That group includes Baby Boomers, born from 1946 to 1964, and seniors, those born before 1945. As we live longer and as Baby Boomers turn 60, this dramatic shift in the age of our citizens will alter the social, economic and political landscape in ways most communities have yet to fully imagine or prepare for. The change is already under way, both nationally and regionally. Part of it is demographics. Boomers are crossing the 50 mark.
Medical advances are another part of the gerontocracy equation.
We have added more years to a person's life in this century than in the previous 5,000 years. The sheer number of people is staggering. Right now, there are 34.5 million people over 65 in the United States. That number is estimated to jump to 90 million by 2040, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There are 4.1 million people over age 85.