Term Paper on "Changing Leisure Trends of Baby Boomers"
Term Paper 10 pages (2896 words) Sources: 8 Style: APA
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Babyboomer ProposalOver the next two decades the babyboomers will all be entering into their senior years. However, many of these millions of individuals due to their personal interests and experiences are already demanding and will continue to increase their requests for outdoor leisure and recreational activities that meet the needs of an aging population. It will be in the best interests of society as a whole and organizations specifically to meet and supply these needs. Yet, due to the differences within the babyboomer population, not all of these individuals born during this time period have the same needs. There are many who have little or a complete lack of interest in sports and recreational activities, due to growing health concerns, lack of income, different past experiences, varied education, and other personal factors. This study will interview approximately 200 babyboomers to determine the percentage breakdown of those who want such activities vs. those who do not and also to find the reasons why these latter individuals do not have an interest in these activities. Such information will help the U.S. As a whole and organizations more specifically better meet the needs of this huge demographic.
INTRODUCTION
Immediately after World War II the number of births rose significantly with over 4 million births per year. In total, approximately 76 million children were born in the United States between 1946 and 1964 (Light, 1988). This "babyboom" was due just to the returning soldiers, because it accelerated through the 1950s. The economy was flourishing and families moved to modern new homes in suburbs. Having children was a part of this cultural
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From the start, this generation was very different from that of their parents, with consumerism being a major goal. They were the first generation of children to be isolated by Madison Avenue as an identifiable target (Jones, 1980) "From the cradle, the baby boomers had been surrounded by products created especially for them, from Silly Putty to Slinkys to skateboards. New products, new toys, new commercials, new fads [were] integral to the baby boomer experience." These babyboomers related closely with their favorite toys and trends, which were promoted in the fast growing media. Television, which started out as a novelty, soon became a "must have" in homes. The boomers also began showing their defiant side with the strong following of rock groups (Gillian, 2004)
The babyboomers were also influenced by the fear of nuclear war. The Soviet Union challenged U.S. scientific superiority by launching the world's first satellite in 1957, while students were trained how to quickly sit under their desks in case of a bomb and watched news stories about building bomb shelters in back yards. This unknowing about the future made them even more desirous of "doing their own thing" while they could (2004). Many of the babyboomers grew up to rebel against the norm and continued to focus on their own needs.
What are (and will) these babyboomers be doing in their retirement years for leisure-time activities? Because of their different attitudes, will they have different interests than there parents? Will they be more active? What, if any factors, will influence their senior lifestyle, such as health, income and employment.
These babyboomers, for example, will be healthy longer than their parents. However, they are also expected to work later. Surveys conducted by AARP, the main advocacy organization for older Americans, show that up to 80% of boomers intend to work past 65. Many have expressed the desire to pursue entirely new second careers, such as social work or teaching (2005). Yet, no group this sizeable is homogeneous with the same background, interests and goals. As a whole, the babyboomers are more affluent than earlier generation, but similar to the changing economic breakdown of the U.S., this population is also made up of the "haves" and "have nots."
The babyboomers made up 29% of the U.S. population in 1997. According to projections made by the Bureau of the Census, that percentage will fall to 25% when the oldest of this generation become 65 in 2011, and to 16% when the youngest reach age 65 in 2029 (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1996). In that year, baabyboomers will range from 65 to 83. That age group accounted for 11% of the U.S. population in 1997. However, disagreement exists about population projections so far in the future. These population projections noted previously are based on the "middle series" population of the Bureau of the Census, which also publishes a "highest series" and a "lowest series." For example, while the middle series shows 69 million people age 65 or older in 2030, the highest series shows 79 million and the lowest series shows only 59 million.
Studies do not agree on whether they can afford to retire comfortably. Wealth in households headed by Americans 55 or over has doubled since 1989, reaching nearly $250,000 in 2004 (Cauchon, 2007, 1A). At the same time, some 55+ are having a difficult time. "The top one-third of the boomers will have lots of choices, and the bottom one-third will be working until they drop just to keep food on the table," said Paul Hodge, chairman of the Global Generations Policy Institute at Harvard University (Fetteman, 2006, 1B),
Health is another factor beside income that may impact the leisure time activities of the babyboomers. Although a large number of boomers are very health conscious and participating in sports and athletics in years far beyond earlier generations, another group of boomers are overweight and out of shape due to the unhealthy fat and sugar diet on which they grew up. Because these babyboomers are just beginning to retire, studies in this area have been few; and those that have been conducted can only surmise based on past behavior of this population or surveys of intended not yet actual choices. Will the normal age-related decline in active participation observed in the 1980s of senior and elderly adults continue into the future? Babyboomers have different recreation experiences and skills than their parents did at that age (Warnick, 1987). Also, higher levels of participation in recreation pursuits are also associated with higher education levels; this generation is now better educated. How will these trends impact involvement as these adults move into the mature adult years? Over the next couple of decades, it will be necessary for researchers, economists, and other practitioners and educators to keep abreast of age trends.
HYPOTHESES:
Overall, the babyboomers are proving to be more active in their mid-60s than their parents' generation, regardless if they are continuing to work or have retired. This will be due to being more affluent, having a more active lifestyle throughout adulthood, and keeping in better physical shape as seniors.
Although the majority of babyboomers will be more active, a discrepancy will be seen between this former population and those who are not as economically well off, have been leading more sedentary lives and have health concerns such as weight and heart issues.
METHODOLOGY
This study will consist of onsite interviews of a cross section of approximately 200 adults age 55 to 60 in Lake Havasu City, weighted to reflect the total U.S. adult population for age, sex, race, education and household income. To examine the importance of recreation and parks as a factor in retirees' relocation decisions, respondents will be asked questions that will reflect the importance of recreation in their relocation decisions. It will be found whether or not retirees who perceive leisure time activities as important differ with respect to age, gender, education, marital status, income, health and values from those who do not rank these activities high. In theory, with samples of this size, one could say there will be a sampling error. Questions will concern: retirement plans; future line of work; how feel about aging; where to live in retirement; financial preparation; comprehensive financial plan; physical health condition; leisure time activities, education.
BUDGET sample budget is given below. This was a longitudinal survey done at Lake Havasu City. It required on-site interviews of visitors at three different locations over a three-month period.
Project Expenses
Project Director $1,000
Survey Staff (2) 2x$7/hr x 8hr x 2 days/month=$224/month x 5 months) $1,120
Payroll Withholding $
Travel $ vehicle (12 days x $37/day) $ mileage (300 miles/rt x 12 x$0.18/mile) $
Lodging (1 rm @$79/night x 12 nights) $
Printing (1,000 sheets @.05/sheet) & Final Report $
Total Expenses $4,751
LITERATURE REVIEW
The topic of age and recreation participation is attracting more interest, as the government, marketers and service companies try to determine how the changing demographics will restructure society and leisure activities over the next two decades. As the senior population grows in both concrete numbers and as a percentage of the entire population -- new challenges will be placed on social services, government budgets and, perhaps, the economy as a whole.
Participation in outdoor leisure and recreational activities offers aging adults a number of different advantages. It provides them with new experiences and locations, encourages different interests,… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Changing Leisure Trends of Baby Boomers" Assignment:
Research Proposal
Changing leisure trends of the baby Boomers
Proposal
How do education, aging, and financial stability affect the leisure life style choices for the over 55 age group- Baby Boomers? ( Or something along this line. Can be reworded or re-formulated if you think a narrower topic is better)
Need at least 5 good articles or research papers on this topic and you have to be able to get the population number. I have included several possible articles and or studies to be used and you can also find others. Not sure how many pages i should have requested for this. if yo need more please let me know. Details for requirements are as follows.
Sections to be included
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Pro Forma Budget
Complete reference list (American Psychological Association format)
I. Abstract
This is a brief overview of the research study and identified need. It should include the purpose; methodology; and summary of results. Since you will not have any results, you would not address results in your abstract. The abstract has a maximum of 150 words.
II. Introduction
The introduction will include the following information:
Identify the specific research problem
Review research objectives and statement of hypothesis
Discuss methodology and how objectives will be achieved
III. Literature Review - A minimum of five articles is required.
The literature review is a critical evaluation of existing research that relates to your research topic. It is NOT merely a summary of these articles and manuscripts. A good literature review should summarize and evaluate relevant research. It will also identify relationships between different work and your topic. It should NOT only provide a description of the article or manuscript. It will discuss different aspects of the research, including methodology, and describe how it relates to other current research. A minimum of FIVE references, dated between 1998 to present, is required in the Literature Review.
Literature Sources
books
conference proceedings
corporate reports
government reports
journal articles (published and Internet)
magazines
newspapers
College/University theses and dissertations
The literature review creates the context for your research by reviewing related work in your research area. A good literature review should address the following questions.
1. What do we already know about this topic/issue?
2. What are the key concepts?
3. Describe the relationships between these key concepts?
4. Identify any existing theories?
5. What evidence is lacking, inconclusive, contradictory or too limited in the current studies?
6. What contribution can the present study be expected to make?
Do not answer these specific questions in the Literature Review, but this is the type of information covered in any Literature Review.
IV. Methodology
Identify the category of research design used (ie. pre-experimental, quasi-experimental or true experimental) AND the specific type of design.
Identify if this is applied or basic research and why.
Describe where the study would take place (exact location)
Describe how data would be collected/generated.
A sample of your questionnaire (if one is used in the study) MUST be included in this section.
Describe the population, sample selection method, sample size.
Describe your margin of error. This is a projection, since once your data is collected it may change.
Describe how data would be analyzed (describe the statistics used ie. ANOVA, correlation, t-test, etc.).
Explanation of any methodological problems and proposed solutions.
V. Pro Forma Budget: This would be included as an Appendix to the research proposal.
A pro forma (projected) budget should include all expenses related to conducting the research project. Be sure to review costs for:
Personnel
Travel & Lodging
Mailing (postage)
Printing
Graphic Design
Equipment & Supplies
A sample budget is given below. This was a longitudinal survey done at Lake Havasu City. It required on-site interviews of visitors at three different locations over a three month period.
Pro Forma Budget
Project Expenses
Project Director $ 1,000
Survey Staff (2) 2x$7/hr x 8hr x 2 days/month=$224/month x 5 months) $ 1,120
Payroll Withholding $ 191
Travel $ 444
* vehicle (12 days x $37/day) $ 648
* mileage (300 miles/rt x 12 x$0.18/mile) $ 300
Lodging (1 rm @$79/night x 12 nights) $ 948
Printing (1,000 sheets @ .05/sheet) & Final Report $ 100
Total Expenses $ 4,751
NOTE: Depending on the type of agency you are working for, such as a University or other Government agency, there may be an Administrative Overhead charge added to the Research Budget. This is currently 48.3% of the total project
VI. Results/Discussion
This section includes the presentation and interpretation of results. It will also offer a discussion/comparison of your results with previous research.
VII. Conclusion
This section will discuss whether the research problem has been *****solved*****? If, or to what extent the research objectives were achieved? What has been learned from the study? How this knowledge may be applied to the profession? What are the limitations of the research or the methodology?
**Use these research articles plus any other you can find or feel are relevant.** (APA bibliography)
*Patterson, I., & Pan, R. (2007). The motivations of baby boomers to participate in adventure tourism and the implications for adventure tour providers. Annals of Leisure Research, 9(1), 26-53.
*Economic and Leisure Factors Impacting Participation
in the Arts by Middle Aged Adults by Gaylene Carpenter, Ed.D.
*In search of lost leisure: the impact of caregiving on leisure travel Nancy J. Gladwell , and Leandra A. Bedini
Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 420-J HHP Building, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402-6170, USA
Received 16 April 2002; accepted 11 July 2003. Available online 18 November 2003.
*Using Consumer Behavior Research to Understand the Baby Boomer Tourist
Using consumer behavior research to understand baby boomer touristshttp://jht.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/24/2/274
*Active Recreation top lifestyle desires for Babyboomers
http://www.thematuremarket.com/SeniorStrategic/dossier.php?numtxt=8553&idrb=5
*Future trends in lifestyle and leisure
http://www.scotexchange.net/se_future_trends_research_may_04-3.pdf
*The Leisure of the Aging: We've Only Just Begun
by K. Dale Adkins, Re.D., CLP
http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/1994/ip941128.html
*A Look at Leisure
http://www.tprc.alberta.ca/recreation/ars/surveypdf/LL30_age_recreation.pdf
*http://www.strom.clemson.edu/teams/regdev/RetireesChoice.pdf
Retiree*****s Choice of Community: The Importance of Recreation and Parks
*The changing face of outdoor enthusiasts - senior citizens
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_
How to Reference "Changing Leisure Trends of Baby Boomers" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Changing Leisure Trends of Baby Boomers.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2008, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/babyboomer-proposal-next/9782976. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
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