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Plusses of Being 50+
While turning 50 may include some jokes about growing old and being “over the hill,” the reality can be far different. All of a sudden you may be eligible for certain perks and discounts. There are products, programs, travel, equipment, and facilities geared to older adults like never before. There are athletic venues and sports and championships that are specifically for the more mature adult. In many cases, the physical or technological hurdles you may have had when younger have been smoothed out, or done away with. You also have a bank of knowledge and life experiences that younger generations envy and will never have. (Think seeing the Beatles in person or on TV, The Moon Landing, and Woodstock.)
While I didn’t get to Woodstock, a fellow camp counselor did and came back and regaled us with her stories. I did see The Beatles when they first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. I won tickets from a Boston area radio station and went to see them at Suffolk Downs. I saw the Moon Landing as it was being broadcast live and sadly grieved with our nation when John F. Kennedy was shot.
If you watch Jeopardy, you have followed the graying of Alex Trebek and the transition from mustache to none. You also probably have an edge on others due to your traditional education and life experiences. That, and having heard the “answers” before, only perhaps asked in a slightly different way or in a different category. You may have: grown up with listening to the music or traveled to the places mentioned or watched the Television programs referenced.
Who are considered Baby Boomers?
- People who were born between 1946 and 1964 and generally between 55 and 75 years old.
- Wikipedia describes them: “As a group, baby boomers were wealthier, more active and more physically fit than any preceding generation and were the first to grow up genuinely expecting the world to improve with time.[3] They were also the generation that reached peak levels of income in the workplace and could, therefore, enjoy the benefits of abundant food, clothing, retirement programs, and even “mild-life crisis” products.”
Sounds like a lot of plusses to be in the Baby Boomer age group.
Did you know there are two segments of Baby Boomers? Also according to Wikipedia: “In the U.S., the generation can be segmented into two broadly defined cohorts: The Leading-Edge Baby Boomers are individuals born between 1946 and 1955, those who came of age during the Vietnam era. This group represents slightly more than half of the generation. …The other half of the generation was born between 1956 and 1964. Called Late Boomers, or Trailing-Edge Boomers…”
The Age-Friendly Movement
Age-friendly’ is a concept that was developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO website explains that “An age–friendly world enables people of all ages to actively participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect, regardless of their age. It is a place that makes it easy for older people to stay connected to people that are important to them.” The initiative is about making communities work well for people of all ages, and especially for older adults.
Age-friendly or livable communities have walkable streets, housing and transportation options, access to key services and opportunities for residents to participate in community activities.
The AARP Age-Friendly network encourages states, cities, towns and counties to prepare for the rapid aging of the U.S. population by paying increased attention to the environmental, economic and social factors that influence the health and well-being of older adults.
How great is that??
How to get started with enjoying life after 50
- Sign up for an AARP Membership.
- Start asking for Senior Discounts.
- Check in with your local Council on Aging or Senior Center for programs and activities.
- Take advantage of your local library and all the programs and services it has to offer.
- Make solid plans to do things you have been meaning to do “someday.”
- Try a new hair style.
- Purge your closets of things you haven’t worn in a year or more.
- Purge your kitchen cabinets of old food, spices, and items you no longer use.
- Hire a cleaning service, if you don’t use one, to do a thorough cleaning of your home.
- Hire a landscaping service to do a thorough tidying up of your yard, plants, and bushes.
- Join a book or garden, or scrabble or game club, or musical group.
- Volunteer at a local non-profit.
- Take a course at Adult Ed or at a local college or online that will teach you a new skill.
- Sign up for a day trip to some place you haven’t been to.
- Test drive or rent that RV, car, motorcycle, ATV or boat that you always wanted to experience.
- Review your financial status and retirement plans so you have a clear picture of where you stand and any adjustments you need to make.
- Make or review your will so that you rest assured that your wishes will be carried out when you depart.
- Plan ahead: Have discussions and make plans for your aging parents and for yourself in case mobility and health issues come up.
What can you add to the list?
Tips for Success in Aging Well
- Have regular checkups.
- Take care of your teeth.
- Take care of your feet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Have a regular schedule.
- Have a hobby.
- Challenge yourself in small and larger ways physically and mentally.
- Limit sitting, or move every hour or so.
- Have a pet.
- Have a dog that requires daily walks.
- De-clutter your life and home of things you don’t have a use for anymore.
- Have a clean environment.
- Limit your exposure to the sun and wear sun block or SPF lotion.
- Get enough sleep.
- Smile more.
What are your tips?
Common Questions/FAQ About the Generations that People 50 and up fall into
- Question 1 What is a Baby Boomer? And am I one?
- If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you are considered a Baby Boomer. The name comes from the sudden boom in the birthrate that started after WWII. The age range is 55 to 73.
- Question 2 What about the Sandwich Generation?
- The Sandwich Generation refers to Boomer mid-life and older adults who are taking care of aging parents and raising children or grandchildren at the same time. The oldest Boomers are reaching an age where they may need assistance of their own while younger Boomers are trying to find ways to balance caring for Mom and Dad, their kids, their careers, and themselves.
- Question 4 If I don’t fall into the age range of a Baby Boomer, what am I?
- If you were born 1927 or earlier, that is age 92 and above, you are a member of the “Greatest Generation.” If you were born in the period between the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers – 1928 – 1945, you are a member of the Silent Generation. If you were born at the end of the Baby Boomer surge – mid 1960’s to mid-1980’s, you are part of Generation X. Older GenX’er’s are in their early 50’s.
The Last Thing You Need to Know about being 50+ today
We are fortunate to have so many resources and advocates for making our lives now and going forward better than ever. Thanks to the Internet, we can find these resources and advocates more easily and share them.
Please email me and share what resources, products, and experiences enhance your life and/or what you feel would make for a more graceful and fulfilled life going forward.
