Indeed, America is aging, and is doing so at a faster rate than ever before. The fastest-growing group of older Americans is those over 85 years of age. The number of Americans in this age cohort is expected to jump from 4 million in 2000 to nearly 19 million by 2050. Moreover, today's seniors are unlike any generation that preceded them. Not only are they greater in number, they are more racially and ethnically diverse, healthier, more active, wealthier, and more technologically savvy.
Seniors comprise the fastest-growing membership in health clubs.
These changing demographics have been accompanied by new attitudes on a range of issues, from work and retirement to housing. Part of that transition involves a change in retirees' leisure activities. Researchers have identified a shift in the movement of retirees from traditional Sun Belt locales to those areas with a higher quality of life. It is no longer the sun that they are pursuing but, rather, the ability to lead an active life where they really want to be, doing what they want to do with those with whom they choose to share their time. Accordingly, a number of active older Americans are choosing to live in areas rich with cultural, recreational, or academic resources.