealing with a group as vocal
and demanding as the Elder Boom. It goes without saying that their voices must be
heard. The trick is listening today to predict for tomorrow. A sensible place to start is to
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