3. Size is an especially distinctive characteristic of the baby boom cohort. There
were actually 76 million births in the United States from 1946 to 1964,
inclusive, the 19 years usually called the "baby boom." (By contrast, there
were only 66 million births, in a larger U.S. population, during the 19 years
following the baby boom, which included the baby bust of the 1970s.)
Cohorts can be distinguished not only by their place in history (period of
time) but by their composition and character. Composition can vary in racial,
gender and ethnic. A common example would be a cohort born in the early
19th century would consist of many immigrants of European ancestry while
a cohort born in the 1970’s may consist of immigrants of a Hispanic ancestry.
Cohorts vary by family structure as well. Currently among women aged 85-
89, 25% of these women are childless and another 25% have only one child
still living. By 2015, more than two-thirds of very old women will have 2
children or more. This may mean the potential for more family support
through their aging process.

4. Understanding cohorts can help people discover the values
of each group of people, which helps different age groups
relate to one another and share ideas.
Each generation has its own influences that affect its values
system. People do not have to agree with the values of
another generation, but they can strive to understand the
mind-set of that group and how it sees the world.
Understanding different cohorts will help nurses, social
workers and healthcare professionals have a better
understanding for the reasons behind various concerns
and issues of each cohort.

5. Play the video (left above) to note how this panel breaks down the cohorts by their
value systems and how both the previous and the future cohorts have shaped these
value systems.
Contrast it with how the second video (right above) interviews younger people and
older people and how they relate with one another…or don’t.
*Note: If you do not see the videos right away, please double-click your left mouse
button anywhere over the black area.

6. 1927-1938 1938-1947 1947-1964
The Swing Cohort The Silent Cohort The Baby Boom Cohort
A “period effect” is when members of a cohort are born at the same time, have similar life experiences, and they can also
be affected by the same historical events. The events in this and the proceeding timelines were chosen because the events
seemed to be adequate representations of the time period. As you read through next six slides, you will see the events that
may have had effects on the characteristics of the swing, silent and the boomer generation.

7. The first babies of the
The last babies of the Silent cohort are born.
Swing cohort are born U.S. Stock Market Crashes;
– the first were born Launches Depression
in 1902. U.S. stock market prices
collapse—first phase of Sir Alexander Fleming
Women's right to vote Depression and world Discovers Penicillin
secured economic crisis; 1 in 4 His discovery sparked to the
Women's suffrage (19th) Americans unemployed. movement to modern
amendment was This also resulted in a antibiotics; this would create
successfully ratified allowing population decline as a decrease of childhood
women in the U.S. to vote people were less inclined to illnesses and an increase the
for the first time have more children. lifespan of many people.
1919 1927 1928

8. Social Security Act is Signed into
Law
U.S. government creates first
universal social insurance plan for
retired workers. Taxes were World War II Begins
collected for the first time in Minimum Wage Enacted in U.S. The most devastating
January 1937 and regular ongoing On October 24, 1938, the war of human history;
monthly benefits started in minimum wage is established began when Germany
January 1940. by law in the United States. invaded Poland.
1935 1938 1939

9. Women’s Factory Takeover and
Military Services
Survivor Benefits Added to the American women were recruited to
Social Security Act Pearl Harbor is Bombed male-dominated trades; women's
An amendment to the act added American Naval Base Pearl Harbor military services were established in
survivors benefits and benefits for is attacked. This attack brought the 1942. Famous picture of ‘Rosie the
the retiree's spouse and children United States into World War II. Riveter’ is published.
1939 1941 1942

10. Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights World War II Ends
More than 2.5% of human population
Roosevelt suggested that the nation had The oldest of the Silent
killed in WWII; the baby boom
come to recognize, and should cohort turn 18. The
begins, leading to over 76.4 million
implement a second “economic bill of
“baby boomers” in the United States first baby boomers are
rights” which included employment with
by 1964. born.
fair wages, medical care and education.
The Development of the United Negro The Nuremberg Trials
College Fund
On April 25 1944, the UNCF became A series of trials set to
American philanthropic organization that right the wrongs by Nazi
funded scholarships for black students and miltary and politcal
general scholarship funds for 39 private leaders by charging
historically black colleges and universities.
them with war crimes.
1944 1945 1946

11. Social Security Adds
Disability Benefits John Glenn Goes to Space
John F. Kennedy Elected to U.S.
SS began to provide Presidency John Glenn becomes the
monthly benefits to first American to orbit the
Elected as the youngest U.S.
permanently and totally Earth.
President; assassinated two years
disabled workers aged 50-
after inauguration.
64.
1956 1961 1962

12. In 1963, the last of In 1965, Medicare is added Kent State Shootings
the Silent cohort to the Social Security Act. In response to a protest
turn 18. The last of The act ensured universal against the Vietnam War,
the baby boomers health coverage for anyone the Ohio National Guard
are born in 1964. over 65. Also the Older opened fire and killed 4
students.
Americans Act was signed
Civil rights movement for into law.
African-American rights
swells in the Southern In the same year,
United States; Martin the first U.S. combat
Luther King gives his “I troops arrive in
Have A Dream Speech”. Vietnam.
1962-1964 1965 1970

13. • The oldest-old (85 and older)
• The middle-old (75-84)
• The young-old (65-74)

14. Currently Aging Cohorts’ Characteristics and Composition : The Oldest-old (85 and older)
• The oldest-old are actually the fast-growing
cohort. in 2010, they represented 4.7 percent
of the older population.
• Whites represented 88.1 percent of the total
90-and over population.
• Social Security represents almost half of total
personal income for the 90+. The poverty rate
for the 90+ is higher than that for those aged
65–89.
• Women aged 90+ outnumber 90+ men nearly 3
to 1. Over 80 percent of the 90+ women are
widowed
• Difficulty doing errands alone and mobility-
related limitations are the two most common
types of disability for the 90+.

15. • Described as having characteristics
such as being grave, fatalistic, but
conventional and hard-working
(thinking back to our timeline what
events would have created such
characteristics?)
• Often described as caught between
the “get it done” mindset of the old
cohort and the out-to-change the
world mindset of the young-old
cohort.
• 81% of all older Americans (65 and
older)
• 79% are non-Hispanic whites
• The average annual income for a
woman in this age bracket is
$25773 and for a man it is $47983.
• Today’s 75-year-old man is the
same “age” as a 68-year-old man in
1970. Thus, 75 is the new 68 (see
graph on the right)

16. • This population will be the most diverse population of
old people (see the chart on the bottom right)
• Focused on personal fulfillment and are willing to
question authority
• Most educated of the older population
• More people living; many of whom are single, older
women without children

17.  Concern over healthcare delivery (traditional medicine vs. alternative
medicines)
 Concern over economic costs of living (fewer savings than previous
generations) and retirement age as well as unemployment has increased
 Interest or willingness towards using new technology (computers, cell
phones, etc.)
 Interest in healthy eating and exercise
 Less religious than people older than their parents; more religious than their
children
 More tolerant than their parents of social changes; less than their children