The Boomer generation was a very conservative one. Unlike the Millennials and GenZers, they planned for their future and put money away for a rainy day. Being prepared was not enough, however. Boomers are falling on hard times and dealing with unforeseen changes that are hard to keep pace with. These are just some of the complaints that they have and are having a hard time navigating.
The Rising Cost of Living
Since the pandemic, the cost of living has been on a steep climb. Although most Boomers planned well and saved their money, they could not have anticipated the sharp rise in living costs. Most have retired and are living off of their social security, which is feeling less and less secure. Downsizing their homes is also presenting a challenge. Even if they make some money selling in this market, there is very low inventory across the nation. Once more, the high cost of real estate is keeping them stuck where they are.
Supporting Children
It isn’t the same for adults who graduate from college as it was when the Boomers did. Nowadays, a college education does not guarantee you a good-paying job or a job at all. That means that many children are returning to live at home with their Boomer parents. That puts a strain on Boomer parents, who are now paying the tab. They are also giving up the freedom they had when their children flew the coop for the first time.
Traditional Values Eroding
The Boomers lived in a very conservative atmosphere with strict values and societal norms. The social atmosphere of today and inclusion is hitting the Boomers hard. Where once women stayed in the kitchen, and men earned the paycheck, roles are reversing and going haywire. The unpredictability of social change is a struggle for many Boomers trying to keep up with being politically correct or correct at all.
Political Strife
Boomers lived in a more tolerable political atmosphere. People used to be able to disagree about politics and not take it personally. Today's political scene is more about drama and making the opposing party sinful and morally wrong. There is very little civility in politics anymore. When Boomers express their opinions, which was okay during their informative years, it is being seen as politically incorrect and derisive.
Changing Workplace Structure
Boomers are used to the boss being the boss. What the boss said goes. Nowadays, individuals are expected to step up to the plate and be collaborative. The hierarchal way that Boomers existed in the workplace is not the same. They are having to readjust to working as a team and putting the “me” in the past. That is not easy to do.
Technology in the Workplace
Not only is the hierarchical structure of the workplace changing, but a lot of it is being overridden and driven by technology that isn’t as intuitive for Boomers. Boomers didn’t grow up with technology. They didn’t have a home computer or laptop, and there was no internet. While Millennials and GenZers haven’t lived a day without modern conveniences, Boomers are trying to keep pace with things they don’t have a knack for.
Technology in General
Technology isn’t just in the workplace; it is everywhere. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops are now an extension of people, and without them, very little can be done. Things like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as the many things that younger generations talk about and use with ease, cause a high degree of frustration and confusion for Boomers in their everyday lives.
Social Security Not So Secure
Social Security was something that older generations relied on. They never feared that they wouldn’t be taken care of or that it wouldn’t be enough for them to live. Over the past several decades, Social Security has become less and less secure for Boomers, causing a great deal of anxiety about whether it is enough of a safety net. Many will be lost without the aid that it provides, or if their services are cut, that can have them in financial deep water.
Ageism
The Boomers fought very hard to climb the totem pole at work, but a lot of their accomplishments are being underrecognized, and many are being pushed out of the workplace. Due to their lack of technological prowess, they are being undervalued and losing their key position. Not being significant in the workplace, a place that many of them built, is having a profound impact on their psyche.
Retirement Doesn’t Mean Retirement
Retirement used to conjure up visions of playing golf and traveling the world. Due to the changing face of financial security and the rise in the cost of living, many Boomers are having to return to the workplace in some capacity. They are consulting, working part-time, and being involved in the business community at some level. Their retirement freedom is not exactly as free as they imagined.
The Rising Cost of Healthcare
Boomers are living longer than any other generation. But as you age, there tend to be more medical needs. Prescription drugs are on the rise, with many lifesaving ones not covered under Medicaid, which means many with fixed budgets are paying hefty costs out of pocket for procedures and the necessary medicine. People with chronic health conditions are being pinched even more and stressing out about whether they can afford the necessities of life.
AI and Automation
AI and automation are quickly changing the workplace dynamics. Boomers had a lot of security in their positions. If they were loyal to their employers, that loyalty was returned. Today, there is very little loyalty between employer and employee, and with many jobs being replaced with AI and automation, obligations to others are falling even more by the wayside.
Student Loan Debt
Millennials and soon GenZers are going to experience the sting of repayment on their growing student loans. When Boomers went to college and graduated, it made sense to take on a little debt in exchange for the guarantee of employment and a higher salary. That is not the case anymore. Millennials are dealing with repaying their student loans and are not able to make their minimum payments and still afford to live. That has many of them not just returning home to live; many are looking for financial help every month just to get by.
Climate Change and Natural Disasters
For Boomers, climate change was not a stress or an issue. The science behind global change wasn’t really investigated until the 1990s, and since has put a lot of fear into the Boomer population. As you age, unpredictability becomes a lot more scary, and with all of the doom and gloom of pro-climate change speakers, it is sending a panic in those who are afraid of what the landscape of the Earth will look like for future generations.
Constant and Conflicting Messages
Never before has there been so much information available and around the clock. Where once the only news everyone got was one hour of prime-time news, now there are news channels that are constantly talking about what is happening around the world. The overload of information is a lot for the older generation. Where younger ones can block a lot of it out by necessity, the older generations are tuned in and very caught up in the many, many messages coming at them.
Misinformation
Many media outlets use fear tactics to drive opinion and control the masses. It isn’t that Boomers are more gullible, as much as they are used to being able to trust what is presented in media. When something came through the television in earlier generations, it was trusted. Now, with messages coming from hundreds of sources, it is hard to decipher what is and what is not true or real.
Loneliness
Many Boomers are feeling the sting of loneliness and isolation. The American culture used to have a level of respect for the older generation that seems to be eroding. Many don’t acknowledge the Boomer generation as a great source of experience or knowledge. Many Boomers are feeling pushed out of their own lives and very undervalued in the current atmosphere.
Raising Their Grandchildren
At a time when the cost of living is soaring, many young families are having a hard time making it. For two-parent working households, daycare is unnecessarily burdensome, and many aren’t making it. Grandparents are seen as a great source to care for their grandchildren and are taking on the role of raising another whole generation. Grandparenting used to be fun and a treat, but now it is becoming a burden for many who are feeling as if they already did their job.
Will Things Change as the Xers Enter Retirement Age?
Boomers are experiencing great change in their retirement years, which begs the question, what will the Xer’s encounter? If things don’t change and turn around now, the Xers might be even less prepared due to their saving habits and outlook on the future. It will be interesting to see how things will change or stay the same.
30 Traditional Sayings That Are Now Considered Offensive by Woke Culture
30 Traditional Sayings That Are Now Considered Offensive by Woke Culture
21 Habits Often Associated With Having a Lower Social Status
21 Habits Often Associated With Having a Lower Social Status
25 Social Issues Gen Z are Determined to Cancel
