New Seniors

The Greatest Generation has received accolades from the press for many years. And rightfully so. Pre-boomers, those born during the Great Depression and WWII, made important contributions to the country, but were sandwiched between two generations. So this group was not talked about as a generation. Their accomplishments tended to be looked at as things done by individuals rather than a generation. Yet people are beginning to recognize that this is the bridge generation that links the past to the present.

With the boomers turning 65, beginning in 2010 and continuing at the rate if one every ten seconds, we can expect this generation to be in the limelight once more. The focus will not be about their early protests for civil and women’s rights or against the war in Vietnam and the soldiers who fought there. They will not be celebrating the free love, drug use or any of the changes they instituted or supported in their self-absorbed youth. No, this time the news will be that those who once said, “never trust anyone over 30,” will be signing up for Medicare and looking forward to collecting Social Security checks.

Getting older is not the sad part. Consider the alternative. What is too bad is the beliefs and values of many of the “me generation” have left them unprepared for what is about to happen in their lives. True, not all boomers turning 65 will be retiring. Some will remain on the job because they want to and many will because they must. Baby boomers often lived for the moment and were not prone to saving for the future. This generation was given much. Doors of opportunity were opened wide for them to enjoy. It was only natural to assume the boomers would embrace the American dream and guard it for generations yet to come.

But something went wrong. The revolutionary values of the Boomer generation meant that many took what they were freely given, discarded what they didn’t want and kept the rest for themselves. Some of the most harmful effects were that business became increasingly dishonest and more self-serving, government became free-spending and more arrogant, and large numbers of individuals became less dependent on their own capabilities and more reliant on entitlements.

Add to that the breakdown of our once-shared traditions and the loss of America’s values, and it’s easy to see why the boomers turning 65 have an unprecedented set of problems to be faced as they enter the next phase of life. Fortunately, those who have made the journey, the New Seniors who are already 65+, are ready and willing to talk about how we can join forces to create a better tomorrow. It is not too late to make the future brighter for our children and grandchildren. The growing group of concerned citizens 65+ has the power to make positive changes. Let’s put the plan together and implement it for the benefit of others as well as ourselves.

Don Potter: Editor-in-Chief

Don Potter, a veteran of the ad agency business, is a Philadelphia native currently living in Los Angeles. He is the author of an acclaimed marketing book, The 50+ Boomer: Your Key to 76 Million Consumers. In retirement, Potter has written two novels, hundreds of articles and is a frequent lecturer. A leading advocate for those 65+, he is a founder of NewSeniors.com.

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