Reflections of an aging Chicano boomer: Growing old in the time of demographic transformation.

This article examines the aging of Latino boomers and illustrates the longevity, policy, and personal challenges and opportunities facing the coming of age of the post-World War II generation of Latino/as. This treatise, through a reflective lens, posits that with segmented assimilation we can no longer generalize the aging of Latinos as one universal reality based on immigration from rural backgrounds and the existing literature based on traditional cultural norms. The reality is greater variations in how we view the aging process and how we address concerns of health and retirement security and long-term care.

The evolution of gerontology and geriatrics in an era of a politics of aging.

The fields of gerontology and geriatrics are facing unprecedented changes, pressures, and opportunities. The 21st century requires that we utilize contemporary approaches to modernizing these disciplines for new populations, new cohorts and new social, economic and political demands. This article draws on the authors professional, academic, and public policy experiences to suggest initiatives and paradigms that can set a road map to both change the last centuries' notions of longevity and social supports to one that accounts for technology, varied cohorts, a public/private sector divide, and the nexus of aging and diversity.

Who are the Latino baby boomers? Demographic and economic characteristics of a hidden population.

The United States is confronting two simultaneous demographic shifts with profound implications for public policy: population aging and increasing diversity. These changes are accelerating during a dramatic economic downturn, placing entitlement reform prominently on the national policy agenda. Using decennial census data from 2000, this paper examines the nexus of these trends by examining characteristics of Latino baby boomers.