The Baby Boomers, the largest generation in American history, are now almost all in the last 1/3 of their lives (if average life expectancy is 78). They have spent the previous, early and middle thirds of their lives transforming cultural ideas, expectations and practices (e.g with the Civil Rights movement, Environmental movement and Women’s movement, etc).
The question now is: “Will the Baby Boomers also transform our cultural ideas, expectations, and practices regarding the End-of-Life?”
I, for one, say “YES!” Here are my predictions and recommendations for this generation of “revolutionaries”:
1. Baby Boomers expect to live longer and will seek out technologies to do so.
We continue to see life expectancies extended (although the obesity problem may soon change that) and the Boomers will focus on ways to further extend their years on the planet. I strongly recommend however that they seek technologies that will extend quality life rather than quantity alone. For example: Take supplements designed to keep your cells in tip-top shape for as long as possible so that you can run around, play tennis, chase your grandchildren, and read a good book at sunset, but do not choose medical interventions that will prolong your days if those days are going to consist of lying in a bed, unable to poop or pee without assistance. Choose technology that creates quality alone, quality plus quantity, but never quantity only, at the expense of suffering. Continue reading →
