Seniors, Baby Boomers and Work

Quick note, the most e-mailed story of the last two days on The New York Times web site was the story we talked about yesterday, where people, nonprofits and others are working to enable seniors to stay in their neighborhoods and age in community. Independence strikes a chord.How Long Are You Going to Work? Chances are you’re reading this from work. Will you be working into your 70s, 80s, 90s … Maybe you’ll be like Waldo McBurney … Recently declared America’s oldest worker, he’s a 104-year-old beekeeper in Kansas.When we asked baby boomers about their future work plans in the Ecumen Age Wave Study, ‘retirement’ isn’t really in their vocabulary. Most plan to continue working. But there’s an important caveat. A bunch of them said they’re going to be switching jobs and doing something they enjoy. Many said pay is important, but just as important were social connections and mental engagement.Senior Workforce Today About 6.4 percent of Americans 75 or older, or slightly more than 1 million, were working last year. That’s up from 4.7 percent, or 634,000, a decade earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.About 3.4 percent of Americans 80 or older, or 318,000, were in the work force last year, up from 2.7 percent or 188,000 a decade earlier, officials said.That’s only going to grow and change the workplace and how people work. For example, could companies keep talent and people, and provide a flexible work schedule in exchange for health benefits rather than a full salary? Those are the types of questions Ecumen and other companies are asking as we enter this new world where there will be more seniors and fewer young people. Are there any ideas you have or have seen elsewhere?