“You Will Still Need Me But What Will You Call Me When I’m 64?*

I am a 58 year old baby boomer, and am quite comfortable with that moniker. I have a gazillion peers, and we are very special. “Yes, in fact, the world does evolve around us.”

My colleague, born just a few years ahead of the b-gen, is an active senior. She chooses to work part time. “Now that I’ve retired, I can work for the fun of it.”

Another 65+ associate teaches at a local university. She enjoys this special time of life. “Geezerhood is mighty under-rated!” she announced recently.

My neighbor is 53. She is a skilled ICU nurse and wants to pick up an extra shift now and then. So I helped her with her resume. “Erase all those graduation dates,” I advised. She is a mature worker and afraid of age discrimination.

My brother retired five years ago when he was 59. He spends lots of time fishing. I call him a retiree, but he calls me jealous “It’s tough having all this free time on my hands.”

By contrast, my oldest sister will soon turn 70, and still works full time. She’s an older adult with an attitude. “I’d like to kill my brother.” Hey, Pat, I’m with you.

Seriously, the nation must take a hard look at our workplace practices and retirement policies. Current and future generations may well work productively until age 70, 80, even 90.

We can’t all go fishing when we turn 65. And frankly the US would be hard pressed if we did.

*Title borrowed from the song: When I’m 64: The Beatles

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