The work-longer trend for Boomers has inspired its own brand of humor– “Die at Your Desk” “Work Till You Drop” “No Rest for The Weary”.
Do you know a Boomer who is not weary? Who doesn’t have to work, but does? I bet you do.
I’m one, and I just found out we’re a subgroup.
Professor Bing Chen, who studies gerontology at the University of Massachusetts and is an expert on retirement issues, spouts about there being such a thing as retiring too late, then acknowledges, ”but there’s a whole subgroup of people who want to keep on working.”
A “whole subgroup”? Oh Bing, could that be a lot of people? I hear there are millions working at age 70,80 and even 90. What’s a subgroup of millions? I know they are too old for Boomers, but I’m just making a point.
My sense is that the subgroup of Boomers who work because they want to is ginormous.
There are many reasons Boomers are still in the workplace and obviously ONE of them has to do with not enough money to comfortably retire. As the country prepares to face a historically unprecedented aging labor force, don’t believe predictions about what is evolving. Because it’s e-v-o-l-v-i-n-g.
AARP policy advisor Sara Rix say she remains sure about one thing: “We’ll definitely see more people working into their 80s – but people will still want to retire at some point.”
Au contraire, Ms. Rix. That might not be so.
Ask about not retiring at the conventional age, brassy Golden Girl Bea Arthur responds: “Retire? RETIRE? People who hate their jobs retire. I’m an actor. I love my work. Actors don’t retire. (CBS, Sunday Morning, September 8, 2009.)
Former classmates and authors, Steele, Alberson and Gieson (Book of Ages: 30, Crown, 2003), reflect on being 30 years old today as a landmark age – much more of a starting point than a midpoint in life. A time to ask: Am I on the right track? Have I succeeded in the ways I want?”
Is that so? Boomers have been asking those questions for years and still do.
Careful about making assumptions. Happy. Healthy. Somewhat wise. Headed into a future of work, sabbaticals and bliss – a life to die for. Ginormous.
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