Baby Boomers Without Kids Face Uncertain Future In Senior Years

Baby Boomers (Photo credit: thinkpanama)

With the rising costs of retiring and the impact of Social Security uncertainty that is on the horizon; many in the baby boomer generation will be relying on adult children to act as caregivers in retirement.But what about the 15 million members of the demographic who do not have children, and for them, the future is less certain.

Almost 20 percent of baby boomers never had kids. Around 10 percent of women in the previous generation were childless. Many of these older adults have other young people in their lives who could help them, but are concerned that they'll be too much of a burden.

The relatives of baby boomers without children could be asked for some minor care giving but many retirees do not want to be a burden to anyone. Those without children may be able to take care of themselves for the bulk of their retirement but fear someday they will have to decide on moving into an assisted living community later in life.Female boomers may have it worse than their male counterparts, in particular females have a longer life expectancy than males. Unfortunately, it seems that many baby boomers of both genders have not done sufficient planning to prepare for their retirement years.

Baby boomers who are hoping to move to a retirement community when they're older need to save money ahead of time to help supplement their lifestyle. Long-term care insurance can also help single and childless seniors cover the costs of aging in place or in an assisted living facility. Part of the issue is that many baby boomers are busy caring for their own parents, leaving them with little time to start planning for the future.

Some experts on aging speculate that for seniors who are single and childless, informal living situations may become an option. One representative for the AARP refers to this option as a "Golden Girls" scenario.

The community experience of living with friends is part of what draws many older adults to senior living communities. According to the Yale Medical Group, an active social life can lower blood pressure and the risk for mental heath issues, such as depression. It may also help decrease one's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or cardiovascular problems. It's also been found that those who are busy socially can increase their longevity.

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