Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Japan anxiously watches baby boomers' march into retirement
Emi Doi (McClatchy Newspapers)
Kansas City Star
March 31, 2007

Overview: Doi reports, “The first of Japan's postwar baby boomers have just begun to pack their briefcases and bags and walk out the office door into retirement. It has demographers and social scientists worried. The retirement wave coincides with a rise in average age and a looming drop in the size of Japan's labor force.”

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/17001992.htm

Book's 'modest proposal' asks baby boomers to die
Curt Schleier
The Grand Rapids Press
April 1, 2007

Overview: Schleier shares his thoughts about Christopher Buckley’s new novel, Boomsday. He writes, “In many ways, Buckley is our Swift. The thing I appreciated most about ‘Boomsday’ is how it left me thinking. Sure, it's funny to laugh about Washington deal making and greed, but in the end it's somewhere between sad and frightening.”

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress/index.ssf?/base/features-0/117540879560320.xml&coll=6

Boomers are beaming
Western Australia Post Newspapers
March 30, 2007

Overview: This article shares survey results from Australian Pensions Insurance Agency of 2500 people ages 50 to 75 that was part of a project looking “to understand the issues and concerns of people over 50 not working full-time.” Results suggest that “…the big issues were climate change, health, time spent with families and education” and “they had a strong interest in adult education and wanted to continue learning. They are confident about their ability to take on new courses, particularly in computing, languages and trades.”

http://www.postnewspapers.com.au/20070331/news/004.shtml

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Boomers ready to downsize; Home sales trends; Ageing population tapping into home equity
Rosemary Mccracken
National Post
April 3, 2007

Overview: McCracken reports housing industry trends among Canadian boomers. She writes, “The Boomers may be planning to tap their equity, perhaps moving to smaller homes, but the home financing industry is confident they will remain in the housing market and many will require home financing for years to come.”

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=d78068e1-2add-429f-9748-041a84806411

More people over 55 are working 9 to 5; A rising segment of the state's baby boomers can't afford to retire
Maria L. La Ganga
Los Angeles Times
April 3, 2007

Overview: Ganga discusses the growing number of Californians working later in life. According to The California Budget Project, “The proportion of women ages 55 to 69 who were working rose 9.2 percentage points between 1995 and 2006; for men, the increase was 10.6 percentage points. Experts in aging and the workplace called the change significant and said it has been fueled by a complex mix of social factors, good and bad. Longer lives and better health mean people are physically able to work longer. A diminished retirement system and a sharp rise in baby boomers who feel financially unprepared to swap briefcases for golf bags mean that many will be forced to work longer.”

http://www.latimes.com/business/careers/work/la-me-oldwork3apr03,1,7138076.story?coll=la-headlines-business-careers

Report: Baby Boomer execs are making late career switches
San Jose Business Journal
March 29, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on a study from Korn/Ferry International finding that out of 270 international recruiters, baby boomer executives are looking for a different profession later in their careers. The study found, “Leading reasons for executives to re-career, according to recruiters, are boredom with retirement (22 percent), a sense of productivity (21 percent) and intellectual challenge (20 percent). Other motivators include insufficient retirement savings (13 percent) and the need for personal interaction with others (13 percent).”

http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/03/26/daily58.html

The headline in Thursday, March 11’s USA Today is destined to send a chill down any civilized American’s spine…and is increasingly typical of the rhetoric around the healthcare debate. It reads: “Benefits for seniors eating up kids’ share.”

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Fast and the Furious Join the Country-Club Set
Thaddeus Herrick
The Wall Street Journal
April 3, 2007

Overview: Herrick writes about the specialized community trend. He reports, “Even as cities are luring people back to downtown neighborhoods with their melting-pot appeal, suburban and exurban ‘lifestyle communities’ are emerging with ever narrower niches. Their market: aging baby boomers who increasingly find themselves with the time and money to pursue a singular passion, such as cars, horses or aviation.”

*Note: This article requires a subscription to access

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117565210716959243.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace

Separate bedrooms for snoring boomer couples
Seniorscopie.com
April 4, 2007

Overview: This piece focuses on the article, “How do you SLEEP at night? If you've been married for awhile, chances are you sleep alone,” originally published in the Winnipeg Free Press on March 17, 2007, sharing, “Canadian builders and architects predicted that, in less than 10 years, more than 60 per cent of custom-built homes would have dual master bedrooms. Snoring is one of the main reasons of the new trend among boomers and seniors. 60% of Canadian adults snore and 50% of the British adults think it affects their sexual life.”

http://www.seniorscopie.com/actu/article.asp?id=070404145843&rub=swi

Fearless at Fifty: Jacqueline Wales Helps Baby Boomer Women Live the Life They Love
Jacqueline Wales
PRBuzz.com
April 3, 2007

Overview: Press release announcing, “Jacqueline Wales, founder of Fearless Fifties ™ (http://www.fearlessfifties.com) couldn’t agree with her more. Wales coaches women from around the world to empower them to live vibrant, energetic lives, by helping them to move beyond their comfort zone. What does it mean to be Fearless at Fifty? According to Wales, the answer is simple. It’s about facing your fears each and every day. Fear is what stops a woman from living a thriving, passionate, and joy-filled life which is hers to claim.”

http://www.prbuzz.com/fearless-at-fifty-jacqueline-wales-helps-baby-boomer-women-live-the-life-they-love-1659.html

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

What Do You Need for Aging Dogs? Depends
Jura Koncius
The Washington Post
April 5, 2007

Overview: Koncius reports on the trend of baby boomer spending on pets. “The generation that is redefining old age is making growing old easier for its pets. ‘Baby boomers are keeping their pets longer and are willing to do $5,000 surgeries on them,’ says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040400658.html

Baby Boomers Lucky On Pension Saving
Finance Daily, UK
April 5, 2007

Overview: This article shares, “Two separate studies reveal that the UK’s older generation intend to carry on working as they get older, with most recognising that the ‘baby-boomers’ have been lucky when it comes to pensions saving.” The reports suggest that boomers “are only interested in doing the work they want to do and at their own pace. The report claims that baby boomers have high work expectations in retirement including: continuing to work but without the stress, becoming involved in charities, and exploring new professions.” Additionally, “…more than three-quarters (76%) of over-50s said that being old is more about how you feel than your actual age and nearly one in two (47%) thought retirement and old age were old-fashioned terms that did not accurately describe the last decades of life.”

http://www.financedaily.co.uk/showArticle.aspx?loadID=415

Boomers can't kick drug abuse habits
Lisa Hoffman
Detroit News
April 4, 2007

Overview: Hoffman discusses drug abuse among baby boomers and writes, “They are perhaps best known for their youthful indulgence in an exotic menu of illicit substances such as Acapulco Gold, windowpane acid, mescaline and Quaaludes. Now, experts warn, the 78 million-strong baby boomer generation is bringing its propensity to use pills and pot to its senior years. In what researchers call the tip of an ominous trend, boomers are responsible for a spike in drug and alcohol abuse that is expected to mushroom in coming years.”

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070405/LIFESTYLE03/704050308/1005/LIFESTYLE

Women back on top in L'Oreal annual report
Reuters News
April 4, 2007

Overview: This piece shares information from L’Oreal’s annual report. Specifically, “L'Oreal noted in 1996 the peak in consumption of beauty products for most people occurred between the ages of 40 and 60. By 2005, that had shifted to between 45 and 70. About 40 percent of 65-to-69 year olds said they used an anti-ageing cream in 2005, compared with just 20 percent in 1996.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSL0454247220070405

Active Recreation Tops Lifestyle Desires for Over-55 Crowd and Baby Boomers; Adventure activities emerge as newest trend in active adult programming
PRNewswire
April 4, 2007

Overview: Press release announcing, “…a recent lifestyle interest survey conducted by Del Webb communities shows that active recreation, especially adventurous pursuits such as hiking and river rafting, is emerging as a top lifestyle interest by the over-age 55 and Baby Boomer crowds.” The press release also shares specific trends in the areas of adventure activities, top sports and health and fitness.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/construction-building/20070404/CLW03404042007-1.html

Anyone who has seen Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” likely can’t help but be a little convinced that global warming is indeed a real phenomenon (whatever your politics may be). Sunday night’s “60 Minutes” underscored this idea by showcasing a less than happy footed penguin population in Antarctica that had dropped by 60 percent. And if you don’t believe the hype, consider that during a mid-Atlantic winter, 70 degree temps tricked sweet natured trees into full bloom, while this weekend, one forecaster predicted snow.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Long and Winding Road; From their Beetles to their boxy SUVs, Americans who grew up in the '60s and '70s defined themselves by what they drove
Keith Naughton; With Joanna Broder, Joan Raymond, Hilary Shenfeld, Margaret Nelson Brinkhaus, Patrick Crowley and Tara Weingarten
Newsweek
April 9, 2007

Overview: This article discusses the evolution of the auto industry and how those cars have impacted and shaped the baby boomer generation. Specifically the article shares, “What a long, strange trip it's been for boomer drivers. The group that started out as hippies at the wheel of psychedelic VW Microbuses has taken many forks in the road--from muscle cars to minivans, Beetles to Beemers, Hondas to Hummers, pony cars to Priuses. The one constant in boomers' conflicted car culture: you are what you drive. On the road, the Me Generation became the Look at Me Generation.” Moreover, “To boomers, the wheels you choose are the ultimate expression of freedom and of self. After all, taking to the open road has been a lifelong love affair. Boomers were the first generation to grow up in the back seat, or, in some cases, the back window.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17888478/

Japan's baby boomers rank Hawai'i No. 2 destination
Honolulu Advertiser
April 5, 2007

Overview: According to a study conducted by the Japan Travel Bureau, Japanese baby boomers indicated that Hawaii is the number two destination for retirement travel. “The poll said only 22.4 percent stated that they did not, or do not plan to travel after retiring. An overwhelming majority — 93.8 percent — said they plan to travel with their spouse.”

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Apr/05/br/br8291754306.html

Baby Boomers - doing it for themselves
TheMatureMarket.com
April 6, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on Australian baby boomers and suggests, “History, some might say, has been kind to the baby boomers. They have enjoyed affordable housing, access to free education, often generous welfare benefits and frequently favourable employment markets.” Additionally the article shares, “But will history continue to favour the boomers? This edition of the AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report takes stock of the baby boomers’ situation – their family structures, their work patterns, their wealth and their spending – to ask: how well placed are they financially to answer the challenges of their march to retirement?” To view the full report, click on the link provided in this article.

http://www.thematuremarket.com/SeniorStrategic/baby_boomers_doing_it_for_themselves-8506-5.html

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Wrinkles in Living Color
Dody Tsiantar
Time
April 16, 2007

Overview: Dody writes about Dove’s ad campaign targeting baby boomers and suggests, “… it might not be that easy for Dove to overturn the mind-set against aging gracefully. Boomers might say they want to look their age, but how they spend their money is another matter. How else to account for the more than 4 million Americans who got Botox injections last year? The antiaging mantra has spread beyond face creams.”

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1607254,00.html

BoomerTowne.com(TM) Launches -- 'A Destination for a Generation'
PRNewswire
April 9, 2007

Overview: Press release announcing the launch of BoomerTowne.com, a Web site that will provide boomers with “a wide variety of content on topics ranging from health and travel to retirement planning as well as fun activities.” Boomertowne.com will also provide a “Towne Council” made up of members including Montel Williams, Denise Austin and more. “Members of the Towne Council span a wide range of expertise including personal finance, travel, health and fitness, healthy cooking, relationships, caring for elderly parents and more.”

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-09-2007/0004561434&EDATE=

Boomers worry about homophobia in retirement
Linell Smith
The Baltimore Sun via Lawrence Journal World
April 7, 2007

Overview: Smith reports, “Louis Hughes, 63, is part of the growing number of aging baby boomers who are gay and concerned about the discrimination and homophobia they may face in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.” Moreover, “this is a concern shared by many baby boomers who fought for the right to be openly gay in mainstream America. They now face a new challenge: remaining openly gay in old age.”

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2007/apr/07/boomers_worry_about_homophobia_retirement/

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Hotels Shake Up Time-Share Act
Jeffery Selingo
The New York Times
April 10, 2007

Overview: This piece focuses on time-share properties and how baby boomers are contributing to this industry. Selingo reports, “As the prices of second homes move out of reach for many Americans, older couples like the Gilberts are buying time shares as an alternative. Baby boomers account for about half of time-share buyers, according to the American Resort Development Association, a trade group in Washington. Long known for its high-pressure sales tactics, the industry has attracted many soon-to-be-retirees with new products that avoid the term ‘time share’ in favor of ‘vacation club’ or ‘fractional ownership,’ and offer more flexible options for owners.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/retirement/10share.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Training to Be Old
Claudia H. Deutsch
The New York Times
April 10, 2007

Overview: Deutsch writes about the need for boomers to prepare for the psychological and physical implications associated with retirement in addition to financial preparation. She suggests, “So with the first wave of baby boomers already in their 60s, gerontologists are bracing for a tsunami of disgruntled postretirees who have left the psychic and physical aspects of aging to chance.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/retirement/10age.html

Keeping current with older buyers; Trends in newer designs
Robert Cole
The Kansas City Star
April 10, 2007

Overview: Cole reports on how baby boomers are spending on new home designs. Specifically he shares, “An increasing number of builders also are adding features that cater to baby boomers age 55 and over. More than $100 billion worth of new homes are expected to be sold this year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Boomers typically resist labels such as ‘aging’ or ‘graying’ for ones like ‘active adults.’ Instead of playing shuffleboard, they’re spending big bucks to attend a Rod Stewart concert or scuba dive off the Florida coast.”

http://www.kansascity.com/194/story/64690.html

The New World of "Old"
Peter G. Miller
Reality Times
April 10, 2007

Overview: Miller discusses the housing market trends of the baby boomer generation. He writes, “The housing needs of the baby-boom generation are distinctly different than the population in general.” He goes on to say, “While some baby-boomers prefer over-55 communities with their child-free environments, others find a mix of age groups interesting and stimulating.”

http://realtytimes.com/rtcpages/20070410_newworld.htm

Okay, savvy marketers. Get ready to smirk. Of course we all know there is no such thing. Boomers are 42 and 62. They are married forever and just now starting to date. They are rich and poor. They are every ethnicity, region, religion, sexual orientation and so on and on. In fact, speaking through the post-modern lens, you could say that the boomer generation is like a pointillist painting. Get too close to it, and the whole thing goes to dots.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Baby boomers are the fastest-growing demographic
Heidi Dawley
Media Life Magazine
April 10, 2007

Overview: Dawley writes about the increasing trend of boomers participating in online dating. She shares, “The young do very much dominate online dating. Yet increasingly dating sites report a surge in older people, what they call silver singles, folks in the 50-plus set. Indeed, they say it’s now their fastest-growing demographic. And no surprise, it’s also the most lucrative. Dating sites report that plus-50s are willing to spend more money in their search for love.”

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman/publish/article_11302.asp

Second career: boomers decided to run for office
SeniorScopie.com
April 11, 2007

Overview: This piece focuses on the article, “Baby boomers ready for the stump,” by the Daily Yomiuri (March 21, 2007), that discusses Japanese boomers running for office. “Boomers want to keep on being useful in society after they retire by running for local elections. Baby boomers have been criticized for promoting the bubble economy, and receiving pensions that impose an unfair burden on younger generations, they want to show their commitment.”

http://www.seniorscopie.com/actu/article.asp?id=070411121239&rub=swi

Boomers make leap to fulfill their passions in the arts world
Susan Felt
The Arizona Republic
April 11, 2007

Overview: Felt reports, “Universities, community colleges, art schools and studios report that older adults are signing up for classes in creative writing, playwriting, dance, art, music and acting. People want classes where they create something, says Kate Cross, coordinator of the creative writing program at Phoenix College. She says an increasing number of baby boomers are attending classes that range from drafting a novel to writing a memoir. Boomers have spent much of their lives on families and careers; now they are working on themselves.”

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/arizonaliving/articles/0411voices0411.html

Boomers crazy about digital cameras
SeniorScopie.com
April 11, 2007

Overview: This article contributes information from “Poised To Extend To Spending, Driven By Baby Boomers,” by the Nikkei Report originally published on March 27, 2007. The articles shares, “An electronics retailer noticed that half of all shoppers buying digital cameras on weekends are boomers, which represents a 70% growth compared to 2006. Average spending by households led by people aged 55-59 increased, marking the first rise in seven months. Other shops attract boomers by offering them 10% discount coupons for each business suit to buy casual menswear.”

http://www.seniorscopie.com/actu/article.asp?id=070411121305&rub=swi

Baby boomers’ children going to inherit windfall; Average amount will be $283,000, survey finds
Julian Beltrame
The Chronicle Herald
April 11, 2007

Overview: Beltrame reports, “Forget the lottery. Many young Canadians will hit the jackpot some day because they are lucky enough to have financially successful, frugal parents.” Moreover, “For the 54 per cent who are expecting an inheritance in the future, Decima says they believe they will realize a windfall about five times the amount of past inheritances, or $283,000 on average, half in cash and the rest in real estate and other valuables. That may not square with the image of baby boomers squandering their wealth on vacations, parties and sports cars, but Decima head Bruce Anderson points out that while many have been living la dolce vita, they’ve also accumulated substantial wealth.”

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/636795.html

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Death be not a Boomer: A group that won't go quietly
Frederick R. Lynch
Chicago Tribune
April 12, 2007

Overview: Lynch reports, “Americans historically have been a death-denying people, but the aging of Baby Boomers may change all that.” He goes on to say, “A generation of savvy consumers is turning its sharp shopping skills toward conventional and alternative health care -- and meeting eager marketers. Nightly TV newscasts mix special reports on chronic-disease treatment with advertisements for pharmaceuticals and other health-care products. Hundreds of Web sites cater to Boomers' hunger for health-care information.” Lynch ends the article saying, “The 1960s anti-war chant of ‘Hell no, we won't go!’ seems futile for a 50-something generation. And ‘Peace now!’ takes on a new and more menacing meaning altogether.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0704110669apr12,1,7753898.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

The non-retirement retirement; Some would-be retirees are forgoing sailing around the world in lieu of starting their own business - by choice.
Jessica Dickler
CNNMoney.com
April 11, 2007

Overview: Dickler reports, “Instead of settling into a retirement lifestyle, some would-be retirees are opting to use their capital to continue working - but this time, on their terms.” She shares a quote from Maria Coyne, the executive vice president for KeyBank, who states, “While some baby boomers near retirement age are realizing that they don't have enough savings to retire comfortably, others are choosing to venture on their own because they want to translate the success from their corporate job into a position that offers more independence and control.”

http://money.cnn.com/2007/04/11/smbusiness/retiree_entrepreneurs/index.htm?section=money_email_alerts

Aging U.S. Baby Boomer Population May Find Financial Stress in Retirement
TheMatureMarket.com
April 11, 2007

Overview: The 2007 American Retirement Study by Scottrade found that “forty-two percent of American Baby Boomers, those between the ages of 45 and 64, say they will not have enough money to do the things they want to do when they retire and nearly one-third (31 percent) say they will have to cut back on their current lifestyle in retirement...”

http://www.thematuremarket.com/SeniorStrategic/baby_boomers_stress_retirement-8524-5.html

On the upper right-hand corner of The Boomer Blog, you will see an invitation to subscribe to our eQuarterly, The FH BoomTimes. While we are still a ways out from our first edition, we thought we’d share some of our thought process with you, given that how we are approaching our launch has a great deal of synergy with the advice we give clients who want to reach the boomer market.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Super-healthy over-50s are putting younger generations to shame
Andrew Levy
Daily Mail
April 13, 2007

Overview: Levy reports on the health of baby boomers. Specifically, he writes, “Baby boomers are eating more sensibly than their children or grandchildren and are more careful about the amount of alcohol they consume, according to a survey. They are also far more careful to avoid additives in foods than the younger generation. These attitudes mean today's over-50s are happier with their body shape than those in their 30s. They are also more likely to have achieved the perfect balance between work and play, suffering less stress as a result.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=448246&in_page_id=1770

Author offers hope for second half of life; Gail Sheehy says there’s plenty to be excited about
Cindy Larson
Fort Wayne News Sentinel
April 12, 2007

Overview: Larson discusses Gail Sheey’s latest book, Sex and the Seasoned Woman: Pursuing the Passionate Life. Larson shares that Sheehy’s book, “was written after interviewing women in their 40s to their 90s from all over the country about sex, dating, divorce, remarriage, spiritual growth and how they’re finding ways to live the second half of their lives more passionately. Her conclusion, which should be as encouraging to husbands as to wives, is that women can experience increased vitality in their love lives after 50.”

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/entertainment/17066938.htm

Job market's hottest commodity is older workers as boomer generation moves toward retirement
Jay Bryan
Montreal Gazette
April 12, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on older workers and the job force in Canada. Bryan reports, “The latest job numbers show that employment of men and women over 55 shot up by 6.6 per cent in the past year, more than three times as fast as among younger workers.”

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/columnists/story.html?id=ab72a368-5e96-4531-8c5f-04e9ea5a12c5

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Boomers put sex on the table
Sarah Elks
The Australian
April 16, 2007

Overview: Elks reports that “baby boomers are shattering stereotypes by having more sex in their 60s than previous older generations.” Additionally, Elks shares thoughts from an Australian sexual health physician, Lesley Yee, who states, “This generation grew up with the pill and are used to more open communication about sex.” She goes on to say, “Now, they're challenging earlier conservative attitudes about older people's sexuality.”

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21563163-2702,00.html

Some boomers don't trust Internet banking
Lori Holcomb
The Battle Creek Enquirer
April 16, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on boomers and internet banking. Holcomb reports, “While their children and grandchildren may be comfortable doing this from the time they can reach a keyboard, studies show baby boomers are not as eager to put their money where their mouse is.” Moreover, “A 2006 study of Internet use by Pew Internet and American Life Project shows 66 percent of baby boomers are going online. However, like Wolf, many rarely use the Internet for banking, aside from tracking their accounts and paying a few bills.”

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/NEWS01/704160329/1002/NEWS01

What does ‘old’ mean?
Bryan Appleyard
The Sunday Times
April 15, 2007

Overview: Appleyard reflects on boomers and aging. “Baby-boomers are the most privileged demographic cohort in history, and the deluge of material rewards they enjoyed convinced them, sometime in the 1970s, that they could do something about death - even that it might be optional. From Jane Fonda workout videos to Nivea DNAge, and now the film Wild Hogs, in which suburban boomers take to the highway on motorbikes, the boomers have sought the fountain of youth with increasingly desperate enthusiasm.” Moreover, he suggests that the baby boomers’ “primary tactic, however, was not exercise, face cream or leather gear. It was denial. As the boomers aged and took over the commanding heights of the arts and media, they became ever more obsessed with youth.”

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article1641999.ece

Did you hear that?

That was the sound of Feminism -- baby boomer-style – roaring back to life.

In a new book called The Feminine Mistake: Are Women Giving Up Too Much?, Vanity Fair journalist and baby boomer Leslie Bennetts warns that women experience an unexpected toll when they give up work to raise children, but reap surprising benefits -- beyond just a paycheck -- when they maintain their careers while parenting.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Hooray for gray! Baby boomers toss dye bottles to wear natural color with pride
Carol McGraw
The Gazette via Fort Wayne Journal Sentinel
April 17, 2007

Overview: McGraw focuses on boomers who are going with the natural look, rather than dying their hair color for a younger look. She writes, “Once upon a time, women would curse their gray hair and reach for the dye to cover it up. Or they'd eventually cave in and drench themselves in that ghastly purplish-blue rinse - the one that turns the shade of the Rocky Mountains at dusk. It was like the mark of the old age beast. But with salt falling on their heads like a blizzard, baby boomers are, as usual, opting to do it their way. So long, stigma, hello gray.”

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/17090563.htm

It's a boom in boomer entrepreneurship
Jimmie Wilkins
Statesman Journal
April 17, 2007

Overview: Wilkins reports, “Generally, people tend to switch to self-employment when the economy takes a downswing and flow out when the economy recovers; however, there is a fundamental change occurring that impacts and is creating an upward trend of this phenomenon. This trend is a.k.a. ‘baby boomers.’” He goes on to share recent statistics and trends in entrepreneurship and says, “Individual attitudes are changing from ‘work to live’ to ‘live to work.’”

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070417/COLUMN0501/704170316/1064

Hawaii Real Estate is Booming Due to Retirement of Baby Boomers
Press World
April 16, 2007

Overview: Press release announcing baby boomers impact on real estate in Hawaii. The article says, “Despite the ‘buyer’s market’ that much of the United States is currently facing, Hawaii Real Estate continues to be a ‘sellers market’ as an increasing number of baby boomers are retiring in Hawaii and the housing inventory has been down for 10 straight months. In addition, with property taxes being extremely low and very high conforming loan limits, real estate sales in Hawaii are booming.”

http://real-estate.press-world.com/v/78536/hawaii-real-estate-is-booming-due-to-retirement-of-baby-boomers.html

‘Tis the season of wedding bell bliss, as young brides and grooms—rewind—as brides and grooms of all ages are gearing up for their big day. Yes, this includes the baby boomers. But you wouldn’t know it when you look at how marketers sell the wedding-industry to the public.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Power of the Baby Boomers
Seth Gitell
New York Sun
April 17, 2007

Overview: Gitell shares his view on the baby boomer generation and their political powers. Specifically, “The boomers' status as a numerous and powerful clique of those over-50 has a resurgent muscle — their political axiom holds that the elderly vote. Older voters tend to be more engaged, more informed, and more apt to vote than younger voters.”

http://www.nysun.com/article/52593?page_no=2

Boom-boom boomer girls; Living dreams denied in their youth and facing the downhill side of their lives, women emerge.
Tony Nauroth
The Express-Times
April 16, 2007

Overview: Nauroth shares personal stories of boomer women who are pursuing various activities that they enjoy. He reports, “Boomer girls, as they often are called, are emerging as a cultural force that men -- and indeed society in general -- must cope with.” Nauroth shares quotes from the women, including one from Linda Frey who states, “We are adventurous. We like to feel good. We spend too much money looking young. And we take chances because we realize this is it. We don't have much time left.”

http://www.nj.com/living/expresstimes/index.ssf?/base/living-1/1176697077105230.xml&coll=2

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Skin Care Becomes Masculine: Men Increasingly Turn To Quality Cosmetics Instead Of Soap On A Rope
Greg Morago
The Hartford Courant
April 18, 2007

Overview: Morago reports that companies are making skin-care and grooming products for men. He writes, “But it's not just younger bucks like Becks who are taking care of their skin. As men age, they are more likely to invest in more and better grooming products, Esposito said. ‘One of the biggest drivers behind the boom is the baby boomer generation. They are fitter and living longer. But with a longer, healthier life comes the need to work longer and many of them actually have to date at later ages than they ever expected,’ he said.”

http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-metrowhatever.artapr18,0,3857924.story?coll=hc-headlines-life

Clothiers jockey over dressing the new 30; The aging baby boomer women's market is not easy to serve
Marina Strauss
The Globe and Mail
April 18, 2007

Overview: This article discusses retail trends among boomers. Strauss reports, “Apparel sales among women in their 50s enjoyed the biggest gain of any age group between 2001 and 2006, NPD data show. Those sales jumped 40 per cent to $2-billion in 2006 from five years earlier, while sales of teen clothing fell 3.5 per cent to $1.1-billion, and sales to twentysomething women rose just 4 per cent to $1.3-billion.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070418.RTABI18/TPStory/Business

Baby Boomers feel positive about the future
Iain Martin
Citywire
April 19, 2007

Overview: Martin shares, “Baby boomers feel good about retirement and their financial plans according to a study published by Friends Provident. The survey of 3,400 people revealed boomers did not see leaving work as retirement but ‘freetirement’. ‘Freetirement’ is a time when boomers would enjoy greater freedom of choice and have more opportunities to do the things they really like.”

http://www.citywire.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?VersionID=91022&MenuKey=News.Home&NewsPage=1

Okay, I couldn’t resist. This is actually a critique of a book that has gotten a lot of buzz lately, which is really titled: Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents, by Jane Isay. (“Flying Dolphin Press.”) I hope the book is a huge bestseller for one reason: it will show that I’m not the only boomer parent who loves her children more than life, itself, but has to watch not just every word, but every thought, eye twitch, etc. I think the title says it all.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Baby Boomers Appear to Be Less Healthy Than Parents
Rob Stein
Washington Post
April 20, 2007

Overview: Stein reports on the health of baby boomers. He writes, “Boomers are healthier in some important ways -- they are much less likely to smoke, for example -- but large surveys are consistently finding that they tend to describe themselves as less hale and hearty than their forebears did at the same age. They are more likely to report difficulty climbing stairs, getting up from a chair and doing other routine activities, as well as more chronic problems such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902458.html?hpid=topnews

Living with Parents and Children
Good Morning America
April 20, 2007

Overview: This GMA segment focuses on the sandwich generation and multi-generations living together in one household while providing suggestions on how to make it work.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/

In greying Japan, old get trendy
Agence France Presse
April 19, 2007

Overview: One of Japan’s largest department stores, Takashimaya, will have a branch to specifically target baby boomers and the elderly. This article shares quotes from the stores spokesperson, Kivome Nagai, who explains, “Just targeting Tokyo's young and fashionable is simply no longer sufficient.” Moreover, “The tastes of the baby-boomers have changed and so we must respond to their needs.”

http://news.sawf.org/Lifestyle/36158.aspx

In The Top 10 Most Romantic Cities, Spring is Here and Boomer Couples are Ready! Bert Sperling's Best Places Announces Top 10 U.S. Cities Where Romance is Blooming for Boomers
PR Newswire
April 20, 2007

Overview: Press release announcing, “Home may be where the heart is, but for many baby boomers(i), home is also where guests stop by unannounced, "to-do" lists seem to grow longer by the minute and bills crowd the mailbox waiting to be paid. However, a new study, conducted by Bert Sperling of Sperling's Best Places, found the top 10 cities in the United States where romance blooms for boomers -- no matter what the interruption. Interestingly, Pittsburgh came out on top as the number one city where the boomer set is finding special moments for romance.”

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-20-2007/0004570020&EDATE=

"Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Traveling in packs; As the popularity of multigenerational family vacations grows, companies are responding with packages designed to please all
Lisa Bertagnoli
Chicago Tribune
April 23, 2007

Overview: Bertagnoli discusses the trend of multigenerational family vacations. She reports, “Indeed, growing interest in intergenerational travel stems from the aging Baby Boomer population, said Cathy Keefe, a spokeswoman for the Travel Industry Association, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0704220348apr23,0,3010928.story?coll=chi-business-hed

Boomers becoming own bosses; Faced with few obstacles and ample opportunity, baby boomers are starting new businesses as they approach and enter retirement
Monica Hatcher
Miami Herald
April 22, 2007

Overview: Hatcher reports on boomers and entrepreneurships. She writes, “Using the skills they've developed throughout their careers, many are remaking themselves as entrepreneurs. Whether starting a franchise, launching a start-up, buying an established business or lone-rangering it as a consultant, they are leading a surge in the number of Americans making the leap to self-employment -- particularly those closest to the traditional retirement age of 65.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/103/story/81940.html

Queensland's current generation of retirees has worked hard and is healthy, wealthy and intent on having a good time
Lucy Carne and Edmund Burke
Courier Mail
April 22, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on Australian boomers’ retirement trends. Carne and Burke report, “They are driving an entire industry, spending record amounts not only in their efforts to stay young, but also on travel, nights out and expensive toys.” Additionally, they share quotes from Noel Whittaker, a financial expert who states, “They (the baby boomers) are wealthier than any generation before them and a lot of that is to do with the incredible boom in house prices. They want travel, they want health, they want lives and health care, personal trainers, pilates and the gym. People now know that they are not going to be dead at 50 and they feel that if they are going to be around until 90, they are bloody well going to enjoy it.It used to be that they left it for the kids but now they are saying, ‘Stuff the kids, I am going to enjoy it myself.’”

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21595696-23272,00.html

Did you happen to catch the full-page Smith Barney ad that ran in the Wall Street Journal on March 27? (And one assumes elsewhere, as well.) This is an ad that really gets it right.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Think it’s time to retire? Not so fast; Many choose to phase slowly out of work force instead of quitting
Eve Tahmincioglu
MSNBC
April 21, 2007

Overview: Tahmincioglu reports on the trend of phased retirement among baby boomers. Specifically, she shares, “In the past, many individuals opted to retire even though they weren’t ready because they wanted to begin receiving pension benefits from their employers, which in many cases started only when the worker hit a certain age, typically 62 to 65, and couldn’t be paid out unless the employee left their job. But the newly minted Pension Protection Act allows older workers the option of staying on the books while also getting their pension checks.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18184691/

Waiting for boomers to retire; Workers won't want to support millions who don't
Jonathan Chevreau
Financial Post
April 24, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on the Boomerretirement summit that will be held in New York City today. Chevreau reports, “Boomerteirement brings together financial professionals and 50 members of the media, says Stephen Stahr, managing director of the summit's sponsor, the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Among the draws are Alan Greenspan, author Lee Eisenberg and Canada's reigning personal finance academic, Moshe Milevsky. Some may question whether the withdrawal of 90 million Baby Boomers from the workforce constitutes a crisis for the rest of society. For younger folk still in the workforce, this is an opportunity, as ageing Boomers vacate their spots in upper management.” He goes on to say, “The Boomeretirement summit cites four causes for concern. They include greater longevity, decreased savings rates and the decline of employer-sponsored Defined Benefit plans.”

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=e1039775-465e-438c-93b7-a84b6b773052

Britain's baby boomers face up to tricky future
April 24, 2007

Overview: This article focuses on Britain’s baby boomer generation. The article sharee, “The figures show that almost two in three (60%) of 55 to 64 year olds are still supporting their grown up children, and one in four (25%) are contributing to the cost of their elderly parents' retirement. The results reveal that 55 to 64 year olds are more likely to be supporting grown up children and elderly relatives than any other age group.” Moreover, “How has this come to pass? Well, unfortunately for the baby boomers, they were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although their peak earning years came about at a time of relative growth, their parents had had many of their best years disrupted by war and economic hardship. And of course as healthcare has improved, parents are now living longer, some with inadequate pension provision. At the other end of the scale, their children have been more expensive to bring up as the cost of living, education and care have all increased.”

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/business/money/2007/04/24/82a028b2-d340-40c0-a818-a85e21363893.lpf

On the upper right-hand corner of The Boomer Blog, you will see an invitation to subscribe to our eQuarterly, The FH BoomTimes. For those who had trouble signing up last week, we've fixed the glitch and are now ready to roll.

Given that how we are approaching our launch has a great deal of synergy with the advice we give clients who want to reach the boomer market, we think it's worthwhile to repeat our behind-the-scenes thinking about our eQuarterly launch with you.

For the rest of today's blog, continue at The Boomer Blog

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Aging boomers seek 'grand' appellations
Susan Felt
Arizona Republic via Delawareonline.com
April 23, 2007

Overview: Felt discusses baby boomers and the grandparent image. She writes, “The image of grandma and grandpa has moved from actor Will Geer, who played Grandpa on ‘The Waltons,’ to rocker Mick Jagger and actress Goldie Hawn, who anointed herself ‘Glamma’ when her grandson was born.” She goes on to say, “Boomers' high divorce rate has added a twist to the grand name game. Those in second or third marriages may have grandkids as well as their own young children and want a jazzier name.”

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070423/LIFE/704230303/1005/LIFE

Marketing Experts Zero in on Boomers
William Arnold
The Arizona Republic
April 24, 2007

Overview: Arnold repo