Pre-boomers were born during the Great Depression or WWII. In spite of hard times the nation experienced, growing up during that era was easier and softer for us in many ways. Some say it was the lack of money that caused us to find simpler means for having fun. Others point to most households having a stay-at-home mom. Another popular notion is that we were the last traditional generation. Actually, all three opinions had a meaningful influence on those who are now New Seniors. Here’s why.
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For Pre-boomers (those born between 1930 and 1945), the flavor of the foods we ate was not nearly as important as being substantial enough to fill us up. At least that’s the way it was when we were kids. Food was either hot or cold, sweet or salty, and we didn’t know from spicy. Now high intensity tastes and virtual flavor explosions are the rage, which many believe will become the norm in years to come.
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Pre-boomers grew up in a world where parents, for the most part, stayed married no matter what. This was not always good for the kids, but many in less than satisfactory marriages thought it was a good enough reason to stay together. There were many other factors discouraging divorce such as religion, finances and public opinion to name a few. However, society has evolved to the point where divorce has become as big a part of adult life as marriage itself. Now the notion of late life divorce is in the spotlight.
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Pre-boomers, those of us born between 1930 and 1945, seem to have done a pretty good job of planning for the “Golden Years.” We saved, because our parents, who endured the depression, taught us to. We were on the receiving end of the many years of economic growth this country experienced. And, we invested those earned dollars in sound investments. Even with the downturn in the financial market, we sat tight and have seen it begin to recover as the nation slowly climbs out of the economic recession.
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In a never-ending effort to not hurt anyone’s feelings and a desire to be liked by one and all, our communications capabilities have been weakened significantly. We are discouraged from saying what we mean because it may be too harsh. And, if we try to soften what we say, the meaning may not come through.
For nearly 45 years, my identity was determined by my current job description. I did not realize how shallow this was until I was suddenly faced with the reality of retirement.
As an Asian-American, pre-boomer woman starting my career on the East Coast in the late 1950’s, I was saddled with the traditional expectations and stereotypes of the day. Being a free-thinking, modern, emancipated woman raised many eyebrows and presented a variety of challenges. However, nothing could break my perseverance no matter how difficult, because I was full of hubris and determination.
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My wife and I have been thinking about moving away from Los Angeles sometime in the next couple of years. LA is too expensive, too congested, and the taxes are too high. Plus there are other things we don’t like such as the city’s attitude, increasing crime, and it’s not all that friendly a place for seniors – particularly pre-boomers.
