| If you follow the baby boomer demographics and | | | | stay in the work force. (45) |
| you are a baby boomer (born between | | | | As a society we must change our vocabulary and |
| 1946-1964) you begin to wonder about a lot of | | | | shift the paradigm that life begins to decline once |
| things because the numbers are staggering when | | | | a person enters the fifth decade of life, to life for |
| it comes to our generation. We are 76 million | | | | many is just getting started in the fifth decade. If |
| strong. (39) | | | | we replace the word retirement with "transitional |
| They numbers say that 64 million baby boomers | | | | phase", for example it creates a different image |
| (over 40 percent of the US labor force) will be | | | | in our minds and leaves more room for individual |
| eligible to retire in large numbers by the end of | | | | design of that phrase rather than a "one size fits |
| the decade. Statistics also show that the average | | | | all mentality".(75) |
| retirement age today is 63 because baby | | | | The word retirement leaves no room for |
| boomers are staying on the job longer, either by | | | | variation on that theme in terms of employment |
| choice or because they need to stay employed. | | | | and it is very cut and dry... either you are working |
| (57) | | | | or you are retired. Why can't employers work |
| The increase in retirement age from 55 to 63 | | | | with employees of retirement age to develop a |
| represents a trend for baby boomers and | | | | transitional plan that allows the worker to remain |
| requires a change in our culture to recognize that | | | | productive and the employer to continue to |
| retirement age is an arbitrary number and must | | | | benefit from the knowledge and skills provided by |
| be adjusted to respect the choice many make to | | | | the experienced employee? |