Psychologist Jobs: Aging Baby Boomers Create Jobs In Health Care

Posted on April 1st, 2010 by Frank Kennedy in psychologist jobs

Over 75 million Americans make up the baby boomer generation. Many have reached an age where health care is starting to become a major concern, and this is having an affect on Careers in Psychology. Baby boomers are generally recognized as the generation born between 1946 and 1964, give or take a few years. The baby boomers were a result of a post World War II population explosion, and their inevitable aging has made the US and other countries statistically older than ever before.

The oldest baby boomers are now in their sixties, and the health care industry is starting to feel the effect of their age. The onset of the baby boomer generation saw unprecedented growth for hospitals and clinics in the period between 1950 and 1965. It is now believed that the current number senior care facilities will be inadequate to handle the large number of aging baby boomers.

Additionally, baby boomers are more likely to seek medical care than the previous generation. Where their parents would sometimes avoid seeking medical attention, baby boomers consider medical care very important to their overall health and happiness.

As a result of this aging generation the health care industry will need many more trained professionals. The US Department of Labor estimates that the health care industry will see growth that is well above average in comparison to all other industries over the next two decades. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Psychologist Jobs will experience a growth rate of 12 percent from 2008 to 2018.

There is already a shortage of health care workers, and only time will tell if there are enough medical professionals to meet the demands placed on the health care industry by the baby boomer generation.