Baby Boomers Expect to Beat the Odds with More Active, Longer Lives

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Releases Survey of Baby Boomers’ Outlook on Aging, Activity and Healthcare

December 10, 2003

At the stroke of midnight, January 1, 2004, the youngest of the Baby Boomers will begin marking their 40th birthdays and the official entrance to “middle age.” Baby Boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 -- have, for the entirety of their lives, been fixated on health, vitality and youth. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), today announced the results of a survey of Baby Boomers that showed they are perhaps the first generation to not only expect, but also demand to live longer than the average life expectancy and to remain active until the end. The survey also revealed shifting attitudes toward the type of medical care Boomer’s would seek to help maintain their youthful vigor.

The Baby Boom generation has seen the most dramatic leaps in medical science and life expectancy of any other generation in history, with the average for men now at 74.1 years and for women, 79.5 years. “No one wants to admit they are going to slow down as they age, but the Baby Boomers surveyed have unbridled optimism about life, with 50 percent planning to make it beyond age 80 without serious limitation on their activities,” said Dr. James Sliwa, medical director of the General Rehabilitation Program at RIC. “An overwhelming 79 percent feel they will not experience serious limitation until beyond age 70. We are delighted to know that Boomers have such high hopes, but they need to take decisive action now to turn those hopes into reality.”

Adopting a healthy, active life style is the number one New Year’s resolution for most of the U.S. population. However, Baby Boomers are no strangers to asking medical science to assist with managing the big and small challenges of growing up and growing old. They were the first generation to have orthodontic braces in large numbers and the first to come of age with birth control pills. Over 75% of them have turned to medical science to enhance the quality of their lives. Yet the survey indicates that many Boomers are choosing physical rehabilitation over other treatments including prescription medication, surgery, chiropractic and acupuncture, for “getting well.” Of the respondents, 84 percent would choose physical therapy in conjunction with another treatment to get well.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, once thought of only for complex conditions and sports injuries, is taking center stage in the prevention and treatment of conditions that typically begin in middle age, like arthritis and back pain. “We know now that proper physical activity is imperative to keep bodies functioning, helping prevent injuries and minimizing the progress of degenerative conditions, in addition to lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke. The Baby Boomers’ demand for physical rehabilitation will reshape America’s medical landscape in the coming decades,” said Sliwa. “The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is already a leader in this area, with centers devoted to the treatment of arthritis, chronic pain, and back and sports injuries. This survey has shown us that Boomers intend to be on the golf course or tennis court until the end. And we will help them achieve this.”

The survey, administered to 1000 respondents nationwide – 518 women and 482 men between the ages of 43 and 57.

Experts from RIC can shed light on these survey findings and explain the potential for alternative medicine to keep Boomers healthier than any generation in human history.

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is dedicated to helping people with all levels and types of physical disabilities regain or improve their physical functions and empowers them to participate more fully in family, social, vocational and leisure time pursuits. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago “The Best Rehabilitation Hospital in America” for 13 consecutive years.

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