By Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Baby boomers continue to attract criticism in their advancing years. In the maelstrom of ‘boomer controversy’ in the fifties, sixties and seventies of the last Century, baby boomers were attacked for their promiscuity; their blatant disregard of rules, regulations and traditions and most of all for their sheer audacity when it came to refusing to do doing things the way they had always been done. When boomers decided they no longer liked society’s values, they set out to change them. And change them they certainly did!

In the bad old days (in other words before plastic) things were a little different. New mothers struggled with heaving metal buckets of soaking diapers because there was no alternative to getting cloth toweling clean and sterile as baby boomers had not yet invented disposable diapers. The wonder of synthetics had not yet changed the World, so every housewife’s daily routine included armfuls of washing and pressing of family clothing – not to mention an ongoing battle with pure cotton bed linen to be boiled, starched and pressed before it was deemed fit for use.

Women particularly were victims of agricultural facilities. Most men in the pre boomer age enjoyed the status of ‘lord and master’ and favored conventional family roles where they very much ruled the roost; rarely helping with household chores; usually making all decisions of a financial nature for good or ill; sometimes availing themselves of a social life separate to family life, found in sporting and drinking clubs.

In addition to the inconvenience of daily chores, many lladies were compelled to stay within the strict perimeters of local prejudice. A respectable widow, even if she was still relatively young, would not dream of casual dating and risk triggering gossip and scandal. Dressing in racy fashions was definitely out of the question! As she got older, her skin wrinkled and her teeth and gums began to weaken: she accepted her toothless and wrinkly future quietly and made the best of things, choosing to cover the wrinkles with thick, unsightly make up resembling filler and thinly veiling her ill fitting dentures with a watery smile…

The general aura of practicality surrounding society in pre boomer days would hardly encourage vanity. Newspaper promotion vaguely endorsed the importance of ladies keeping their figures through heavy corseting right up to the fifties but few cosmetic enhancements were available, apart from standard face paint widely frowned upon. Men were invited to keep their beards well trimmed and reminded that real men smoked the right brand of cigar or cigarette but were otherwise left to age graciously!

Baby boomer technology changed everything forever

Yet by the closing years of the last Century, it was possible to completely transform one’s appearance and scrape away the years as much as one wished, provided there were sufficient funds to cover the treatments. Plastic and silicone technology brought revolutionary medical corrective surgery. Combined with a determination to stay young, almost anything became possible for a baby boomer on a mission to live forever…

Any why not? Why should the World object on the one hand to the baby boomer vanities that brought physical enhancement to the modern World and yet on the other hand have the temerity to avail itself of the technological and surgical facilities now available courtesy of boomer skills, talents and resources?

In the twenties and thirties of the last Century, a man with a toothache could either put up with it or undergo an extraction. By the time he reached his late fifties, he would be most fortunate to have sufficient healthy teeth left to chew! Nowadays, it is extremely rare for a fifty, sixty and even seventy year old to wear false teeth. Early orthodontry pulls and pushes teeth and gums into shape and modern dental methods strengthen gum and bone sufficiently to ensure our teeth outlive us. No more plates; no more embarrassment…

Research changed that: boomers changed that.

Along with the ability to perform cosmetic surgery, new morals surfaced to accompany physical enhancement. The World talked itself into believing breast lifts were perfectly acceptable, along with hair transplants; nose jobs; tummy tucks and less invasive treatments such as eyelash dyeing; hair tinting; skin peels.

Baby boomer vanity is one of the biggest single money spinners in the history of marketing and the reason is obvious: boomers have money.

Baby boomer morals have always been slightly flawed where the rest of the World was concerned but their ability to ‘fix stuff’ has always been legendary. Who on earth would tolerate being fat, bald and toothless if they could be slim, fit, with a perfect flashing smile and a full head of hair? Who? Broke people – that’s who!

It takes money. And money, unfortunately, is a commodity the average Joe does not have. The result is resentment of boomers and their ability to have exactly what they want whenever they want it.

As we lurch into a new Century, modern science embroiders on boomer achievements to improve on existing treatments in an effort to make them not only better but also cheaper and therefore more accessible for those with fewer financial resources.

So don’t worry – by 2050, we will ALL be gorgeous!

The Psychological Article on Baby Boomer Vanity – Where Will it Lead Us? 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.

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!

By Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Some years ago, a lengthy article was published by the BBC on the vagaries of the baby boomer generation. It was a damning critique of a generation hell bent on wrecking the planet, along with most of its social standards.

So how has the baby boomer species ruined the World? They stand accused of owning homes that are too big; gas guzzling cars that are too big and require to be driven too far each day to work and home again; taking too many holidays too often to exotic locations; over spoiling the grandchildren; causing the divorce rate to skyrocket; not to mention sexually transmitted diseases rumored to be rooted in baby boomer ‘free love’ from the sixties onward; and generally being a scourge on an otherwise relatively even keeled planet!

Although one or two boomers have made a half hearted attempt to protest their innocence and declare that their society is simply more transparent and that the World has always struggled with poor moral standards, in our modern society we tend to forget that the pre-baby boomer years were comparatively free from the alcohol and drug related problems we now have to deal with on a daily basis. Apart from the occasional ‘drunk’ who would be a local scandal, the thirties and forties were primarily wrapped in a cocoon of respectability until we baby boomers came along and exploded our values – or lack of them – on society; causing moral havoc everywhere.

To add insult to injury, the baby boomer generation continued its sexual freedom motif at all cost and instead of putting a curb on its sexual activities, spent gazillions on research to sponsor the ultimate birth control – the Pill!! Hooray! Contraception was the new age weapon against unwanted pregnancy and funded with almost the same enthusiasm as the space race. Sexually transmitted diseases were warded off with condoms, brought to modern sophistication to make them more comfortable and marketed to exhaustion: with relatively foolproof protection at its fingertips the baby boomer set thumbed its nose at the rest of the World and carried on doing what it did best…

But – we baby boomers have also blessed the World with some ‘good stuff’. Let us not forget space travel; plastic surgery; computer technology; alternative medicine; the mobile phone; the morning after pill; food hygiene; seat belts; disposable diapers; the hundreds of cures that have been brought to people with horrible diseases and disabilities: baby boomer technology is not all bad…

Baby boomers are thought to be single-handedly responsible for the breakdown of family values in the new Century. With the escalation of the divorce rate, the onset of the ‘new family unit’ became something the World had to cope with; stepsons and daughters having to build trusting relationships with step fathers and mothers; children abandoned while their natural fathers or mothers sought new relationships elsewhere; the old concept of ‘making your bed and lying in it’ out the window; to be replaced by the ‘take what you can get out of life because everyone else does’ attitude that is more typical of baby boomers than loyalty, fidelity and ‘staying together for the sake of the children’, so popular in pre-WW2 days.

‘Consumerism is all’ to many of the baby boomer generation; unsurprising when you consider the product standards on offer. Baby boomers have on their doorstep an array of consumer goods the like of which the World has never seen: stand in any department store on Christmas Eve or Hanukkah in New York or London or Paris and savor the aroma of melting credit card plastic, mingling with the scent of new fabrics, perfume and expensive leather to know just how baby boomers have changed the face of religious festivals Worldwide! We just don’t know when to stop, it seems…

Enhancement is the expensive and sought after ultimate boomer beauty routine – from top to toe, we boomers spend a fortune on our physical appearance. We like labels; we like our youthful image and we do not accept our advancing years as previous generations have graciously accepted theirs – bring on the Botox and the liposuction -and charge it!

As women continue to be liberated and strive for sexual equality; as gays fly out of the closet at the rate of knots and as America invites its first African American president to make a cameo appearance on ‘The Simpsons’, it is obvious that the boomer generation accepts nothing as impossible.

The greediest and most consumerist generation the World has ever seen is by nature deaf to criticism so there is little point in harping about boomers leaving the planet in poor condition! Knowing baby boomers, it will be passed on tagged ‘as seen!’

Baby boomers continue to procure the best that money can buy, despite dire warnings of recession; global warming; the death of the planet; disease; pestilence and the collapse of the family unit. Love us or hate us, we boomers at BoomerYearbook.com know that we are simply incorrigible…, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

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!

Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Would you believe that as close as the early twentieth century, the average life expectancy was just 30-40 years?

Imagine the kind of progress that has been achieved over the last hundred odd years. Most of this progress has been achieved in the last few decades. The boomer generation has been extremely health conscious and that has rubbed off on the entire population of America. Though considered to be the obesity capital of the world, America is also the most health conscious nation on the planet. If you are a boomer, in your 50s or early 60s now, chances are that you are in excellent health and will live on for several more decades. The kind of medical facilities available in the country today have made sure that disorders that were life threatening a hundred years ago are treatable without surgery today.

And not just disorders. The boomer generation has done a lot of research into the way the body functions, and what keeps us going. This has resulted in a lifestyle that is a lot healthier than before. Of course, there are a lot of aspects that have made our life more dependant on artificial stuff that is considered unhealthy, but to counter that, we now have isolated vitamin and mineral remedies. The big challenge we face is a pretty sedentary lifestyle for everyone in the corporate rat race. Still, thanks to the tremendous progress in health care, there is an increase in life quality and expectancy.

Today, it is a not an oddity to see someone over the age of 100. In the next few decades, it is certain to become even more common place. In fact, if someone does not live to beyond 80, they will be seriously mourned!
So, plan ahead, and think what you are going to do with those years ahead of you!

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!

By Boomeryearbook.com

What is Aging?

One researcher says, “The biological crystal ball is very cloudy when we come to aging. No one fully understands it”. Even so, scientists who study aging have attempted to define it by saying, “it is the chronological time that someone has existed”. But aging is more than the passing of years. One does not normally speak of an aging child because aging has a connotation of deterioration of vitality. Aging is the toll that the passing years take on an individual.

What are the possible effects of aging?

Senior depression

Depression in the aged shows up in a different way from that in younger people. Rather than manifesting itself as anguish or anxiety, such depression is “characterized by loss of cognitive abilities – memory, concentration, and thinking ability.” Aging boomers lose interest in what they used to do or what used to give them pleasure. Such symptoms are sometimes mistakenly regarded as just part of old age, yet it is very important that people have constant contact with elderly family members.

Trouble in sleeping

About 30 percent of older people complain they have trouble sleeping, yet some who think they have sleep problems may simply be experiencing the normal changes in sleep patterns that accompany aging. While a child of four sleeps an average of ten hours nightly, teenagers nine hours, and young adults seven or eight, the baby boomers normally sleep four to six hours, and many get along fine on just three or four hours each night.

How can early aging be prevented?

“People adapt houses for children. Why not adapt them for baby boomers?” asks a scientist. Besides safer homes for the elderly, they should exercise to strengthen the muscular system in order to reduce the risk of falling. One should get rid of the early aging enemies that include a sedentary way of life, unbalanced nutrition (especially diets rich in fat), smoking, excessive use of alcoholic beverages, stress, and lack of sleep. Extreme stress weakens the immune system which is intimately related to the onset of various diseases and consequently also of old age.

Do you know any secret in the prevention of Aging? Others people might need your help in Boomer Yearbook.

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.

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.

When the population started trebling and homemakers began finding ways to ease their domestic tasks, microwave ovens came as a surprise that was both detestable and delectable. It was in the boomer period when microwave ovens were first made available for home use. No one contested that the new device would have promise for boomers, but many were initially unimpressed.

The microwave oven is the unpredicted offshoot of Dr. Percy Spencer who was then testing a new vacuum tube called “magnetron.” He spent time exploring the tube while placing some popcorn kernels near it. His fascination grew when he saw before his eyes how those kernels cracked and popped inside his laboratory. When the popcorn test was over, Spencer tried placing an egg near the tube and, together with his curious colleague, the two saw how the rising temperature caused internal pressure within the egg. What Spencer thought possible at that moment was the very same product that many, especially in the busy cities found useful— quick cooking.

It was only until 1947—the year following the start of the boomer period—that the first commercial microwave oven was made available. While it rings true that Dr. Spencer had revolutionized cooking, the earlier features of the microwave oven were not as appealing as they are today. It then weighed 750 pounds and stood 6 feet tall, which is reminiscent of refrigerators and other bulky home appliances. The cost of each unit was exorbitant at about $5,000 each. The plumbing installation system also made it complex for oven use.

The initial feedback was generally unsatisfactory. Sales were low and people had not yet seen the kind of oven they were looking for…ah, but things changed in time. As the first set of microwave ovens underwent refurbishments and refinements, customers began flocking to the stores. The price of the oven was made less expensive and technologically sophisticated features no longer required plumbing installation.

An unprecedented level of acceptance was reached in the immediate years not only in homes but also in the food business industry. Faster and fresher food was the guarantee offered by the oven and today, the device is considered a necessity both in the domestic and commercial market.

Do you remember your first microwave? I certainly remember mine. It was in my college cafeteria and we were told we needed to stand many feet back to avoid being nuked! What’s your memory? We’d love to hear. Come join boomeryearbook and continue your trip down memory lane.

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.

As part of the baby boomer generation, we have had the best of both worlds.

We have grown up in an environment where family was valued over everything else, and today we are leaders of an environment where technology and information is shaping lives of people. But then, some priorities have not changed at all.

Family still happens to be the number one priority in our worlds. Irrespective of what ever happens, family remains the crux of our lives, and if there is one thing our children have learnt from us, it is the value of having family as the anchor in our tumultuous lives.

This is even more important for our kids. Our lives had a lot of leisure in the early phase, and we had a lot of wind downs that were available to us. However, in today’s times, there is a high premium on every single minute of our schedules, and our kids have a tougher time managing their priorities. But then, as clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner mentions, ‘If there is one thing that can keep you anchored in spite of all the challenges of our daily life, it is a supportive family’. That is absolutely true! Consider the case of any successful man or woman, and you will see that they have a tremendously supportive family behind them. It is highly impossible to do your thing without that kind of a support.

Times may change, but some things don’t; and a value based system of priorities is one of those things. Even today, the value of time spent with loved ones – family or friends – is extremely high, and it is becoming rarer by the day. It is up to us to make sure that this value system is passed on to our next generation, so that they also have a great life ahead.

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.

For www.boomeryearbook.com

The first baby boomers are almost 60 years old now! Unbelievable isn’t it.

The image of boomers has always been linked with either babies, or with highly successful young people, who are industry leaders in every field. Now, the pix are bound to change. The name boomer is about to be associated with elderly people, and the images are about to be those of old men and women!

Calling us ‘old’ would probably be too harsh. With the changing trends in the world of medicine, it is almost impossible to grow old. And every day, we see news about people who have crossed a hundred. But if there is one regret, that is of not spending enough time doing things that we actually enjoy doing. Thanks to the busy busy careers we all pursue, there is almost zilch time left over to actively pursue our real interests. When we think back to the 60s and 70s, there were so many things we used to do. Play football, go out on hikes, drive around, have parties, get-togethers and many more. What happened to all of those?

This question is not just ours. It is on the mind of most of the boomers who are now retiring from active professional lives. But then, thanks to the medical innovations and new technologies, most of us are all still pretty active! So, now is the time to have a lot of fun! That probably is the reason why there are more and more people in their 50s and 60s who can be seen at coffee shops, at football matches, and even at Halloween parties!

Age has nothing to do with spirit! The generation of boomers has an indomitable spirit, and that reflects in their success at whatever they do – this too!

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.

As boomers, we have been told a lot of things by our parents. They had a tough time, didn’t they?
Right from the thirties – where the depression made life seriously tough, and through two world wars, where not just the economy, but the loss of loved ones also affected every single family in the United States, they had already crossed their prime by the time things became alright.
For us, we have had a lot of learning from them, but in general, life has been real good for us. The world has been largely a peaceful place (albeit we were involved in overseas disasters), and the kind of growth opportunities that were accorded to us have been real good.
So, what do boomers tell their kids? This was a survey that was conducted with the present college going crowd, where they were asked ‘what did your parents tell you the most’. Here are the results.

Stay Safe – This is the top answer according to most of our next generation, echo boomers. Most parents used this multiple times each day! And it makes sense too, doesn’t it? We are worried that things might go wrong any day, and have always been extra cautious. Everything our kids do is ‘wild’, while the actual wild times of drugs and rock n roll were our time! Still, ‘stay safe’ was the top answer.

You are irresponsible – Is the second most mentioned answer. Most of the boomers believe that their kids are more irresponsible than they were in their youth. How true that is is a matter to be discussed, but that is the second most heard answer.

Take care of your health – Is answer number three. And you know why!

Check how many of these you have used with your kids!
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.

By Dr. Karen for Boomeryearbook

We have often heard adults make the statement “if I only knew then what I know now…” Perhaps it doesn’t have so much to do with our knowledge but with the way an older person’s brain processes the ups and downs of life. Researchers believe that older people respond differently to their negative feelings than persons of a younger generation. Researchers are discovering that an older person will not respond as strongly to life’s negative aspects.

An interesting study was carried out where older women and younger ones were shown a series of images. These images were a combination of photos to stimulate a positive, neutral or negative response. The younger women were around 25 years old while the older ladies averaged 70 years. At a later date the women were tested to see which photos they remembered. Both groups showed the tendency to remember the negative photos, but interestingly a significant amount of the older women recalled fewer of them than the younger subjects in the study. It was concluded that the older women have an ability to suppress the way they process the information. The possibility exists that they may prefer to center on more positive information and downplay the negatives. There are several theories as to why this happens.

As seniors age many of their friends and family become sick and some pass away. The thought processing of the negative information could be a protective mechanism; pushing away the negatives helps them cope against feelings of vulnerability.

It’s also interesting to note that a renowned neuroscientist indicates that the brain actually rewires itself as people learn new things. Seniors have a lot of experience in many matters. Handling negativity is one of them, over the years they have learned to cope with many different aspects of life including its ups and downs.

So far we have discussed the effects on the older women and have not mentioned the men. Researchers are keeping an open mind as to how the men will react to the same or similar testing.

One thing is for certain. The subject is an intriguing one and has opened the doors for further research. Oftentimes advice is written off as not being valid due to ‘seniors being old and out of touch” with societal changes.” However, researchers are dispelling this ageist prejudice as in the last several years; scientists have learned a great deal about the human mind. It is a mysterious organ and there is so much more to learn and uncover. One can only imagine what will be discovered through the exploration of the magnificent human brain.

Naturally as human beings we all think differently and that’s what makes us unique. We all have a brain but it is exciting to learn what affects the thought processes of the individuals and how they change as we go through the ageing process.

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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.