Minnesota Institute of Public Health

I don’t know if it’s an official term in demographers’ language, but “young old” describes a lot of baby boomers—people ages 60-74. As public health and social service people, we need to pay additional attention to this group and their needs. In 2010 for example, data indicates that a large wave of boomers will turn 65. State Demographer Tom Gillaspy and a special initiative of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Board on Aging and other agencies called Project Transform are taking a deep dive look at the impact this will have on our infrastructures, policy needs, and services.

The young old are facing issues such as helping their own parents transition into additional care facilities and/or deal with end of life care. They are also trying to comprehend retirement; data says within the next decade 700,000 Minnesota baby boomers will seriously address and/or execute retirement plans and timelines.

Data also suggests many of us young olds have unrealistic expectations about retirement given our own savings or lack thereof. From December 2007 through this past May, 401k participants aged 55 to 64 lost 20% of their life savings.

Project Transform is a clarion call for the changes in our society driven by the young old. In addition to trying to help people lead healthy lives as they ready themselves for retirement, public health and social service providers will engage people in this age group to support family caregivers and paid workers in long term care situations. Assisted living communities, along with related living arrangements, will be challenged to serve this influx in the future. Health care costs remain the elephant in the living room.

At MIPH, we are contemplating special program development addressing the mental health, substance abuse prevention including prescription and over-the-counter medication misuse, and other challenging issues for the young old. We will keep you posted on our plans and progress.

What are you or your organization doing as it relates to the young old? How do you anticipate changes in your program work as you address this segment of our population?

Check out www.dhs.state.mn.us/2010, as well as the AARP website for more information. If you are not of the young old population, there are people in your life who are. This is an issue to keep on all our radar screens.

- JJ