Redirecting our Course, stepping back from the pandemic and current events
Wayne Clark PhD, Woodrow Clark PhD
In February 2020, we started a blog about the Baby Boomer challenges to thrive and be resilient during the last few chapters of their lives. We have written our blogs from our respective backgrounds, both of us have PhDs but they are in different fields. Wayne has had a career in behavioral health policy research and advocacy; Woody’s academic career covers areas such as entrepreneurship, climate change, and qualitative sustainable economics. We thought covering both the economic and health issues of aging baby boomers would be an informative addition to the blogosphere.
Then along came the pandemic, the economic collapse, rising social justice issues, and a most contentious presidential election, our blogs quickly started to cover the impact of those issues on Baby Boomers. Now it is 2021, the election is over, the vaccines are being delivered, the economy is finding ways to return to familiar ways of doing business while creating new ones, and social justice issues are being prioritized. Therefore, we are returning to our original focus on resiliency and thriving for Baby Boomers. We are not saying that our nation and planet has solved all the problems brought to the surface during 2020. We are saying that the unique ways baby boomers thrive, and exhibit resiliency need attention. Henceforth we will be focusing on the broader social, health, legal, and economic challenges facing Baby Boomers in the 21st century.
Even though our academic training was in different disciplines, we approach our analysis in what is labeled qualitative research methodology. This approach is less quantitative and more based on rigorous observations, at times participation, personal experiences, common themes, and comparative inquiry. Our blogs benefit from fellow boomers who will share their experience and opinions about the topics that emerge. Henceforth, we will no longer be stuck on the pandemic nor the intense political divisions in our society. Instead, we will explore other subject areas of concern for baby boomers, their physical and emotional health, their communities, and family life experiences.
We have faced a challenge in the blending of our respective perspectives on the major issues that have unfolded over the past ten months. Due to the major issues we all confronted such as the dramatic influence of COVID-19, the policies of the current administration on the economy, and the resurgence of focus on social justice issues. We have concluded that our blog will benefit the reader more if it is separated. We need to move forward so each separate blog can be timelier and more focused our unique perspectives.
Wayne’s background is in behavioral health. So, he will focus on the health issues that surface for baby boomers, how they handle them, and the many ways baby boomers have discovered to be resilient and thrive. Woody will focus on the economy, climate change, the new normal, and prospects for the next generation.
Wayne Clark PhD [email protected], Woodrow Clark PhD <[email protected]>