Baby Boomers, Retirement and New Possibilities

Retirement Finds a New Purpose

• Out of the Ashes, New Possibilities – A new and, in some ways, more optimistic vision for retirement is emerging. 60% of Americans now say they view retirement to be “a new, exciting chapter in life” contrasted with 52% last year. And, 70% want to include working in retirement as a way to contribute, remain stimulated and pay the bills.
• Sage Elders Needed – Three-quarters of all respondents think our country would benefit in important ways if retirees were more involved in contributing their valuable skills and experience to our communities, with the most enthusiastic response coming from retirees themselves (83%).
• The Emergence of Philanthropreneuring – With growing interest in civic engagement, the majority (57%) of respondents would prefer a volunteer activity that makes use of their full range of work and life skills and experience – rather than basic service and support tasks.

According to Dr. Ken Dychtwald, CEO of Age Wave: “There’s no question that this past year has been a time of struggle and worry. At this point, most of us are taking a deep breath, assessing the damage and trying to figure out how to move forward. As we reviewed the results, we couldn’t help reflecting that this study demonstrates the fortitude and resilience of our country as we re-think the funding, timing and purpose of retirement. Though the study uncovered anxiety and uncertainty necessitating shifting plans and priorities, it also revealed a hopeful outlook as a new, more engaged and sustainable model of retirement is being envisioned.”

This concludes our review of the ‘Retirement at the Tipping Point’ study.

Please log on tomorrow for our Virtual Book Tour, featuring “Ask Amy” syndicated columnist, Amy Dickinson and her book, “The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter and the Town that Raised Them.”