Conversations with boomers: Implications for planning community services

The Baby Boomers project is a collaborative assessment study intended to gain an understanding of baby boomer needs and interests for “living well” in a semi-rural community in central Texas.Community partners identified three specific planning areas of interest to service agencies: volunteerism, healthy lifestyle programs, and leisure activities. Methods-Five focus groups comprised of 10-14 boomers were conducted. Focus group summaries provided categorical themes that were used for planning discussions. Results-Boomers expressed specific preferences for tailoring of all parks and recreations services to their unique needs if they were expected to utilize services. Boomers wanted to have non-hospital-based health and wellness programs. They expressed a desire to use their professional skills in voluneerism which did not include simply filing or answering phones. Conclusions-Boomers will play a vial role in shaping the public health infrastructure. They are prepared to volunteer in meaningful roles within public health and academic settings. However, they fear that these institutions have not really prepared for a new kind of volunteerism and/or providing services to meet a healthier and more active group of boomers than in previous generations. Boomers will spend their resources outside of their geographical areas if communities are not responsive to their preferences and/or needs.