Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Boomers' shifting priorities must register with marketers
Tonya Garcia
PR Week
October 1, 2009

Overview: “Marketers recognized the spending power of baby boomers years ago. However, as time passes and the boomers take steps into old age, the way they spend their money and their time will shift. PR pros – some of whom may fall into this category and should be tapped as a valuable resource – should keep up with this changing age group as they would a younger demographic.”
http://tinyurl.com/y9pztom

Add boomers to the list of reasons for U.S. consumption bust?
Emily Kaiser
Reuters Blogs
September 30, 2009

Overview: “Interesting comment coming out of the Reuters Restructuring Summit . John Lonski, chief economist at Moody’s Investors Service, says U.S. demographic trends are the worst coming out of any recession since World War Two, mostly because of the aging baby boomers.”
http://tinyurl.com/ycwgxel

Retired? How to Travel on a Budget
Kimberly Palmer
U.S. News & World Report
September 30, 2009

Overview: “Recent declines in the stock market have many baby boomers wondering if their visions of exotic travels in retirement need to be scaled back, perhaps involving more of their living rooms and less of the world. But travel experts and retirees themselves say that not only is traveling on a budget possible, it can lead to even bigger and better adventures.”
http://tinyurl.com/y86pbpk

Staying Young Forever
Tamara McClintock Greenberg, Psy. D.
Psychology Today
September 30, 2009

Overview: “Ignoring the signs of aging can lead to potential health problems. This can be seen in middle-age runners who don't integrate cross training into their exercise regimen when their knees and hips start to hurt. … Although behavioral modification is precisely what's needed in many cases (changing dietary habits, altering exercise, quitting smoking, wearing flats), in order to do the things we have to do to take care of ourselves, we need to begin by accepting that as we age, we need to do things differently.”
http://tinyurl.com/yetca8m

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Senior Tourism Program Seeks Facelift
Tovia Smith
National Public Radio
October 2, 2009

Overview: “Elderhostel, a nonprofit organization that has been around for more than three decades, is trying to update its image and attract younger travelers. … So Elderhostel Sr. Vice President Peter Spier says Elderhostel is renaming itself "Exploritas." And with an eye toward all those young-at-heart baby boomers now approaching retirement, President James Moses says, they're also opening their trips to all adults, not just the 65-and-older set.”
http://tinyurl.com/ya4wfu4

Social Security collectors up 19%
Richard Wolf
USA Today
October 1, 2009

Overview: “The number of retired workers who began collecting Social Security benefits jumped by a record 19% in the 2009 fiscal year that ended Wednesday as aging Baby Boomers and the unemployed chose to retire early.”
http://tinyurl.com/ycntv4s

Retailers turn away from baby boomers, focus on younger customers
Mercedes Cardona
Daily Finance Blog
October 1, 2009

Overview: “If you're over 40, you're going to be feeling out of place in most stores soon -- and not just in the clothing stores. There's a generational shift going on in retail, and many merchants will stop focusing on Baby Boomers as we emerge from the recession.”
http://tinyurl.com/ycmlydq

Baby Boomers: 1969 – Europe on 5 Dollars a Day; 2009 – Europe on 500 Dollars a Day
Brent Green
The Huffington Post
September 30, 2009

Overview: “The Baby Boomer generation is rapidly moving into a self-actualizing, 50+ stage of life when deeper, more compelling motivations emerge for adventure and educational travel, such as my excursion to Italy. “
http://tinyurl.com/ybh674z

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Boomer Consumer
Gene Epstein
Barron’s
October 5, 2009

Overview: “The Baby Boomers who currently range in age from 45 to 63, are in the prime of power, with one of their number in the White House and legions of others at the top echelons of Corporate America, the military, the courts, the media and just about every other hub of U.S. life. But to Madison Avenue, which historically has worshipped at youth's altar, the boomers are hurtling into the winter of irrelevance.”
http://tinyurl.com/y9m3akv

Waves of new fund cuts imperil US nursing homes
Dave Collins
The Associated Press
October 4, 2009

Overview: “The nation's nursing homes are perilously close to laying off workers, cutting services — possibly even closing — because of a perfect storm wallop from the recession and deep federal and state government spending cuts.”
http://tinyurl.com/yakpk6u

New products help outfit baby boomers' homes for golden years
Molly Logan Anderson
Gatehouse News Service
October 3, 2009

Overview: “More than anything, the 76 million boomers in America want to enjoy their golden years in the comfort of their own homes. So they are equipping their homes with new products aimed at doing just that. Take a look at trends that keep baby boomers’ needs in mind.”
http://tinyurl.com/ybv8efg

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Requiem for baby boomers
Brendan Lemon
Financial Times
October 6, 2009

Overview: "The clock has stopped over the counter of Superior Donuts, the Chicago coffee shop where Tracy Letts' new Broadway play takes place. Also stuck is Arthur Przybyszewski, the pushing-60 proprietor portrayed with deflated precision by Michael McKean. Arthur's ponytail and tie-dyed shirt haven't changed much in the 40 years since he fled the Vietnam draft for Canada."
http://tinyurl.com/yd7smkl

Baby Boomers to inject new life into funeral industry
Mihir Dalal
Reuters
October 5, 2009

Overview: "BANGALORE (Reuters) - Jennifer Austin Leigh, a 51-year-old psychologist from New York, is planning a big party with her favorite music -- the Beatles and Prince, among others."
http://tinyurl.com/yb7qvkg

Aging Into Medicare
Robin Raff
Engage Boomers
October 5, 2009

Overview: "The first baby boomers will qualify for Medicare in 2011, doubling the rate of "Age-ins" (those turning 65) from 2008. Starting in 2011 and for the next 20 years, there will be 10,000 new Medicare-eligibles each day, potentially adding 3.6 million new people to Medicare each year."
http://tinyurl.com/yaugdtd

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Wealth management due for $10 trillion shift: BlackRock exec
Joe Rauch
Reuters
October 7, 2009

Overview: “U.S. financial advisors are due for upheaval as baby boomers, controlling $10 trillion in assets, reach retirement age and shift their investment priorities, said a senior executive at asset manager BlackRock Inc (BLK.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).”
http://tinyurl.com/ycudx3l

Gulf Between Rich And Poor Seniors Could Widen
Ashlea Ebeling
Forbes
October 6, 2009

Overview: “The current downturn will likely sharpen the financial gulf between the most affluent, best-educated retirees and the poorest ones. That, at least, is the conclusion suggested by new data from the Social Security Administration and a new study by Phillip Levine, chair of the Department of Economics at Wellesley College.”
http://tinyurl.com/yc6asrs

Retailers Must Adapt as Baby Boomers and Gen Y-ers Alter their Shopping Patterns
Elaine Misonzhnik
Retail Traffic Magazine
October 6, 2009

Overview: “Many retailers seek the potential gold mine represented by the 78.2 million baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. Boomers have long been one of the country’s most profitable shopper demographics and that trend was only supposed to strengthen as boomers retired, emptied their 401ks and cashed in on their homes.”
http://tinyurl.com/y8ouph7

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Facing up to, 'Could I outlive my money?'
Tom Petruno
Los Angeles Times
October 8, 2009

Overview: Tom Petruno provides commentary on the recent Reuters story regarding baby boomers, retirement and financial planning.
http://tinyurl.com/yjpq9dj

General Mills Partners With Yahoo For 'Vitality'
Tanya Irwin
Marketing Daily
October 7, 2009

Overview: “General Mills has enlisted Yahoo for a new campaign called "Vitality" with the goal of building visibility and facilitating dialogue among Baby Boomers.”
http://tinyurl.com/yadgrdx

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Cyclists hit the rail trail for a recession-resistant getaway
Jayne Clark
USA Today
October 9, 2009

Overview: “Stretching 136 miles from Cumberland, Md., to Duquesne, Pa., the trail links to the C&O Canal towpath that starts in Washington, D.C., creating a blissfully traffic-free cyclists' haven.” … “Baby Boomers … constitute a good percentage of trail riders.”
http://tinyurl.com/ygx6sja

Economic news digest
Emma Saunders
The Financial Times
October 8, 2009

Overview: “Gold is not the only asset experiencing a change in fanbase: “financial brain surgery” lies ahead as baby boomers shift from accumulating assets to making them last. And they have $10,000bn to play with.”
http://tinyurl.com/yaa5vpu

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Recession Hits Aging Blacks, Hispanics Hardest Says a New Poll
Paul Kleyman
New America Media
October 12, 2009

Overview: “All midlife and older Americans have been feeling the impact of the recession. But the effects have been even harsher for African-American and Hispanic retirees and baby boomers heading for retirement, according to a new study by AARP.”
http://tinyurl.com/yk789qy

Boomers impacting communities' demographics
Marci Shatzman
Sun-Sentinel
October 11, 2009

Overview: “Jeffrey Katz has been selling real estate for seven years to house hunters in the adult communities, and in the past two years he's noticed something new. ‘Boomers are focused on how old the community is,’ said Katz, who's with REMAX/Advantage in western Boynton Beach.”
http://tinyurl.com/yhqxudp

Baby Boomer Retirement: The News Gets Worse
Howard Gleckman
Kaiser Health News
October 12, 2009

Overview: “Baby Boomers are tragically unprepared for financing their health and long-term care costs as they age. And some important new studies show their circumstances may be much worse in the wake of recent carnage in both the economy and financial markets.”
http://tinyurl.com/yl5hflo

The film is called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I had put off watching it, imagining slick Hollywood executives trying to sell in another schmaltzy script to the studio…”It will be Harry Potter meets The Notebook!” Ugh. But on my mother-in-law’s effusive recommendation and the fact that it was inspired by a F.S. Fitzgerald story, my husband and I broke down last weekend and watched. By the end, tissues in hand, I was sold.

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Seniors finding social networking exhilarating
Bob Moos
Dallas Morning News
October 12, 2009

Overview: “Eighty-three-year-old Virgil Heidbrink has found what he thinks is the perfect place to retire. He's met many interesting people there. Every day, they share their life stories and favorite jokes. And he's convinced that the new social connections are keeping him young in spirit.”
http://tinyurl.com/yku29td

Mad Men: Boomers Rising
Anne Mai Bertelsen
Engage Boomers
October 12, 2009

Overview: “It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world and everywhere you turn, people are racing to embrace AMC's "Mad Men," a drama about an advertising agency circa early 1960s, on the eve of the political and social upheavals that would define the Boomers.”
http://tinyurl.com/yknbvjv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Floh Club is IT Support for Older Adults
Discovery Channels Blogs, Material World
October 13, 2009

Overview: “There are more than 76 million people in the United States that are between the ages of 45 and 63 -- Baby Boomers! Many of those people didn't get any real hands-on computer use until they were in their 20s or even their 30s! Can you imagine? And for those who are even older, using a computer, even in today's ubiquitous email, text messaging, and chatting, is a bit confusing.”
http://tinyurl.com/yz2kwvx

General Mills looks to connect with Baby Boomers
Paul Briand
Examiner
October 13, 2009

Overview: “The food products giant is teaming up with Yahoo to reach Boomers. The campaign is called "Vitality" with the tag line "Better Yourself. Better Your Life". It can be seen on both Yahoo News, particularly health news, and Yahoo Brain Games.”
http://tinyurl.com/ylr7oea

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Older workers face hiring challenges
United Press International
October 15, 2009

Overview: “Many U.S. adults age 55 and older plan to work at least until age 69, but they face challenges in getting a job, researchers say.”
http://tinyurl.com/ykj9ohe

New DMV Site For Older Drivers
WGRZ-TV.com
October 15, 2009

Overview: “New York State's DMV commissioner has launched a new site today designed with older drivers in mind.”
http://tinyurl.com/yksfgj5

Traditional Media Still Best Way to Reach Baby Boomers
Reverse Mortgage Daily
October 14, 2009

Overview: “When it comes to Baby Boomers, TV continues to be the most trusted form of media according to studies from both ARAnet and the Pew Research Center.”
http://tinyurl.com/yldxqfs

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

For a Healthier Retirement, Work a Little
Atlanta Journal Constitution (Health Day News)
October 16, 2009

Overview: “Retirees who continue to work in some capacity, even part-time, are less likely to experience physical decline and disease, new U.S. research suggests.”
http://tinyurl.com/ylz6xrv

Columbia Journalism Review Launches Fellowship Program for Downsized Journalists
Jason Linkins
Huffington Post
October 15, 2009

Overview: “Here's a nice thing: against the backdrop of layoffs, buyouts, and cutbacks in the media sector, the Columbia Journalism Review is launching a fellowship program to aid downsized journalists -- predominantly baby boomers with years of experience and institutional memory -- by creating an "opportunity to continue doing what they do best: reporting."”
http://tinyurl.com/yhpwogl

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

The Future of Dying
Brent Green
Engage Boomers
October 19, 2009

Overview: “Some prefer not to think about the inevitable conclusion to life, but for Baby Boomers the end is becoming more tangible. Boomers are losing their parents, and peers have succumbed to fatal illnesses, including newsman Tim Russert, folk-rock-star Dan Fogelberg, actress Farah Fawcett, actor Christopher Reeves, and actor Patrick Swayze.”
http://tinyurl.com/yg5drpy

Educational travel opportunities booming for 50-plus crowd
Janet Kidd Stewart
Chicago Tribune
October 18, 2009

Overview: “Garry Schneider, 62, didn't just go to some Shakespeare plays on his trip to Oregon. He went back to the theater the next morning to meet the actors and chat about their lives. Another time he toured the New England lobster industry.”
http://tinyurl.com/yh3m6hm

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Baby Boomers Find Fulfillment in Making a Difference
Susan Krauss Whitbourne
Psychology Today Web log
October 20, 2009

Overview: “Baby boomers may be popularly portrayed as whiners, complainers and narcissists, but a new study I've recently completed says the 50-somethings are getting a bad rap. It’s wrong to say baby boomers are selfish and only care about staying young. They have a feeling of connection to younger generations and a social conscience.”
http://tinyurl.com/yknw4lj

Warning: Improve Customer Service—or Else
Ed Wallace
BusinessWeek
October 20, 2009

Overview: “Earlier this year in a column for BusinessWeek, I suggested that the real underlying problem with the economy was the fact that the baby boomers had not just locked up their spending, but were reconsidering their past impulse purchases. They weren't just reducing debt, they were also re-evaluating the types of products they would buy in the future—everything from luxury cars to their homes. Because it is becoming harder than ever to separate customers from their dollars, customer care and the buying experience are more important than ever.”
http://tinyurl.com/yfqdx4t

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Role Reversal
Jack Loechner
Research Briefs Media Post Blogs
October 21, 2009

Overview: “According to a recent study by Communispace, the recession has added considerable stress to this already overburdened population known as "the sandwich generation," baby boomers who support kids, parents, relatives and themselves at the same time. However, the study finds that these people are not stressed because they're caring for kids and parents, it's because they're caring for parents and in-laws, period.”
http://tinyurl.com/yfnmqr6

Cougars without claws
Sarah Kershaw
The New York Times
October 21, 2009

Overview: “Hollywood notwithstanding, more independent older women have good reasons for choosing younger men.”
http://tinyurl.com/yj72zkl

Marketing Knows No Age Limit
Jessica Tsai
Destination CRM
October 20, 2009

Overview: “DMA '09: Members of past generations didn't age — they simply died. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, are defying that fate -- and if they're demanding more from life, why aren't marketers giving them what they want?”
http://tinyurl.com/yjqseyv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Baby Boomer investments on rebound
Paul Briand
The Examiner
October 22, 2009

Overview: “The rising tide of economic recovery offers some good news for Baby Boomer investments: Their 401(k) accounts are on a health rebound.”
http://tinyurl.com/ykqor2k

HealthGuru Media Gets Funding
Gavin O'Malley
Online Media Daily
October 22, 2009

Overview: “Among consumers and advertisers, a market for health-related online platforms certainly exists. And it's not only baby boomers visiting health and wellness resources online -- over 50% of young people ages 13-24 are accessing the same information.”
http://tinyurl.com/ylat2l4

News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Study: There's Money In Boomer Anxiety
Tanya Irwin
Marketing Daily
October 27, 2009

Overview: "Financial services companies should brace for Baby Boomers retiring and moving their assets out of current retirement accounts."
http://tinyurl.com/ygyygt4

Social Networks and Older Boomers
Matt Thornhill
Engage Boomers
October 26, 2009

Overview: "We frequently see excited news reports proclaiming that older adults, age 45+, are the "fastest growing demographic group on [Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, insert social networking site name here]." If you are marketing to older adults, the logic follows, you need to be investing heavily in social networking and social media. .. Hold your Benjamins. We don't share in the excitement that Boomers and older adults are truly smitten with social networking sites."
http://tinyurl.com/ykrmuwx

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Purpose Prize Recognizes Work of Baby Boomers
Nicole Santa Cruz
The Los Angeles Times
October 26, 2009

Overview: “Life doesn’t stop once you turn 60. For some, that's when life begins.
That’s the message a think tank is trying to convey with the Purpose Prize, an award that commemorates the work of baby boomers over 60 who are working to solve society’s issues.”
http://tinyurl.com/ygmqawp

Innovators Over 60 Tackle World’s Problems
Victoria Fine
The Huffington Post
October 26, 2009

Overview: “With millions of baby boomers reaching retirement and the end of their professional careers, many are looking for a way to continue to contribute meaningfully to the world.”
http://tinyurl.com/yffzvaa

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

American Workforce Getting Older, Working Longer
Steve Mort
Voice of America
October 28, 2009

Overview: “The American workforce is getting grayer. And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of workers between 65 and 74 years old will grow by more than 80 percent between 2006 and 2016. Economic hard-times are causing members of the so-called 'baby-boomer' generation to postpone their retirement plans.”
http://tinyurl.com/ylngvhn

Get Ready for a New Global Investment Landscape
Michael Casey
Wall Street Journal
October 28,2009

Overview: “In developed countries baby-boomers are approaching retirement age, creating a very different demographic dynamic than exists in the younger societies of the developing world and growing pool of savings.”
http://tinyurl.com/yj9yofv

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Funeral directors discuss tech, boomers
United Press International
October 27, 2009

Overview: “The hot topics at this year's National Funeral Directors Association convention in Boston includes aging baby boomers and high-tech advances, organizers say.”
http://tinyurl.com/yhge3yg

Baby boomers require new retirement approach: Watson Wyatt
Joy Dunbar
FT Advisor
October 28, 2009

Overview: “The increased need for long-term care requires additional consideration and financial planning according to Colette Dunn, head of the strategy group for pensions consultants Watson Wyatt.”
http://tinyurl.com/ylr2qmy

Top News From Today's "Boomiverse"

Resorts cater to baby boomers with training, groomed runs
Walt Roessing
Dallas Morning News
October 30, 2009

Overview: “There was a buzz of excitement among a group of baby boomer alpine skiers who were having Sunday breakfast at Alta Lodge. The word was spreading that the resort had groomed nine black-diamond runs for the day.”
http://tinyurl.com/ybwl8m5

As baby boomers flock to get fit, gyms prepare for aging exercisers
Jenny Lee
Canwest News Service
October 29, 2009

Overview: “Many mainstream fitness centres have been reluctant to "grey" their enrolment even as membership continued to decline over the past four years, but that is now finally beginning to change, Colin Milner, CEO of Vancouver-based International Council on Active Aging said in an interview.”
http://tinyurl.com/ybdr2dy

The Difference a Year Makes
Michael Winerip
New York Times
October 29, 2009

Overview: “Baby boomers are counted as lucky for having lived through a time of unprecedented prosperity. But Harry MacAvoy, 52, believes that within his generation, there was one year to be born that was luckier than the rest, 1957.”
http://tinyurl.com/ydy6pvn

Can Boomers Lead an Elder Revolution?
Philip Moeller
U.S. News & World Report
October 29, 2009

Overview: “The implications of an aging world are widely viewed with alarm. When 10,000 people a day begin reaching retirement age in a few years, how will society support them? And when these people are turning 65, thousands more will be turning 80 or 85. Who will take care of them? And how will we afford the bills? This enormous price tag is the elephant in the room during debates about healthcare reform.”
http://tinyurl.com/yfbc5h7