What Retirees Want

3Reframing Aging: There's a New Story to Tell

WE ARE IN A NEW ERA of aging, and it's time to tell a new story. People are taking longer to grow “old” and taking even longer to think of themselves as “old.” Boomer retirees are more active than previous generations and more interested in being activated by new experiences. Advanced age may bring physical decline and chronic health conditions, but that's not the main storyline of retirement. Through most of the retirement journey, people are happier, more content, and having more fun than at any time in their lives. With age comes perspective, self-knowledge, emotional intelligence, more enjoyment of freedom and of family and friends. People have more awareness of the ticking of the clock, which imparts an urgency to life, but also to give back, teach, and learn more. People reinvent. Many become stronger and grander versions of themselves.

Aspiration, Not Desperation

The dominant arc through most people's retirement years is now an ascent, not a descent. Chip Conley, author of Wisdom@Work: The Making of a Modern Elder and founder of the Modern Elder Academy, explains the “U-curve” phenomenon: “Older people have more hope and excitement for the future than they do for the past, which is a big surprise to many. Businesses and advertisers need to recognize and tap into the ‘U-curve of happiness.’ Social science studies show that, pretty much across all cultures, people's level of happiness diminishes starting about age 25. Around ...