A former teacher and nutritionist, Ms Casey-Kirschling argues that just as they defined the youth generation 40 years ago, baby boomers will change the ways Americans look at ageing. “It’s just like [when] they had to build schools for us growing up and universities expanded … it’s the same now with retirement issues like financial planning and assisted living homes,” Ms Casey-Kirschling told the Guardian yesterday.

“Everything is still going to be for the baby boomer.” The postwar demographic bulge is forcing Americans to abandon the idea that they can rely on a state pension to see them through old age in comfort. There is a severe strain on America’s social security administration, which pays out both disability and old age pensions. By 2017 social security will be paying out more than it takes in from payroll taxes.

The 50 million Americans already drawing a government disability or retirement pension will see a 2.3% rise in their monthly payments, it was announced yesterday. The cost of living increase will bring the average pension to about $1,079 ( 500) a month.

As Ms Casey-Kirschling admitted when she filled in her online pension application: “I’m just lucky to be at the top of the boom.” For those following her into retirement, demographers predict the crisis in the social security net will emerge as a key concern on the domestic political agenda, if not in time for the 2008 elections then certainly in subsequent years.