May 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 43

Regardless of whether the big drawing card in a
community is a café-like social center or
citywide teaching and learning opportunities,
the new senior center is being defined by a set
of hard-to-ignore demographic themes.

years from now. And most (76 percent) plan to live
in either a same-sized or larger home. Of those who
plan to remain in a home the same size, many say
they hope to stay in the same residence. And despite
traditional stereotypes of 50-something empty-nester couples, one-third of the Boomer generation are
single (just over 25 million) and more than one-third
(37 percent) have children under 18 in the household.
As older adults navigate singlehood, they are
seeking places and programs supportive of single
lifestyles, busy parenting schedules, and domestic partnerships (both gay and straight). As interviewees for these articles attested, older adults are
flocking to " coffee-shop " settings-opportunities to
connect with their peers in relaxed, unstructured
environments.

Tech-Friendly, Ad-Savvy, and
Eager to Experiment
Boomers are experienced consumers who also happen to have spent their working lives participating in
(and, in many cases, guiding) the evolution of computers, email, and internet. Eighty-two percent use
the internet, and 64 percent engage in online activities, such as instant-messaging, social media, and
conducting financial transactions. And Boomers
are sophisticated in their responses to advertising.
Twenty-three percent of AARP members surveyed
said they find ads geared toward their age group insulting, and 67 percent claim they won't buy a product if they are offended by the advertising. Finally, far
from the stereotypes of older-adult brand loyalty, numerous marketing surveys show Boomers are just as
likely to experiment with new products and services
as much younger consumers are.

40 Parks & Recreation M A Y

2 0 1 2 w w w . N R P A . O R G

Physically Active, Youthful in
Mindset
This is not a generation likely to sit by passively while
aging overtakes them. The typical Boomer participates regularly in an average of 10 different physical
activities. And 11 million of them regularly bicycle.
Nineteen percent identify physical health as their top
priority (above even relationships with friends/family and personal finances.) And, even though the National Institute on Aging (NIA) reports that 80 percent
of Americans 60 and older have at least one chronic
health condition, Boomers' buying behaviors demonstrates their refusal to submit to the aging process.
During the next 10 years alone, according to NIA
statistics, the 77-million-strong cohort can be expected to increase their wellness spending from $200 billion to $1 trillion or more.
They will, by and large, spend that money not
with the mindset of old people desperate to rejuvenate-but with a youthful outlook. A recent Los Angeles Times survey, for example, found that Americans
over age 60 feel 19 years younger than their chronological age. And Boomers consistently reject terms
like elderly, old, or senior-preferring descriptions
like experienced and mature.

Community-Minded-but on Their
Own Terms
Seventy percent of Boomers AARP surveyed say
they have a responsibility to make the world a better
place. And this generation is volunteering at significantly higher rates than preceding generations did
as they entered into their 50s.Yet, according to the
Corporation for National and Community Service,
three out of 10 Boomers who volunteer for an organization choose not to volunteer the following year.
Retention rates, they found, are highest among those
whose volunteer activities are professional and managerial, engaging in music or other types of performance, and teaching- or mentoring-related.
The Baby Boomers are approaching-and viewing-aging differently than their parents and grandparents did. Chronological age is just a number,
work does not (indeed, cannot) end at 65, health is
an asset to be actively managed-and opportunities to learn and make an impact are essential. What
will this largest generation in American history want
and demand from their communities as it ages? From
facilities, to programs, to chances to make a difference, interviewees reported, traditional assumptions
no longer apply.

May 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2012 - Parks & Recreation