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Health care design for boomers and beyond

When implementing the principles of universal design, it is important to have a clear understanding of the definitions and attributes of the various generations. The following categories were devised by the Pew Research Center for its 2009 web article titled, “The Millennials.”

The Silent Generation. Sometimes known as the GI Generation, it covers anyone born before 1946. These are the children of the Great Depression and World War II.

• Baby boomers. This label refers to the great spike in fertility that began in 1946, right after the end of World War II, and ended almost as abruptly in 1964, around the time that the birth control pill went on the market.

Generation X. This label covers persons born from 1965 to 1980, and it long ago overtook the firm name previously affixed to this generation: the Baby Bust.

Millennials. This label refers to everyone born from 1981 to 2000. They are the first generation to come of age in the new millennium.