Boomers Road Of Life

Roads carry us to many places.. We travel them daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. They get us to where we are going. Some have many curves, hills, mountains, peaks, valleys, and detours. Others may be narrow, wide, whining, smooth, or rocky. If we stay on a road sooner or later we get where we are going. Depending on conditions as we travel, we may have to vary or change our course. We may have to stop many times and review our maps. There are even times when obstacles may arise and we may have to choose a different direction to reach our destination. At times we may speed quickly while other times our travel goes very slow depending on many conditions at the time.

Just like the roads that we travel daily, Boomers travel the road of life. We have experienced rocky places,curves, peaks, valleys and detours. We have seen war times in our younger years and now. Some Boomers have climbed to the peaks in their careers while others fell to the valley during the recession. Boomers have experienced loss in divorces or by death of a spouse. We have seen children grow and leave us with an empty nest. Other boomers may have acclaimed fame and prosperity. In our early years we were there when President John F.Kennedy and Nobel Peace Price winner, Martin Luther King, were assassinated. We were there when the first man landed on the moon. We continued our life journey as computers first came into our offices to replace the old type writers. Some of our favorite music has changed. Some our television favorite comedians,movie stars, song writers and singers are no longer with us.

In today’s world we are now looking at our maps again as we go into our retirement years. Retirement may mean that we continue working or make a job change. Some will be heading to small towns to start a small business.. Others may be leaving the small town to join their grown children in city living. Those that are single may be considering dating again or finding new social activities at senior centers, churches and in over 55 communities. Couples may be preparing to travel the world and experience things that they have never experienced before. Many boomers are contacting colleges to take courses of interest or finish a degree. There are boomers that are having to pick themselves up, brush themselves off and start all over again. Boomers are making choices to age in places or make geographical changes to live out their retirement age years.

Yes it is true. Most roads are not clear and all smooth as we would want them to be. Regardless of that fact, boomers will continue on their journey. We will do what we need to do. We will use our maps, our life experiences and persist in these changing times. We will meet health challenges just like those before us did. We will face our day to day living with pride and dignity. We will continue to make a difference in the world that we live. We will continue on the Boomer Road of Life!

With that said, I would like to end with a poem written by Robert Frost. The poem has been analyzed in many ways and was one of his best but tricky. See if you can figure it out!

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay,

In leaves no step had trodden black.

OH, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence”

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference

Resource: Poets.org.

Originally posted 2011-04-28 12:48:35.

Where Will The Baby Boomers Live?

An update on where will the baby boomer live in retirement. This is being answered everyday right now. Here is our take.

So where will be baby boomers live as they retire? That is the question that is being answered right now as 10,000 boomers a day turn age 65 like I did this year.

I spend a lot of time reading everything I can about the very same thing. Plus I am living this myself and see my friends moving for retirement. Here is my take.

Where Will The Boomers Live in Retirement?

The options are several but let’s just consider these:

1. move to an active adult community in another state
2. move to an active adult community in your own state
3. move to suitable home in another state
4. move to a suitable home in your state
5. stay where you are living now

From the way it looks now, the majority will stay in their own homes for many reasons, not the least of which is affordability. They make make some changing to their homes to make them more liveable as they ended up aging in place. This is option 5 above.

The next sizable tier, those who can afford it, may just move in a more suitable home in their own state. This is option 4. They may move from a large home to a ranch with a basement or a townhouse with master on the main and same level living areas. This may be to a location right in their current neighborhood because they like living there but just want a more suitable home for their retirement living. They may move a little closer to their children (grandchildren) and I see this happening quite a bit.

Some but a smaller group will elect to move to one of the 55+ places in their current neighborhood or one of the active adult communities on the edge of their metro area. This is option 2. I am seeing more of these 55+ communities being build in the suburbs where people are living now and I think this will become more popular as time goes on. These boomer communities will be smaller because of the land acquisition cost than those large Del Webb type active adult communities on the outer edges of metros.

A very few will move retire to the exciting city living and even fewer currently are moving to a true small town for retirement unless it is in one of the active adult communities.

Some will relocate to other states especially Florida, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas and other 55+ places.

Very few will move overseas for affordable retirement living, places like Costa Rica or South America. Some will move into their second homes which may be vacation or seasonal homes, but not many.

So as I see it this is what is happening right now answering the question where will the baby boomers live in retirement.

Originally posted 2013-10-23 22:41:58.

Retirement Lifestyles: How It Was and How It Is Today

Working Boomer takes a look at how lifestyles, health care, housing, retirement used to be and compares it to today.

In 1953, I was five years old and my parents were in their 40’s. The small town in Arkansas where I lived lacked a hospital. The physician in town was elderly and only worked part time. The local pharmacy gave out prescription drugs from behind the counter without a Doctor’s Approval. Health care was lacking in many rural areas. Some folks resorted to using home remedies to treat their own illnesses. There were folks that made the difficult choice of keeping a roof over their families heads instead of health care. For some renting was the only option.

After reaching the age for early social security, my parents were able to purchase their first house at the age of 62. They had worked hard all their lives in order to see that small social security check that would enable them to retire. Retirement for them consisted of planting a garden, visiting with neighbors, canning vegetables, growing flowers, and an occasional fishing outing at the nearest pond or river. Other than that, there were not many resources for other types of recreation or social affairs. Therefore, that is how it was.

Unlike my parents, I had the opportunity to own a home by the age of nineteen after moving to the city. Jobs were plentiful in the 80’s. Health care went through many changes during that period. There were many physicians, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities all growing larger in number, offering specialized care. No longer did one go to the pharmacy without a prescription to obtain a needed behind the counter drug. Insurance companies paid a patients bill with out the high out of pocket cost that are seen today.

Today there are retirement communities, retirement jobs, and senior housing for those that can afford or qualify for them. There are over 15,000 senior citizen centers in the United States that offer all types of recreation and social affairs. In addition, they enable seniors to live and experience healthier lives.

Some boomers are like me; living on one income, working and waiting for more health care changes. Others are struggling with taking care of aging parents while juggling their work lives and family responsibilities. Some have postponed retirement due to the economy and job loss. Then there are those that are trying to help their grown children that have had job loss during these difficult times. Boomers are going back to school, taking on jobs to supplement their retirement income. Some people are ready for retirement so they can relax, travel, and do things that they have waited so long to do. Therefore, that is how it is.

No matter how it was or how it is, one thing still remains the same. Life is life and it is important how we live it! The past is the past. In today’s world, we have the resources along with our wisdom. It is up to us to be creative and utilize the resources that are available to us. Each one of us has our own opinion as to what retirement means in our life. We are the beginning of a big change yet to come!

Originally posted 2011-03-08 13:57:47.

Taking Baby Steps Toward Retirement

Here are some baby steps to take to continue to pace yourself toward your retirement years.

Steps Towards Retirement

When I first starting blogging I had high hopes for my retirement years. Like many boomers I have had to make adjustments. Goals must be realistic and obtainable. The past is the past, the moment is now and the future is not here yet. Some boomers prospered in the past. Their retirement is somewhat secure. Then there are those of us that have found that not to be so. I have looked at my wants and my needs. It is not too late! It is a challenge. First and far most keeping a positive attitude is the most important thing that one can do. As I do this, I find that smaller might even be better. Each day brings something new and different. Remember the tortoise that won the race. Then how about the little caboose that said, “I think I can, I think I can.” They both did! Here are some baby steps that I have taken in the past three years. Hopefully you will be encouraged to continue to pace yourself with steps toward your retirement years.

I searched for a new job with health care benefits. I took in account that my new job must be one that I could perform as I aged. Since my savings were gone, I needed something that could also enable me to make a living. I also needed a job that offered a pension plan. I found it! The area where I was living was not very safe nor did it offer much job opportunity. I moved to another state. With luck, I found an apartment that was less expensive than the area that I left. In addition, the area where I now live in is safer, has more job opportunities and resources for seniors.
I then set goals for becoming debt free. This meant sacrificing a lot of things like vacations, shopping sprees, credit card spending, and buying things that were not an absolute need. It meant sticking to a budget. Three years later, I am happy to say that within two months this goal should be completed. It has not been easy but WELL WORTH IT! With a do not quit attitude, over coming obstacles and making changes I am getting there.
I use the Internet to explore options. 55CommunityGuide.com has given me different resources for places to live. The information that I am gaining from the web has given me ideas to further my search for retirement housing types and places to live as I age.
I joined in with social media. I use twitter and facebook. By doing this I keep up on health care changes, options for seniors and many other things that I need to know.
Thanks to SeniorCenterDirectory.com, I have checked out the senior center in my area. Now I am in tune with what is offered in my community.
Skilled nursing can be an issue for seniors. Therefore, I have begun to get quotes for long term care insurance. Now I am researching skilled nursing facilities.
In my space time, I have learned to make a few extra bucks using my computer at home.
Shopping, the community college, post office, service station, and health care needs are within minutes from my apartment. This is essential as I grow older. If I should relocate this will still be a top priority along with cost.
I now use the library, not only for learning but for fun.

These are only a few of the baby steps that I have been taking toward retirement in the past three years. It has not been a straight path. There has been many obstacles but I persevere. I am taking action, being accountable for my actions and persevering just as you are doing. Times may be changing but boomers are changing too! Stand up! Strut your stuff! We CAN do it? Take those steps! Even baby steps will get there.

Originally posted 2011-04-12 20:27:40.