Alleviating Elderly Problems: A Taoist Approach

The Tao Te Ching is a sacred text containing eighty one verses that were dictated by a self-realized man, Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu lived approximately five hundred years before the birth of Jesus – the Tao Te Ching is the most widely translated body of text after the Bible and its eighty one verses are believed to be the ultimate commentary on living a harmonious life by observing nature – this seems to be exactly what the doctor prescribed for the Seventy-six million baby boomers.

The Tao is all about studying and learning important life lessons from nature. In the 76th verse of the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu invites us to change our perception of weakness and strength. He teaches us how the most hard and stiff organisms in nature are actually very weak and easily destroyed. On the other hand, anything in nature that’s yielding, flexible and gentle; proves to be the most durable. Isn’t it true that upon nearing death and decay a tree would become hard and stiff making it vulnerable to strong winds and fire? The wood of the tree becomes frail, feeble and stiff as it ages. Lao Tzu rightly points out that it’s the wood’s inflexibility and hardness that tends to make it weak. Isn’t this akin to all other organisms as well that become completely stiff and inflexible (weak) at the time of their deaths?

Being baby boomers we have all probably seen newly born babies who seem to be complete yoga masters and have no difficulty in performing amazing physical feats (like placing their feet in their mouth). We have all witnessed toddlers bump their heads and limbs against the walls and furniture in the house – each time they manage to shrug it off in a matter of minutes only to resume whatever they were doing. Within minutes they would make friends, have fights and then make up with them. It seems as if their bodies and their minds are flexible and supple – they are unafraid of being hurt, injured or looking silly. On a different note, they are also least bothered about which God the next door neighbor prays to or about how much wealth their school mates’ parents possess . Somehow, as we grow older physically our minds, thoughts, judgments and feelings become too stiff, inflexible and rigid – it’s sad that society judges us according to how fiercely we hold onto our beliefs and concepts of what’s right and what’s wrong. In order to live longer and happier, baby boomers need to bring about a shift in that kind of reasoning.

Alleviating Elderly Problems by Learning to Bend

It seems as if our ability to listen more than we speak, to bend when necessary, to let go of grief and grudges and to allow our point of views to change with time and experience is very similar to a palm tree amidst a hurricane whose flexibility (apparent weakness) turns out to be its greatest strength.

We baby boomers need to look at their opinions and beliefs about touchy subjects like birth control, abortions and the death penalty and consider being in the position of someone who holds a contrary opinion. We need to look at things from his/her perspective and try to shake loose our unshakable opinion. Similarly we need to put ourselves in the place of people from different religions, different countries, different social statures, the opposite gender and a different generation in order to attain mental and physical longevity. As someone rightly said “The essence of illness is the freezing of behavior into unalterable and insatiable patterns”.

Please read the 76th verse of the Tao and try to meditate on how these words ring true in your own life:

“Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard. Plats are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry.Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail”

(From a translation by S. Mitchell)

Baby Boomers Understanding the Tao – bending is living is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Psychological Articles as Solutions to Types of Discrimination

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Elderly Problems: Tips to Stop Smoking

By Boomeryearbook.com

There is no doubt that every smoker knows how injurious smoking is to themselves as well as those affected by second hand smoke, but to stress the point, we have compiled a short list summarizing the hazardous effects of smoking; for both the active and passive smokers:

• High risk of stroke
• High risk of coronary diseases.
• Lung cancer.
• Cervical cancer.
• Respiratory tract cancer and disorders.
• Childbirth complications.

Most of these diseases are related to elderly problems faced by the baby boomer generation. Non-smokers that are exposed to an environment where smoking is common may develop the following health related issues:

• Respiratory tract infections.
• Sudden infant death syndrome.
• Ear infections.

Some Tips to help you with Quitting:

• The foremost thing you need to plan is what would be a sufficiently distractive alternative activity? You need to identify the times and situations that ask for a smoke and then think of an alternative activity in which you can indulge.

• Some people crave cigarettes most when stressed out- and can opt to take a run or even a short walk around the block. In other cases where desiring a cigarette when drinking coffee or alcohol, one could replace the accustomed beverage with tea or a health drink that won’t trigger the desire for a cigarette.

• Inform all your friends, family and co-workers about your decision to quit smoking, so they can motivate and remind you.

• Set a date for completely quitting, but start slowly by cutting down on your nicotine intake and maximizing the duration between cigarettes.

• Try to clean out anything that smells of smoke especially the ash trays.

• Give yourself an incentive for completing a smoke free week. Reward yourself for success.

• Avoid the company of friends who smoke and are not supportive of your decision to quit smoking.

• Ask your doctor about nicotine patches, gums or sprays as they are not as hazardous as cigarettes.

• Keep hard candies or even straws which can be chewed on.

• Enroll in a smoking cessation program. It helps to meet others from the baby boomer generation and hear stories about their elderly problems related to smoking to which you can relate.

• Try to convince a friend to quit along with you, and compare progress or even make it a competition.

• Exercise is a great way to curb the urge to smoke.

After a person quits smoking, they may experience recovery symptoms which include weight gain due to fluid retention, sore or dry gums and/or tongue, hunger, lethargy, and short-temperedness. Some people also complain of insomnia and a persistent cough. The good news is that these are a sign that your body is healing itself and cleansing the effects of nicotine. Usually the effects of nicotine are completely flushed out of your system within 2 to 3 days.

According to psychological research, 350,000 deaths occur each year due to elderly problems like heart and lung diseases, cancer and stroke. This should be a good enough reason for anyone from the baby boomer generation to quit smoking now.

The Psychological Article on How to Quit Smoking is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on Elderly Problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Psychological Articles Based-Informational Social Network Website for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive your weekly newsfeed, and let your opinions be heard.

Baby Boomers and Pole Dancing

By Boomeryearbook.com

Dancing is an self-expressive art form, and pole dancing, similar to other dance styles, is a combination of self-expression as well as a performance art. For those who have been living under a rock, pole dancing can be characterized as a synergy of sensual dancing and gymnastic skills displayed by a singular artist/entertainer using a vertical pole as a prop. Initially only done in strip clubs and gentlemen’s clubs, today pole dancing is performed in non-erotic venues such as circuses, cabarets and other mainstream stage performances.

Advanced pole dancing requires remarkable strength, muscle co-ordination, flexibility, stamina, and endurance. In strip clubs however, it doesn’t require many gymnastic skills, as the dancers can simply hold the pole; while in other venues the pole is used for climbs, spins and body inversions. The key to a well performed, proficient pole dance is upper body and core strength.

Recently, pole dancing has acquired popularity as a form of an exercise. It can be used as, both an aerobic and non aerobic workout. Many well known fitness clubs are offering a program in pole dancing. In such classes mostly women and sometimes men use a pole as the workout prop. The exercise really enhances upper body strength and does overall toning of the body.

Pole Dancing For Baby Boomers

It may come as a surprise to many that pole dancing has a solution for many elderly problems. It is not only a social activity but it also holds the key to solve many common elderly problems. It can not only cheer us up by pumping up endorphins, it also improves overall heath, reduces stress, burns calories, lowers cholesterol and can help fight dementia.

Health

While it may not be the most conventional way of burning calories and losing weight, it is no doubt one of the most fun ways. It can burn as many calories as does a spinning class and other gym session, and is one of the easiest ways to beat winter blues, a widely experienced elderly problem as it improves overall blood circulation.

Pole dancing is a very unique way of strengthening the leg and hip bones. In addition to that, in order to master the moves, one has to perform them repeatedly which builds up stamina and lowers blood pressure.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is undoubtedly one of the most challenging elderly problem today. Pole dancing surprisingly helps fight Alzheimer’s as it involves memorizing steps and techniques, and engaging the participant in a challenging brain activity; and psychological articles inform us that mental challenges keep our brains fit and can protect us from all forms of dementia.

Pleasure

In addition to medical benefits, pole dancing provides a chance to enjoyment without too much exertion. Thus, the excitement caused by the experience allows the body to release endorphins; making us happier, more energetic, and definately sexier!

Today, there is a growing worldwide effort to make pole dancing a serious sport as well as art form. It’s not only fun but can be the road to overall improved mental and physical health, as it builds endurance, flexibility, agility, co-ordination, stamina,strength and sex appeal.

So what are we waiting for baby boomers? It’s time for us to get moving.

Pole Dancing for the Baby Boomers Generation is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on Elderly Problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Psychological Articles Based Information Website for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

Your grandchild, the apple of your eye, is eating nothing but apples and carrots.  She thinks she’s too fat.  You can see her ribcage when she is wearing bikinis, yet she still insists that she needs to lose weight.  She may be suffering from an eating disorder called anorexia.  Young people who are just going into puberty are often the ones who tend to suffer most from anorexia.   

The primary reason for this is that they are just beginning to become aware of their bodies and are comparing themselves to famous people who are said to be beautiful by ‘experts.’  If they don’t get the same ‘beautiful’ affirmation from those around them, they may strive to look more and more like the ‘beautiful people they see on TV or in magazines.  

The Telltale Signs To Look For

Girls might have irregular menstrual cycles. Other signs such as weakness, skin that breaks easily, anxiety and/or shortness of breath should be cause for concern.  People suffering from anorexia may not want to eat in public because they are afraid that others may notice that they are not eating much.  They may, also, literally count their calories daily and are very strict about not going over a certain amount.  You may, also, notice that they are exercise fanatics and may be drinking some kind of diet tea or taking diet pills.

They usually lose about 15% more weight than they should and this can sometimes cause health problems especially in girls.  Their bones may not develop as fully as they should, their body temperatures will be abnormally low; they may develop an irregular heartbeat  and they may be much smaller in height and body size than their peers.  

If they use laxatives, it can weaken their bowel muscles and cause them to work less efficiently.  Also, some of the laxatives on the market are not good for ingestion and can lead to other ailments when absorbed into the body for an extended period of time.

How You Can Help

If you suspect that your grandchild has anorexia, first extend a hand of support.  Recognize and understand that they are not so much vain as they have been brainwashed by a superficial society that dictates to people who or what is supposed to be beautiful.  

This is not an intervention that you will want to do alone.  You’ll need her parents’ and some expert help.  Check your local non-profit organizations and see if there’s a group that’s specifically for anorexics.  If there is, tell her parents and ask them to go with her to a meeting.  You may even volunteer to go with her as well.  If there are no local groups that would be able to offer some help, you will have to go to a private eating disorder expert.

It is not unexpected for her to deny that she has a problem.  This is the same with every kind of disorder.  What you can do is give specific examples where she’s not like others or her behavior is not reasonable for someone her age.  The most important thing to remember during this meeting is not to get angry but to be sure to let her know that you’re only trying to help.

It’s important to let your grandchild know that she’s beautiful just the way she is.  If you notice an obsession with overly skinny models or celebrities, try to help her put that into perspective by using every opportunity to show her others who are just as beautiful but not as waif-like in appearance.  Constant reinforcement of the idea that skinny is not necessarily the only way to ‘beautiful’ is a very good way to ward of any anorexic thoughts.

Do you have a child or grandchild who you think is anorexic?  Tell us how you’ve dealt with it or what you’re planning to do.  Let’s talk about it on BoomerYearbook.com.

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

STANDING ALONE WITH BI POLAR DISORDER

by BoomerYearbook.com

Bi Polar disease is a term that more and more people are beginning to recognize. It is a heart wrenching condition that not only affects the life of the individual afflicted with it but touches the hearts of their family and friends as well. So why is it becoming more familiar? Perhaps because it is being better diagnosed and the general public feel painfully aware and personally touched by its prevalence.

It is devastating in itself when this disease affects an individual with a support system of family and friends. It is almost impossible to comprehend what it must be like for those who stand alone in partnership with this awful disorder. One thing is for certain, neither the disease nor the loneliness is a condition of choice.

If those of us who are fortunate enough not to be touched or affected by Bipolar disorder were to reach out to those who are, then perhaps the suicide rate which is high amongst the patients of this disease, would drop. It is estimated that about 3 – 4% of US adults suffer from it, and that about half of the US suicide deaths are in patients with Bipolar disease. So, if we as individuals sit back and tell ourselves that it does not concern us, we are sadly mistaken.

Not only does it affect us from an emotional and moral point of view, it affects us in indirect ways as well. Aside from the healthcare and treatment costs, it has an impact on the afflicted person’s job and professional life.  Many of these individuals are not able to fend for themselves and function in normal daily routines. This means not being able to work, or provide for themselves and their families. In such cases the government needs to assume the total responsibility; i.e., millions of dollars required from the social services sector to supply food, housing, clothing, educational, and health care costs.

The hope on the horizon for these individuals may very well be lithium based drug treatment.  This therapeutic modality is not new, (it was used in the late 1900’s), and has been successfully used to treat a variety of mental disorders such as bi-polar and borderline personality disorder. However, they are not without side effects. And as technology progresses, so does the new drug treatment market. The question that comes to the fore is have these new medications achieved better treatment goals than their predecessors?  The debate is still out and thus the statistical research continues.

The priority here is to determine if the pharmaceutical treatment has adequately contributed to reduce the suffering experienced by bipolar patients, and in turn their friends and families? Whether directly affected by the disease or not, whether the stricken person is alone or part of a family unit, it is something all of us need to stop and think about. This disease is everybody’s problem because in some way, shape or form it most definitely does affect the community.

Want more tips on Bipolar Disorders? Have a comment or question you’d like to share? Come join others at Boomer Yearbook for information and effective coaching tips and strategies.

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

When Alzheimer beats Boomer

by BoomerYearbook.com

The latest 2008 statistics show there are at least 5.2 million Americans who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. And with an increasing trend in the number of new cases, it will be doubly hard for the U.S. healthcare system to undertake the weighty task of care and treatment.

The recent projection reveals that the disease will remain a significant multi-faceted issue to plague the country in the next decades. The numbers suggest that by 2050, there will be close to a million new cases and that Alzheimer’s disease would be the seventh deadliest disease in America. The figures also manifest that the risk is greater among women in contrast to men.

The overall projection of 10 million cases even makes the scenario more alarming since the ratio is pegged at 1 out of every 8 baby boomers. 

The impact of having boomers experiencing this high-risk disease can be visibly understood in terms of the boomers’ higher purchasing power and the expanding circle of caregivers that are either children or grandchildren.

Even federal health insurance programs recognized the significance of the issue. Medicare cushions the trebling cases by spending thrice the amount of money on those afflicted with the disease than it does for an average Medicare recipient. Medicare is expected to spend $160 billion by 2010, a number that will be an increasing trend by 2015 when it continues to rise to $189 billion each year.

The projected figures, as reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, also imply the need for increasing  long-term care systems instituted for home and assisted living facilities; an even more problematic situation as these costs are not covered by most health insurance. 

Research spending on the disease remained relatively low at $640 million as compared to the $5 billion annual budget on cancer research and $3 billion annual budget on heart disease. Unless more money is spent on research and testing to find a cure for the disease, the disease will continue to plague many millions of baby boomers.

Alzheimer’s and care giving for loved ones with Alzheimer’s is a troubling boomer concern. But you do not have to suffer alone! Come join others at boomeryearbook.com for information and support.

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

Boomer Life Expectancy on the Rise

by Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Let’s go back to the early 1900’s (way before the boomer years). In those days, the life expectancy of an average person was only 47 years, which is now considered a young age to die, by civilized societies standards.  Today’s statistics show that men and women are now living way longer than before, with an expectancy of 75 years for men and over 79 years for women. How has that happened? Well, during the last century, people ate what was readily available, not taking into consideration the idea of proper and good nutrition. Moreover, a lot of medications for diseases (some even considered common nowadays) were not yet discovered or developed. Life was also way harder back then. Think of working in sweat factories, spending cold nights without central heating and really hot summers without air – conditioning. So modern medicine, good nutrition and an easier life has played a huge role in increasing life expectancy. But the question is, even if we reach 70 or even 80 or 100 – will we be healthy, or will we be stuck in our beds or wheelchairs looking outside our bedroom windows? 

Face it, with all the luxuries and conveniences that we have, we have succumbed to living an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. Think about fast-food, take out and TV dinners, and lying on the couch while watching DVDs. Sounds familiar, right? Because of this, a lot of sedentary – lifestyle caused diseases and complications are more common than ever; Obesity, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer –to name just a few. And for baby boomers, inactivity and poor eating habits are particularly dangerous, because we’re at the age when our unhealthy lifestyle is beginning to catch up to us.  Starting to notice a decrease in your metabolism? Or a decrease in your muscle mass? Having a hard time eliminating body fat? Trouble performing aerobic activities? Having a hard time breathing while walking, climbing up the stairs or running? These are what you call bio markers – or signs of aging. If you’re starting to feel that, the chances are if you ever reach 75 or 80, you’ll be having a hard time enjoying your golden years.

This brings us to exercise – a very underrated and easy activity that the average person usually takes for granted. But a little exercise (just twenty minutes a day) is enough to reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. More so, exercise rewards you with great circulation, reduced cholesterol and stronger bones. With just a little exercise, you’re on your way to a fitter body, so you can enjoy the expected years ahead.   

Want helpful tips on keeping fit and healthy for the years to come? Have ideas you want to share? Visit boomeryearbook.com to learn and share, and while you’re on it – connect with other boomers!

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a Cultural Revolution brewing in America. Many people were  products of war, despair and the Great Depression and so they all longed for days of peace, love and the American dream.

Young people were busy then, brimming with ideals about clean air, clean water, a cleaner Many have assumed the largest generation in US history, as it moves up the age escalator will be the healthiest generation of aging adults because they grew up in wealthier times, exercised more, smoked less, and were more knowledgeable about health. This assumption has been proven wrong.

Studying the dynamics of health of this population is more challenging than any other generation due to their size, composition, earlier life experiences, and exposure to differing historical events.

For instance, there is an apparent paradox in the trends of increasing exercise levels and a significant rise in obesity over the last few decades. In order to explain these two differing patterns, changes in leisure-time physical activity, work-related activity, eating habits, fast-food super-sizing, and environmental factors influencing healthy lifestyles are taken into account. So even if the boomer generation as a whole is increasing their exercise levels, the eating habits of North Americans, and in particular, the quantity and quality of fast-food consumption both in restaurants and at home cancels out the benefits of any healthy exercise regime.

We live in a pressure-cooker technological world of high prices, advertising, TV, cell phones, taxes, pollution, long work hours, dual wage earner families, occupational disruptions, and affordable housing shortages. These factors contribute to a fast pace of living and thus higher obesity in conjunction with the availability of cheap but poor quality fast foods.

Overweight and obese “baby boomers” are entering their senior years with weight-related problems that are plaguing their “golden years” with problems, increasing the need for nursing homes and medical care. 62% of 50-64 year olds claim to have at least one of the following obesity related chronic conditions: heart disease, hypertension, cancer, arthritis and high cholesterol.

Already faced with a nursing care shortage in America, experts are projecting a need for an additional 10-25 percent of nursing home care, and an explosion in weight-related Type 2 diabetes. Studies show that overweight parents are also producing, via poor eating habits and lack of exercise regimens, overweight children with an increase of Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is more common than type 1 diabetes, where in both cases the body has trouble controlling blood sugar due to problems with insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar.

Baby boomers as a generation are defined as trend-setters; so why not lead the pack by getting 30 minutes of exercise every day, cutting down on fatty foods, double your portions of fruits and veggies and show your children how to lead a fitter, healthier life.

Boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

Then suddenly it seemed that chanting and singing was too hard a way to bring about universal happiness and for many drugs got in the way. With songs glamorizing getting high, smoking pot, taking a trip, zoning out, drinking, retreating from reality in hopes of finding a euphoria that was easier to obtain.

After a few years of free love and acid trips, the reality of life finally prompted most to get their lives together, finish their education, find a job, raise a family and contribute to a society once so soundly denounced.

In the process, they succumbed to the trappings of big industry; cheap fuel, plastics, fast foods, larger, faster cars, labor-saving gadgets, technology on the fast track, make everything easier and more attractive. Bigger was better, keeping up with the Joneses, Smiths and whoever else had the new shiny toy while keeping their heads above water seemed to be the joie de vivre for most.

So have they changed? Have baby boomers seen the error of their environment unfriendly ways? A survey published in December 2007 by AARP shouts a resounding yes.  There are now 40 million so-called “green boomers” in the United States, according to that survey. That’s more than half of all boomers, which, at 78 million, make up the largest generation in U.S. history.

While many may not have been early adopters of environmental behaviors, now that boomers are signing on in large numbers, the effects will be great, AARP says.

Focalyst, a New York research firm that surveyed 30,000 boomers and older people for AARP, identified the green boomers by their environmental practices. These ecologically minded boomers are doing everything from buying organic products and goods produced locally (to save on gasoline and air pollution) to supporting companies that give back to the community.

So how can Baby Boomers go green?

1. Shop locally. By shopping locally, you are not only helping with your area’s economy, you are reducing the amount of emissions put in the air by not having to drive to a different town.

2. Say bye-bye to bottled water. Bottled water is expensive, and emissions from the plants that bottle the water is harmful to the environment. So skip the bottled water and go for a home purification unit.

3. Opt for rechargeable batteries. Between remote controls for various electronics in the home, not to mention hand-held video games, Americans go through millions of batteries a year. Most of these batteries end up in our landfills.

4. Skip the drive-thru. Even though time saving and convenient, the extra fuel exhaust that is released into the atmosphere while waiting for your order is harmful to the environment. So instead of sitting inline and burning up extra fuel, simply park your vehicle and walk inside.

With a better-late-than-never attitude many boomers have realized that there is only one Earth and it is our duty to protect it, no matter what generation you were born in.

Boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

Tech-savvy baby boomers are quickly becoming the norm. Recent studies have shown that America’s 78 million boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are just as likely as Gen X-ers and Gen Y-ers to own a mobile phone or to use the Internet. But the technology products and Web services they use often reflect the concerns boomers have as they move into their 60s. “Kids adopt new technology because it’s fun and cool and they’re curious,” says Dr. Reisen, co-founder of a popular boomer social website. “Boomers adopt technology as they need it.”

The lifestyle of the boomer generation influences the products they buy, says Susan Walker, founder of the Smart-Silvers Alliance, which seeks to promote awareness and development of consumer-friendly technology products for seniors. “Younger generations don’t hang around the house too long; they’re all about having portable media, personal entertainment,” Walker says. As we get older, we develop cataracts, weight gain, arthritis and that makes portable entertainment a tougher sell. The older generation loves TV, but you can’t stare at a 2-inch screen without having to get a stronger eyeglass prescription.

Difficulty of use is a common complaint; mobile phone developers have been chasing the younger generation with slicker, smaller handsets. Those tiny buttons are not made for an adult hand. That is probably why you don’t see many boomers text messaging.

Having witnessed the tech revolution, Baby Boomers are willing to embrace and purchase today’s emerging entertainment offerings, according to the findings in TV Land’s Joy of Tech Study. 78 million strong and $2.3 trillion in annual spending, and outpacing 18-39 year-olds by 53%, Baby Boomers have the numbers, financial means and desire to create their own “digital nest” – a place where new media technology creates both a personal escape as well as an entertainment hub for family and friends.

If you are tired of the teasing and taunting from your younger more tech-savvy counterparts, you can tell them that it is you the boomer that can take credit for shaping the course of this technology if not the entire direction of the digital revolution. Have you heard of Bill Gates? He is among one of digital industry pioneers now in their 50s. But several decades ago he was the annoying tech-savvy kid who seized the moment when the “old folks” had no clue.

Boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.