This Grandma is of the Boomer generation. It seems that now age 73 is the new age for retirement? This makes sense. Maybe. If we Boomers consider retirement at all. We are “Forever Young.” We cannot even fathom getting old enough for retirement.
This topic is the subject of, “For Some, Retirement Is Out of Reach. For Others, Boring,” in the New York Times, February 1, 2014 by Abby Ellinjan.
She starts with Jay Leno. This Grandma was very upset with Jay Leno when he said he does not listen to today’s music. Of course, he does not have grandchildren. To connect with grandchildren, we listen to all of today’s music. . . .and love it too. He, at age 63, is showing he is of our parents’ generation. He is old at 63 and even as “old” in mind as he is, he does not want to retire:
IN just a few days, Jay Leno, 63, the host of the “Tonight” show for the last 22 years, will be ceding his comedic throne to the 39-year-old Jimmy Fallon.
Not willingly, as it happens.
“It’s not my decision,” Mr. Leno said during a Jan. 26 interview with Steve Kroft of “60
Minutes.”
Mr. Leno’s reluctance to leave his job – for the second time, no less – echoes the sentiments of many baby boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964. Although the average age at which current United States retirees say they stopped working is 61, up from 59 in 2003 and 57 in 1993, a January Gallup poll of 1,929 members of that generation found that 49 percent didn’t expect to retire until age 66 or older. One respondent in 10 expected never to clock out for good – assuming they had the choice.
This Grandma is with those Boomers who have no idea what not working means. This Grandma does not agree with the Gallup Poll quoted in the article that says that those with means will retire at 66 and those without sufficient funds say 73 is the retirement year. I do agree that our youthfulness and good health contribute to an expanded life span so we are younger longer. Remember, GG (great grandmother) who says, we Boomers are young old and we don’t get old old until we are 84! That makes age 73 seem reasonable for retirement. It seems the “experts” think we will think we are old old earlier than GG thinks is old old. She is ninety. I believe GG, rather than the “experts”:
Aside from money worries, there is a more basic reason many baby boomers continue working: because they want to, and, perhaps more important, because they can. In a quarterly report released in October, UBS Wealth Management Americas revealed that most investors don’t feel “old” until they turn 80, up from 60 during their parents’ generation.
See, finally the experts are beginning to recognize what we Boomers keep shouting: we are not our parents’ generation. Here are some great quotes from the article. I can relate:
“I wake up full of pep most of the time,” said Mr. Potenza. “When you feel good you just want to do more. I read a lot. I’m very curious. I’m always open to the idea of new challenges and bringing my knowledge on board so others can learn from me. I’m very committed to what we do. That gets me going.”
Being committed also gets Arline Tarte going. In 2000, after a long career at the helm of a commercial printing firm, Ms. Tarte, now 71, left the industry for good. For two years, she played bridge, went to the theater and ballet, saw jazz concerts. But she says she found it uninspiring at best. “I was used to doing all that and running a company that was very involved,” she said. “It was boring.”
So she got her real estate license and became a broker. The way she sees it, her age is an asset. “With age, you gain experience and knowledge,” she said. “You only get old if you act old, and I think life is an attitude.”
Arline Tarte gets it! You only get old if you act old. Life is an attitude. That is the mantra of the day, the month, the year and the decade. Now it is age 73 for Retirement? Who cares. May we have good health and a long life to enjoy it with
Joy,
Mema
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