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April 15, 2008
The Big 6-0
Insight into the satisfaction, goals, and expectations of 800 boomers who turned 60.
During 2006, the first wave of baby boomers turned 60. An AARP telephone survey of a national sample of 800 boomers born in 1946 explored their thoughts about the significance of reaching this milestone, and assessed their satisfaction with their lives up to now, personal goals, and expectations for the future.
- While substantially satisfied with their lives, most were optimistically making plans for making the future even better. Only 1 percent saw age as a barrier to achieving their goals.
- Virtually all had some substantial life change they want to make:
* 87 percent want to take better care of their physical health
* 72 percent plan to spend more time on interests and hobbies
* 47 percent want to do more volunteering
- Work was likely to continue to play a major role their lives. Currently:
* 54 percent are still working (compared to 74 percent of all boomers)
* 54 percent of those still working plan to quit as soon as they can
* 37 percent plan to work “until I drop”
* 14 percent of those not working plan to go back to work in the next few years
- Comparing the significance of turning 60 with turning 50 ...
* 37 percent feel it is more significant
* 30 percent say both are equal
* 17 percent consider it less significant
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Comments
With so many of the boomers not planning to continue working, what impact does that have on our local churches? Are we taking advantage of the work force that is now available to the local church ministry? Do we value this wonderful resource team? A recent article in The Lancaster PA Intellegencer Newspaper featured an interview with a gal who is turning 90 this year. She volunteered 3000 hours last year visiting and encouraging people in the hospital and a local care facility. In the last four years, she has joined a gym and a local water volleyball team. She plays three days a week! God has some marvelous years ahead for this aging generation that is healthier and many times healthier than the preceding generation. Church leaders need to look around "their town" to see the potential that lives next door.
Posted by: Joe Burchill on April 22, 2008 8:43 PM
An excellent book that considers this matter in even greater depth is Marc Freedman's "Prime Time: How Baby Boomers Will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America". Though Freedman is not focusing specifically on communities of faith, the principles he describes certainly have relevance in churches due to the movement of Boomers into the pre-retirement and retirement years. As Joe Burchill has mentioned in his post, is the local church ready to fully utilize the "new retiree"?
Posted by: James L. Knapp on May 1, 2008 4:51 PM