Boomers Get a Second Look

Boomers ain't dead yet!  Advertisers are discovering we still have purchasing power, and are now  pitching products to our overlooked group.  We working women know who makes most of the buying decisions, especially if we are part of the Sandwich Generation.  Maybe all it means is that we will get more special invitations for credit cards, but it is satisfying to know that the 'vital' marketing population no longer drops off the cliff at 49.

This shift is another example of why wise, older workers should be part of every organization - helps keep the blinders off the hip up-and-comers!  We are all needed. 

Mother's Little Helpers

Women 40-59 are the heaviest users of antidepressants, as reported in a recent article in Prevention magazine by Katherine Sharpe -- and many started as a way to keep their cool in the midst of complicated lives (June, 2014).  As some of the women interviewed reflected, it was not so much a strive for perfection as a matter of staying sane with mulitple responsibilities.

Upon learning that  a young celebrity said she is not a feminist during a Time magazine interview, I wondered if she's been duped into thinking women have achieved equality.  Working and caregiving can leave the strongest woman feeling overwhelmed, and the ones who benefit the most are the drug manufacturers.

We need to make more progress to enable women to craft reasonable lives, where they can achieve professional goals and still have families.

Bringing Up Baby

  

Just in time for Mother's Day -- Japan's Prime Minister launched a campaign to encourage men to take active roles in child rearing - the Ikumen Project.  The thinking is that if men take paternity leave, more mothers will return to the workforce -- and everyone wins!  The project states that "the entire society will likely grow to become more prosperous."  America, are we listening? 

(Source:  The Hartford Courant; World & Nation; Blomberg News -  4/28/14)

Aging With Girlfriends

Gloria Steinem rode an elephant for her 80th birthday -- so her adventures continue.  She reflects that rather than having done things differently, she would have done them much faster.  Celebrated for her 'gift of emphathy', Gloria cherishes her women friends.  One friend, Robin Morgan,  says "I notice we all sort of cling to each other more -- we say 'I love you' at the end of conversations.  We call to say 'It's very cold out -- did you wear an extra scarf?'  There's a lot of tenderness."

Three cheers for Gloria on her 80th birthday -- and a big hurrah for the power of women's friendships.

Source:  "This Is What 80 Looks Like" by Gail Collins, NYT 3/23/14

Savoring a 3rd Career

Hooray for Christine Henck of Maryland - at 57 she launched a third career as a licensed massage therapist, and at 62 is thriving.  After being a commercial property manager and stay-at-home mom,  she now sees clients in what was her children's playroom. 

She's not alone  -- about 60% of retirees take on part-time jobs --often changing occupations and becoming self-employed.  In the NYT article "An Aging Population Also Poses Opportunities for Retirement Careers", Kerry Hannon reports on several other types of work that will be increasingly in demand as the population ages.  (Retiring Section: Page B7; 3/8/14)

What about YOU?