The population flip

“For the first time in the United States, there are more older adults than young children.” That was the lead-in sentence of a story put out by K-State Research and Extension recently, and it kind of caught me by surprise. First of all, that it is a true statistic, and secondly, that it hasn’t happened before.

So here it is, another “first” for our era. Just one more thing to write home about.

I guess it surprises me because it’s been more than a generation ago that families became smaller, as in less kids. In my parents’ generation and before that, it was not unusual for a family to have ten or more kids. (Saying they were needed to help with the farm doesn’t fly past me without a raised eyebrow. They didn’t have TV or other distractions and just didn’t have anything else to do!)

In my generation, a family of four to five kids was considered a “large family.” And among my sons’ age group, the majority of their families don’t have more than three kids. So yes, it’s easily believable that my Boomer bunch outnumbers the tiny tots.

According to K-State specialist in aging Erin Yelland, “The oldest of the Baby Boomers are just now turning 75, which means that this population is going to continue to rapidly grow.” I kind of perked up my ears when I read that, as I am a card-carrying “Baby Boomer” myself.

Older Americans—those age 65 and up—have topped 54 million, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, experiencing rapid growth over the past ten years. The youngest age group—those age 5 and younger—has remained mostly flat in the U. S. and is estimated at just under 20 million. Further, current projections from the U. S. Census Bureau indicate that America’s older population will surpass those 18 and younger (currently at about 73 million) by the year 2035.

“There are a lot of good things that happen as a result of having an older population,” Yellend said recently on K-State’s weekly radio show, Sound Living. “For example, the majority of wealth is held by older adults, so they have a strong influence on our economy. Older adults bring wisdom, historical perspectives and value to society. Because we are living longer, older adults are able to act as the glue to some inter-generational families. Some are even raising or providing regular care for their grandchildren. Older adults play a lot of roles in society, all of which are valued.”

For us in the Sunflower State, here is a statistic to be proud of. Yellend says, “In Kansas, we have the highest percentage in the country of older adults who volunteer.” The highest percentage in the country! Hurray and “kudos” for the many “seniors” here in our hometown who volunteer at a number of places, such as the Thrift Shop, the Food Pantry, commodity distribution, and so forth.

Yelland said that K-State’s Center on Aging offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in gerontology, and its graduate program is listed as one of the top five programs in the United States. “The need for gerontologists and professionals that understand aging has never been greater,” Yelland said. “Opening that opportunity for students to understand the importance of aging, and how to address aging issues in their own career, is incredibly important.”

There’s not a whole lot of people that have the goal to live in a long term care facility. I know I sure don’t relish the thought. However, since my parents and other close relatives and dear friends have experienced that, I certainly appreciate those who have chosen a career path of taking care of the aging population.

The way I feel some days, I’m not far behind.