Top News from Today's "Boomiverse"

Life Can Be Nifty When You Turn 50
Mark Kiszla
The Denver Post
August 1, 2008

Overview: “Kidding aside, a generation of boomer sports fans who vowed never to grow up or grow old could learn a little something about acceptance of the aging process from athletes who cannot hit it as high or far as they did back in the day, but keep on swinging anyway.”

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_10061702

Boomers Are the Fastest Growing Segment in Online Dating
MarketWatch
July 31, 2008

Overview: “Experian Consumer Research has found that Baby Boomer attitudes towards online dating have also shifted, with an increasing number of 50+ consumers agreeing that they use the Internet as a new way to socialize and meet other people.”

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/boomers-fastest-growing-segment-online/story.aspx?guid=%7BABBE6BA5-B833-49CB-947F-1730C9A8D347%7D&dist=hppr

Baby Boomers Beat Their Kids to the Bottle!
MedIndia
August 1, 2008

Overview: “A new Australian report states that binge drinking is no longer the exclusive right of young revelers. The GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Health Index shows that baby boomers are nudging the bottle harder than their kids.”

http://www.medindia.net/news/Baby-Boomers-Beat-Their-Kids-to-the-Bottle-40007-1.htm

Top News from Today's "Boomiverse"

New Wave of Baby Boomers Ready to Descend on Florida
Robin Benedick and Jennifer Gollan
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
August 4, 2008

Overview: “The Sunshine State is about to boom with Boomers… Boomers made up about 23 percent of Florida's 15.9 million population in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2010, they will account for 27 percent of the 19.6 million people expected to be living here.”

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbboomers0804sbaug04,0,7267966.story

Baby Boomers Ride Out -- On Motorcycles
Tony Bizjak
Sacramento Bee
August 2, 2008

Overview: “Lee Bywater recently bought back a chunk of his youth -- a motorcycle. A big, loud one… Bywater, 47, thus joins the growing ‘re-entry rider’ crowd, guys of a certain age who decide it's time to feel the wind in their faces again.”

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/aug/02/no-headline---boomersandcyclessh/

Boomers Getting Option to Phase in Retirement
Candice Choi
SeattlePi.com
August 3, 2008

Overview: “A study released last week by Hewitt Associates found 61 percent of U.S. companies have or will develop programs that let workers retire in stages. The programs are intended to hold onto the experience of baby boomers and ease the difficulty of replacing their skills. The study included 140 midsize and large companies.”

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373369_retire04.html

Top News from Today's "Boomiverse"

Grey Power: On target
Calvin Leung
Canadian Business
August 18, 2008

Overview: “Owen heard a frequent complaint from her baby boomer friends looking for love on the web: they were sick and tired of competing with 20-year-olds. On top of that, her pals wanted to meet companions in the same stage of life. …There were roughly 85 million baby boomers in North America. Unlike previous generations, many of the women had careers and were self-sufficient. As a result, the rates of people who were divorced or never married were relatively high, at 30%.”

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/managing/strategy/article.jsp?content=20080818_198703_198703

Forget Supernanny
Kate Miller
The Scotsman
August 5, 2008

Overview: “Last week, a study by Mintel found that the baby-boomer generation were not only supporting their children financially well into adulthood, but were also helping out with childcare, with one in four of the over-50s regularly babysitting when mum and dad are out for the night or at work. An earlier study, in May of this year, which was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to see how government childcare strategy was working, found that it wasn't. There had been a drop in the number of families using formal childcare because of the often prohibitive cost, and 47 per cent of parents were relying instead on grandparents to mind the children. This despite the creation of half a million new nursery places and a promise of affordable childcare for all.”

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Forget-Supernanny.4356314.jp

Boomers Burst on Volunteer Scene
Mitchell Vantrease
YourWestValley.com
August 4, 2008

Overview: “Baby Boomers are the majority of the Arizona volunteers between the ages of 55 and 64 who serve a median of at least 96 hours of volunteer service each year, the second highest in the country for that age group, according to a Volunteering in America report released through the Corporation for National and Community Service.”

http://www.yourwestvalley.com/news/volunteer_3296___article.html/boomers_baby.html

Top News from Today's "Boomiverse"

'Gen X' Author Tells How Guys Really View Age
Douglas Coupland
MSNBC.com
August 4, 2008

Overview: “I have this theory about men and aging. We have two ages: the age we really are, and the age we are in our heads. Most men are almost always about 31 or 32 in their heads — just ask them. Even Mr. Burns from ‘The Simpsons’ is 31 in his head. One of the most universal adult male experiences is of standing before a mirror and saying, ‘I'm sorry, but there's been a horrible mistake. You see, that's not really me in the mirror there. The real me is tanned, throws Frisbees, and kayaks the Columbia River estuary without cracking a sweat’.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25847518/

Baby Boomers can Help Each Other: Baby Boomers Retirement Club (BBRC) Announces Its Unique Online Site
PR-Web.net
August 4, 2008

Overview: “‘We're going through tough times at a very unique point in our lives. It's important to find like-minded people to share your concerns with, to give and get valuable, practical advice. That's what the Baby Boomers Retirement Club online discussion forum is all about,’ says Richard Roll, founder and CEO of the Baby Boomers Retirement Club (BBRC).”

http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125630&Itemid=34

Centenarians Credit Lifestyle Choices To Longevity Rather Than Genetics
Jack Loechner
MediaPost Publiations
August 6, 2008

Overview: “The third annual Evercare 100@100 Survey, recently released, finds that the keys to longevity are staying connected to family, friends and current events. The poll shifts conventional stereotypes on aging by revealing that some of the oldest Americans are using the latest technologies to keep up and stay close: talking on cell phones, sending emails, ‘Googling’ lost acquaintances, surfing Wikipedia and even online dating.”

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=87825

There are those amongst the leading-edge boomers who remember the late 1960’s, when a young male wearing long hair, a young woman wearing a peasant skirt, made them automatic members of the same tribe. The same thing is happening today, in a new millennium edition, and marketers who want to reach the boomer demographic should definitely pay heed.

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

Top News from Today's "Boomiverse"

Doctors See More Arthritis In Boomers
WXII12.com
August 7, 2008

Overview: “They went to Woodstock, danced to rock and roll and disco music. Now that active Baby Boomers are approaching retirement, many of them facing painful arthritis in their toes, feet and ankles.”

http://www.wxii12.com/health/17118896/detail.html

Greenville Rapidly Growing Grayer
Ron Barnett
Greenville Online
August 7, 2008

Overview: “Rock on, baby boomers. The generation that gave America Jimi Hendrix and the personal computer now makes up slightly more than one-third of the population of Greenville County, according to figures just released by the U.S. Census Bureau.”

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080807/NEWS01/808070311/1001/NEWS01

We have heard from several of our readers that our site has been suffering from “OSF.” (Over-active Spam Filter.) In effect, when they try to post a comment to the blog, they receive a message telling them that they’ve been submitting too many blogs and are therefore being blocked.

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

Top News from Todays "Boomiverse"

Baby Boomers Become 'Helicopter' Parents
Keith Denlinger
The Lantern
August 7, 2008

Overview: “Some parents have a reputation for sheltering their children and preventing them from learning from their own mistakes. ‘Helicopter parents,’ the millennial breed of child defenders, have taken the function of overprotective parenting to an entirely new level.”

http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2008/08/07/Campus/Baby-Boomers.Become.helicopter.Parents-3397510.shtml

OC Photographer Launches New Book To Help Baby Boomers Navigate the Digital World
PRWeb
August 8, 2008

Overview: “According to a recent Simmons Market Research Study, the nation's 78 million baby boomers are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of increasingly intimidating high-tech gadgets. And, with more and more of them becoming empty-nesters as they age, the youngest of whom turned 44 this year, they can no longer rely on their tech-savvy Gen X or Y children for help.”

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/08/prweb1185754.htm

‘Baby Boomer Women Go Green with Expert Help’Dotsie Bregel
NewsReleaseWire.com
August 7, 2008

Overview: “‘Boomer women are more aware than ever of the impact their lifestyles has on the environment—right here and now, and for future generations (our grandchildren). They want the knowledge, and they're willing to step up to do their part in making the world a better place for all.’ said Bregel. ‘Today’s boomer woman is ready to take whatever action is necessary to become ‘green.’ They're researching for ways to enhance their lives, and the lives of their children, and grandchildren. One might say they are leaving a legacy that says; I care about my world’.”

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=22576

"Top News From Today's Boomiverse"

Boomers a forgotten market; Attempts to group older consumers together fail
Jennifer Mann
McClatchy Newspapers
August 10, 2008

Overview: “There are almost 100 million consumers in the United States who are age 50-plus. They control more than $8 trillion in assets, more than 70 percent of the disposable dollars in the United States. Yet they barely get passing notice from American advertisers.”

http://www.sunherald.com/business/story/737850.html

Baby boomers pursue encore jobs
Debra O'Connor
St. Paul Pioneer Press
August 10, 2008

Overview: “Baby boomers have worked for decades at good jobs that paid the mortgage and supported the family. But now the kids are grown, and these boomers don't need to make as much money. They have the time and resources, not to retire but to shift to a different kind of work -- to pursue a dream, help society or simply have fun. They're called ‘encore jobs’ -- careers that come after the main event.”

http://www.twincities.com/ci_10130009

Fashionable hearing aids offered
Elizabeth Simpson
Daily Press
August 10, 2008

Overview: As the 78 million baby boomers move into hearing loss territory, marketers have revamped hearing aids to appeal to this major demographic group that not only cares about cutting-edge technology but style.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--hearingaidfashion0810aug10,0,5461614.story

For years, the big money-earner of the pair has golfed with his financial adviser, has told his wife that things are under control, and has strut his stuff confidently whenever questioned by her about their financial affairs.

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

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

How Much Longer Will Boomers Need to Work?
Emily Brandon
U.S. News & World Report
August 11, 2008

Overview: “The typical American retires at age 63. Those fortunate few who have traditional pensions, retiree health insurance, and a fully loaded 401(k) will probably be fine. But if you haven't saved enough to fund 30 years of retirement—and most baby boomers aren't even close—the obvious solution is working longer. (The other possible solution is to reduce your standard of living). But how much longer will boomers need to work to finance a secure retirement?”

http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/retirement/2008/08/11/how-much-longer-will-boomers-need-to-work.html

The Boomer Report
Chuck Nyren
Advertising to Baby Boomers
August 11, 2008

Overview: Chuck Nyren blogs about “the new Boomer media on the block,” The Boomer Report.

http://advertisingtobabyboomers.blogspot.com/

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Calling on seasoned consumers; Mass of products recognizes generation's vast spending power
Virginia Rohan
The Record
August 12, 2008

Overview: “Being a boomer means ... getting to choose from an endless array of books, products and services being developed specifically for baby boomers.”

http://www.northjersey.com/betterliving/Rohan_Boomers_reap_benefits_of_being_part_of_big_business.html

Internet domination changing generations
Jane Glenn
The Orange County Register
August 12, 2008

Overview: “Are you reading this in a newspaper or on a computer screen? Are you among the 73 percent of American adults (35 percent 65 or older) who use the 'Net? Or are you like John McCain, a self-described ‘Neanderthal’ who does not text, Treo or Twitter, according to New York Times columnist Mark Leibovich. Does it matter?”

http://www.centredaily.com/living/story/771703.html

How is an aging baby boomer generation changing the design of homes?
Molly Edmonds
Howstuffworks.com
August, 2008

Overview: “Baby boomers will have a very different sort of retirement, though. They're more likely to work longer, start a second career, volunteer or take classes than their parents' generation. And while previous generations headed for Florida and nursing homes, baby boomers want to stay put.”

http://home.howstuffworks.com/baby-boomer-design.htm

Gens X and Y adulate their boomer elders’ fashion sense. They copy their styles. Study their photos and closets seeking inspiration and guidance. They aim to please.

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

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Downsizings force baby boomers to reinvent careers
Bob Moos
The Dallas Morning News
August 14, 2008

Overview: “After a decade or more of corporate downsizings, baby boomers are looking upon cradle-to-grave job security with the same nostalgia as Hula Hoops and 45 rpm records.”

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-downsized_14bus.ART0.State.Edition1.4d73a79.html

Peace Corps wish fulfilled years later
Korie Wilkins and Andrew Seaman
USA Today
August 13, 2008

Overview: “Campbell is among a growing number of Baby Boomers applying to serve in the corps. An Internet marketing campaign begun last year targeted at the 78 million Americans born in 1946-64 is fueling that growth, says Christine Torres, a public affairs specialist with the Peace Corps recruiting office in Chicago.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-08-12-peace-corps_N.htm?csp=34

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Boomers, Woodstock, Jethro Tull, Youth & Aging
Brent Green
Boomerstypepad.com
August 14, 2008

Overview: “I also saw our future: an aging generation forever linked to a time and place when youth played eternal. And I thought about the meaning of aging, which our tribe is changing … hopefully for the better. Much better.”

http://boomers.typepad.com/

Baby Boomers Fashion Their Own Midlife Style
NewsReleaseWire.com
August 14 2008

Overview: “The National Association of Baby Boomer Women (NABBW), the only association devoted to addressing issues concerning the 38-million strong Boomer women demographic, announces its August 2008 teleseminar, ‘Achieving Ageless, Youthful, and Modern Personal Style.’”

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=22673

I love being a boomer; it's all about me, me, me
Rene Kaluza
St. Cloud Times
August 10, 2008

Overview: “Since my teens I've wanted to be the object of someone else's desire, and now, at age 57, I am. They want to know everything about me — and I mean everything.”

http://m.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080810/LIFE/108100026/1004/LIFE

There’s a lot of money spent on fashion by boomers, so it behooves the fashion retail industry to understand boomer mentality and tastes. But when a boomer man throws on an aloha shirt and calls it a day; and a boomer woman does all her shopping at Chico’s and thinks that staying on the cutting edge means buying a new piece of bling, it’s perhaps time for fashion marketers to show some leadership, as well.

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

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The New American Players: Baby Boomers and Women Take on Video Gaming
PRNewswire
August 18, 2008

Overview: "A new industry report released by IBISWorld, Inc. (http://www.ibisworld.com), reveals women and older adults -- not the proverbial nerdy teenage boys -- are the new driving force behind the success of the video games industry as console manufacturers and software developers race to expand their offerings beyond the traditional action genre which has always appealed to youngsters.”

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-18-2008/0004868949&EDATE=

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Boomers are redefining retirement
Anthony Balderrama
CNN.com
August 18, 2008

Overview: “For baby boomers, a funny thing is happening on the way to retirement -- more work. Although this generation of forty- through sixty-somethings is nearing what was once the traditional retirement age, their futures are filled with more paychecks and less leisure.”

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/08/18/cb.retiree.trends/

Baby boomer women big Harley buyers
WSLS.com
August 18, 2008

Overview: “Vickie McDougal a 53 year old mother, grandmother and not to mention, college director of admissions represents an absolute gold mine to Harley Davidson motorcycles. Why? Because Vickie doesn’t ride a family van to work.”

http://www.wsls.com/sls/lifestyles/boomer/article/baby_boomer_women_big_harley_buyers/15787/

By Guest Blogger Humphrey Taylor, Harris Interactive

The conventional wisdom among people who write about aging, retirement and longevity is that ageism is a big problem in this country; that many Americans are strongly prejudiced against older people; and that, as a result, seniors are often victims of discrimination. While there is surely some truth in this stereotype, data from several surveys suggest that ageism in this country is not as strong as many people think it is, and that the United States is actually one of the least ageist societies in the world.

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