OCRegister.com

October 2, 2005

 

Longevity Legacy: Boomers Can Give Back

By Jane Glenn Haas

So you're going to live longer than any other generation?

Ever wonder why?

Ken Dychtwald, the futurist who has spent more than three decades monitoring the aging of America, has a theory.

He says the extra years are bonus time for boomers, an opportunity to leave a legacy as a result of longevity.

There's more to the Third Third of life than 30 years of leisure playing golf, he says.

As the first boomers reach 60 in 2006, Dychtwald wants them to take time out to frame a meaningful third stage of life.

"This generation is trying to imagine a revised model of retirement," says Dychtwald, author of the new book "The Power Years" (Wiley, 2005).

There's a general disenchantment with the retirement road map as it exists, he says. And while he gives kudos to the elder set currently enjoying the "golden years," he points out that the Greatest Generation members were actually guinea pigs experiencing the new leisure living.

Retirement, as we define it today, began after the end of World War II.

And from Dychtwald's perspective, these first retirees have failed the test of time. He cites U.S. Department of Labor statistics that say one in three boomers spend some time volunteering but only 22 percent of people older than 65 volunteer.

"Today's elderly have been given so much but give back so little," he says, ignoring statistics that show elders who do volunteer spend more hours and give more time monthly than any other generation.

"Meanwhile, the media hammers the boomers for being a selfish generation."

Boomers can change their image and their culture as they experience longevity, he says.

"We add a dimension that's missing in retirement," he says. "I'm talking about not focusing on how I feel about what I'm doing, as the previous generation did. Instead, we also are concerned about what we are contributing to our society or to our community."

In "The Power Years," Dychtwald talks about new ways to have fun - such as wilderness adventures and exotic travel instead of the "safe sanctums" of cruise- ship decks.

He sees boomers having more fun in retirement by exploring hidden passions and tapping hidden potentials.

You say you've heard all that talk before. It's true, much of what Dychtwald does is bring together the best concepts for building an engaging retirement, such as lifelong learning programs and community engagement, as well as healthy doses of relaxation time.

But he has the wit to emphasize some fresh potential - such as the simple joy of sharing time with a spouse or a close friend. Kids do it. So do elders who have bridge clubs, golf buddies, shopping pals.

"During our hectic working and parenting years we programmed ourselves into believing that such idleness shows a lack of initiative and responsibility," he says. Instead of equating success with material possessions, Dychtwald encourages the oldest boomers to rekindle love and friendships.

Of course, a lot of us will work for the money. And a lot will work just to stay mentally active.

Dychtwald expects demography is destiny for boomers who want to stay employed. Within the next 10 years a severe shortage of seasoned workers will develop as the boomers leave the workplace. The baby-bust generation is too small to fill the jobs they are vacating, he says.

But will we stay put long enough to make a difference in our communities? A Del Webb survey shows that 59 percent of boomers plan to move after quitting their primary careers.

Boomers have a restlessness and an active appetite for life, Dychtwald says, dubbing them Ageless Explorers.

Still, he returns to leaving a legacy. To gathering a lifetime of learning and experience and talent and giving back time and money to attack poverty, illiteracy, oppression, crime and other ills that diminish society.

"I want my kids to know I'm walking the walk, not just talking the talk," Dychtwald told me. "Every penny I make off this book I'm donating to Habitat (for Humanity) to rebuild after Katrina."

His goal: to have boomers remembered not as the largest generation in the nation's history, but truly its greatest. And that's a tall order.