What's New
... a selection of articles, some original and others taken from newspapers, magazines, and online resources that focus on civic engagement and issues of interest to boomers and others 50+. If you would like to comment on any of the articles, please click here to go to the message board.
The Coming Labor Shortage and Encore Careers
It may be hard to imagine but researchers say that by 2018 there likely will be more jobs than people to fill them. According to "After the Recovery: Help Needed" "not only will there be jobs for experienced workers to fill, but the nation will absolutely need older workers to step up and take them." This is good news for those of us interested in encore careers, careers that combine personal passion and community impact with a paycheck. Here is a list of some of the coming, hot encore opportunities:
- Health Care: Registered nurses, home health aides, personal and home care aides, nursing aides, orderlies, attendants, medical assistants, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, medical and health service managers.
- Education: Teachers, teacher assistants, child care workers
- Nonprofits and Government: Business operation specialists, general and operations managers, receptionists and information clerks, clergy, social and human service assistants.
It's a House Party!
It's time to stow away those beach chairs, umbrella and cooler and get back to your regular routine. Start off your new year right by attending "Living A Well Seasoned Life", a day of inspiration and information. The event will take place on September 30, 2010 at the historic Buena Vista Conference Center located at 661 South DuPont Highway in New Castle. Attend the morning (9:30-11:30 am) or afternoon (1:00 -3:00 pm) session and learn how Coming of Age, RSVP (a volunteer program for people 55+) and the Delaware Mental Fitness Coalition can enhance your life over the coming year. Get inspired by keynote speaker Bob Votruba who has traveled around the country with his dog Bogart challenging young and old alike to commit "A Million Acts of Kindness" during their lifetimes. There will also be refreshments and an opportunity to tour Buena Vista.
To register, please call 302-255-9882 or email deborah.vandiver@state.de.us stating your name, phone number and what session you will be attending.
Finding a Balance between Dow and Tao
Ken Dychtwald, a trusted commentator on aging in America, says that the current economic crisis has been a much needed wake-up call. It has caused us to rethink the priority we give to Dow and Tao, the material and the spiritual. This new consciousness is causing us to readjust our retirement expectations and he sees five new rules emerging:
1. We should all expect to work a bit longer. Look for an encore career.
2. Relationship planning is just as important as financial planning.
3. Keep learning and growing. The fountain of youth is more likely to be found at a community college than the health spa.
4. Start living within our means.
5. Live the next chapter of your life with purpose. It's not about "who has the most toys wins."
Read more by clicking here.
Out and About in Delaware - September
More things to do off the beaten path:
- 9/11-12. Brandywine Festival of the Arts, Brandywine Park, Wilmington. 10:00 am. Juried art show on the banks of the Brandywine. For more information, click here.
- 9/17-19. Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest, 49 Salem Church Road, Newark. Bavarian bands, folk dancing, German foods and beverages. For more information, click here.
- 9/23. Taste of Trolley Square Salsa Competition. Delaware Horticultural Society, Wilmington. 5:30 pm Salsa by 10 area restaurants and Latin music. For more information, click here.
- 9/24-26. Lovely, Still. Theatre N at Nemours, Wilmington. Late life romance with Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. For more information, click here.
- 10/1-2. Delmarva Folk Festival. Delaware Friends of Folk, 352 Downs Chapel Road, Hartly. Folk music and vendors in a festival setting. For more information, click here.
- 10/2. Mid-Atlantic Writer's Conference. Delmarva Discussion, Inc., Sheraton Hotel Conference Center, Dover. A conference for non-writers. Jump start your ambition. For more information, click here.
Holding On To Friendships As We Age
Did you know that social isolation is as hazardous to your health as high blood pressure, obesity and even smoking? In fact, being lonely has about the same impact on your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day!
Friendships are especially important to us as we age. But holding on to them through life's inevitable changes - retirement, relocation, divorce, remarriage, illness, etc. - can be a real challenge. In Seven Tips for Improving Boomer Relationships from ConsumerAffairs.com, "relationship coach" Jan Yager gives some helpful advice on staying connected through thick and thin.
Boomers Discover the Fountain of Youth
Here's another tidbit from Del Webb's Boomer Survey. The average boomer feels 13 years younger than his/her real age. Have boomers discovered the legendary fountain of youth? Not really, but many credit their good fortune to participating in activities that "keep their minds sharp, their bodies strong and their social life robust." Those boomers feeling younger than their actual age participated in 2 or more of the following activities:
1. Exercise regularly -- More than 55 percent work out regularly as a way to feel youthful.
2. Hit the books -- Nearly a third have gone or will go back to school.
3. Volunteer -- More than 60 percent are giving back to their communities by volunteering.
4. Still working -- More than 70 percent plan to work in "retirement" either part-time, full-time or in starting a new career.
5. Trying pickleball or Zumba -- Approximately 40 percent have taken up a new hobby or activity.
Big Changes At the Academy of Lifelong Learning
The Academy of Lifelong Learning has a new name - The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware. "That's quite a mouthful," you say? Yes, but along with the new name comes a $1 million endowment gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation with a second $1 million gift promised in the next year. In addition, Delaware's program will now be able to network and share best practices with 119 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes around the country.
The additional funding will enable the University to expand its lifelong learning programs in Wilmington and Lewes, and to add a new program in Kent County. Beginning in September, 2010, the Institute will start offering classes at the Modern Maturity Center, a senior center located in Dover.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware, one of the oldest and largest programs of its kind, is a vibrant learning cooperative that provides opportunities for adults 50 and older to learn, teach and travel with thier peers. The program's membership fee is $230 per semester.
For registration and course information go to the Institute's website.
Out and About in Delaware - August
Don't let the summer heat keep you indoors. Get out and have fun!
- August 6-8, 2010. Riverfront Blues Festival. Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Wilmington. Outdoor music festival with national acts each day. More information.
- August 13-15, 2010. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Delaware College of Art and Design, Wilmington. Course for those who have never drawn before based on the well known book. 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. More information.
- August 21, 2010. 3rd Annual Lewes Creative Artists Workshop. Lewes Public Library, Lewes. Free workshops on art-related topics. 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. More information.
- August 21, 2010. Diamond State BBQ Championship. Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, Dover. Delicious BBQ, live entertainment, Delaware's Strongest Man Competition and more. 10:00 a.m. More information.
- August 26, 2010. Do-Wop Celebration with the Bronx Wanderers. The Freeman Stage at Bayside, Selbyville. From Do-Wop to DION and The Four Seasons. 7:00 p.m. More information.
- August 28, 2010. Summer Picnic and Performance Series. Historic Houses of Odessa, Odessa. Picnic and performance by Delaware musician Jerry "Crabmeat" Thompson on the lawn of the historic Corbit-Sharp House. 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. More information.
How Boomers Are Creating New Kinds of Community
Does it seem like 55+ communities are popping up all over the state? I am told that there are more retirement communities in Delaware (per capita) than in any other state in the nation. It certainly seems like it.
Developers are counting on retiring boomers to fill these housing units and while the traditional, retirement community model will appeal to many boomers there are others who will be looking for something very different.
In this article from Terrain.org, Aging in Community: How the Coming Baby Boom Generation will Transform Traditional Models of Independent Living, the authors describe co-housing, a living option that addresses boomers' needs for real community, a shared sense of purpose and mutual aid.
Transitioning to Retirement: Personal Reflections
