It’s 2021, and the Baby Boom generation continues to impact the way our population ages. This very active generation—followed by millions more turning 50—will change the way the fitness industry engages with seniors about health and wellness. “We’re looking at a huge market that includes people ages 50 to 100 and beyond,” says Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging. “While there’s bound to be some segmentation, certain values, principles, and social-economic forces are converging to the point where we can make some predictions for the market as a whole.” Assisting Hands West Austin shares the 2021 trend with active aging. Here are some ways the industry is changing:

• Rethink what it means to age. “We’ll see greater diversity in portrayals of aging and greater achievements by older adults,” Milner says. “Because of sheer numbers alone, companies will be focusing more on this demographic. To be successful, they will have to change their perceptions of what aging means and what older adults want.”
• Redefine retirement. Active, healthy adults are not retiring at 55. They are a vital part of the workforce and stay on the job because they are productive and useful. Forward thinking employers will enact changes like increased health management, fitness, and wellness programs designed especially for this demographic.
• Continued growth in wellness programs. More and more, overall wellness is considered the key to health. The industry is exploding and will continue growing with programs targeted for seniors.
• Increased need in wellness professionals. Because the industry is growing, “We’ll see more exercise physiologists, sports medicine professionals, chiropractors, orthopedists, naturopaths, and physical therapists on the staff of wellness programs,” predicts Milner.
• Rehabilitation and wellness converge. Preventative care is vital for overall health. Bringing together these two disciplines will result in reduced functional decline and help people recover quickly after an illness or injury. “After the common cold, sports injuries are the #2 reason boomers visit their doctors. As boomers work to stay fit, many of them will also be working with rehab professionals,” Milner notes.
• Focus on energy-boosting solutions. “The industry will focus on overcoming the paradox identified by researchers a few years back: 69 percent of older adults exercise to increase their energy level—yet lack of energy is consistently put forth as a barrier to exercise,” explains Milner. Focusing on developing energy boosting programs will improve exercise which relieves minor health issues as well as chronic illnesses.
• Reengineer industries. A healthier older adult population will require facilities to match. “We’ll see an upsurge in wellness centers, housing, parks and recreation projects that will require new approaches by architects, developers, builders, suppliers and program-management professionals,” Milner predicts.
• Rethink city infrastructure. The World Health Organization stresses, “Active aging is a lifelong process. An age-friendly city is not just ‘elderly friendly’.” Milner agrees, “If we view active aging as a process that begins at birth and continues throughout the lifespan, then this initiative can only continue to grow.”
• Incorporate green communities and “green exercise.” Self-esteem and overall mood is elevated by interacting with nature for as little as 5 minutes a day. Gardening, hiking, picnicking, exercising outdoors, cycling will continue to be healthy pastimes for seniors. Boomers are taking it up a notch by engaging in ecotourism in this new era of environmental stewardship.
• Embrace technology. Technology continues to make our lives easier. With a large aging population, devices and software are being designed with seniors in mind. “Moving beyond the Wii, we’ll see everything from immersive games for lifelong learning and participation in social causes to more sophisticated ‘brain games’ and assistive devices that extend function into and through the later years of life,” says Milner. “We’ll also see more innovative technologies in support of aging in place, including e-health technologies and social media.”

Sources: The International Council on Active Aging (www.icaa.cc), headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is the world’s largest membership association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields.

Assisting Hands Home Care in association with IlluminAge, © IlluminAge 2013