Those baby boomers are getting older: aging population presents problems - and opportunities.

• Author: Adams, Tucker Hart
• Position: The ECONOMIST

FOR DECADES THE BABY BOOM GENERATION has been a big asset to Colorado. The 26 percent of the population born between 1946 and 1964 moved here in droves back in the 1970s and 1980s, providing us with a young, highly educated, entrepreneurial work force. Today; Colorado ranks sixth highest among the 50 states in baby boomers and fourth lowest in people 65-plus.

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But like the rest of us, the baby boomers are getting older. As we were reminded endlessly a couple of years ago. the first boomer turned 65 in 2011 and, over the next two decades, someone will become eligible for Medicare once every nine seconds.

Bringing it closer to home, in the next 10 years Colorado's senior population will increase by more than 60 percent, three times the rate of overall population growth. Or look at it another way: When I moved to Colorado in 1970. there were slightly more than 2 million people in the state. By 2020 there will be almost 1 million people 65 and over.

It's easy to become overwhelmed by the magnitude of the senior issue.

* Where will we find die gerontologists and nurse practitioners? The home healthcare workers? The personal assistance workers trained to help with bathing, dressing, eating, laundry and recreational activities?

* How will we provide mental health services staffed with professionals trained to work with seniors? Non-institutionali/ecl seniors have the highest suicide rate of any age group.

* What about all of the veterans who spent time in combat in Vietnam and Iraq and Cambodia? There is a high incidence of late onset post-traumatic stress disorder TTSDj when veterans retire after a career marked by workaholic behavior that kept symptonis

* How will we provide transportation for people who can no longer drive to t he grocery store, the doctor or social activities?

* What about the problem of inadequate savings? Almost 32 percent of respondents to a Harvard-Met Life study defined themselves as Strugglers/ Anxious, with little or no money saved for retire-menu which they view as a time of hardship.

* How will we pay for Medicare and Social Security when there will only be three people working for each retiree, compared to more than six per retiree today? Will we be back to a time when each of us has to provide for two elderly parents plus Aunt Susie, who never had anv children?

I explained to a group of students in Denver a couple of years ago that the solution is simple they will simply have to pay 30...