The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Blogging Boomer Carnival #261: Read about veterans, weight loss, hepatitis C testing, investments, part-time work, and food storage

By Rita R. Robison

This week’s Blogging Boomer Carnival is hosted by Vaboomer.com.

Take a look at the weekly roundup of boomer articles on a variety of topics including remembering veterans, losing weight, testing for hepatitis C, investing, working part time, and solving food storage problems.

Baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are America’s largest age group so far, and a fascinating group they are.

Boomers are leading corporations, serving as governmental officials, heading up non-profits, worrying about retirement, and experiencing layoffs at a higher rate than younger workers. They’re also reinventing themselves in trying economic times, with some looking for their dream jobs to keep them happy in retirement.

At each stage in their lives, boomers have changed things. They’re continuing to make America different as they begin entering into their retirement years.

In addition to The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide, members of the Blogging Boomer Carnival are: The Accidental Locavore, The Midlife Crisis Queen, Sightings at 60, Arabian Tales and Other Amazing Adventures, So Baby Boomer, Vaboomer, Empty House Full Mind, and Witty Woman Writing.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Fewer older adults apply for Social Security benefits last year, but disability benefit requests still up

Fewer workers age 62 and older applied for Social Security retirement benefits in 2011, mainly because more and better jobs were available.

Only 27 percent of older workers began collecting retirement benefits last year, the lowest rate since 1976, according to the Urban Institute’s Program on Retirement Policy.

Older Americans were more likely to claim Social Security retirement benefits in 2009 than in previous years as the economy weakened, and the unemployment rate for workers age 55 to 64 rose to 6.6 percent, more than double the 2007 rate.

 In 2009, the retirement benefit take-up rate reached 30.8 percent, up from 28.8 percent in 2008 and 27.1 percent in 2007.

“Claiming Social Security benefits early sometimes jeopardizes future economic security, because early claimants receive permanently reduced benefits,” Richard Johnson, director of program, said in a policy brief. For example, Social Security reduces monthly payments by 25 percent when beneficiaries begin collecting at age 62 instead of 66.

While the number of Social Security applications has declined, more people are continuing to apply for Social Security disability benefits.

In 2011, 18.9 insured workers per 1,000 applied for Social Security disability benefits, more than any year since 1957except 2010. The disability program was launched in 1957.

The weak labor market caused the surge in disability applications.

“Workers with health problems are more likely to turn to disability benefits when jobs are scarce,” Johnson said. However, disability applications had been rising before the recession.

Population aging accounted for about two-thirds of the growth between 2000 and 2007, as many boomers entered their fifties and sixties when disability is relatively common.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

More women in their 60s living with their friends

Some say the ‘60s hippies are going back to the commune. Others call the growing number of female baby boomers rooming together “‘The Golden Girls’ phenomenon.”

It’s really about women choosing to live with friends, Martha Nelson, author of “Black Chokeberry,” novel about three older women who unexpectedly end up sharing a home, said in a statement.

“As a group, we’ve been empowered more than past generations of women,” said Nelson. “We’re more worldly, stronger, financially savvy, and healthier than our ancestors… and we know what we want.”

Increasingly, what women want is to actively age with the camaraderie, laughter, understanding, and support of other women who share their ideas of healthy lifestyles, good food from their own gardens, green living, and other activities.

In 2010, 480,000 boomer women lived with a least one unrelated female, according to an AARP analysis.

And, the number of U.S. HomeShare programs, which help connect people interested in sharing a house, has been steadily rising since the Great Recession.

“This concept is really trending on the East and West coasts and is very big in Europe,” said Ryan Cowmeadow, vice president of the National Shared Housing Resource Center, a clearinghouse of HomeShare programs.

HomeShare’s numbers are up about 15 percent since 2007, and about 75 percent of applicants are female.

The cohousing movement – where residents have private living spaces but share common areas, such as dining rooms, and tasks, such as cooking – started in Denmark and is becoming popular in the United States.

Cohousing can be found in more than 200 communities in America, with the states of California, Colorado, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington offering the most cohousing opportunities.

Nelson said more women are interested in living with other women because women usually live longer than men, and men are more likely to remarry after a divorce or the death of a spouse.

“And fundamentally, I think it’s as much about the special bonds women share,” she said. “We form these wonderful, supportive, 'tell the truth' friendships, which survive the demands of husbands, children, and careers.”

A former journalist and educator, Nelson’s marriage ended in divorce when she was in her 50s. After regaining her balance as a single woman, she turned to her friends as she stepped back into life.

"I came to fully understand the importance of women friends in my life," she said. "They are the gold standard and as we age, they are critical to happiness, regardless if one is married or in a committed relationship."

The practical considerations of creating close living communities – include health and safety, care in times of an accident or medical emergency, and financial considerations – are important for many women who find themselves single or widowed after long marriages, Nelson said.

But boomers are known for demanding more than creature comforts from life, she said. “We want to be happy; we’re healthy, active and we want to enjoy ourselves as we age. We want to travel, go to a movie with a neighbor or housemate, cook a meal, share a garden, and feel that we are contributing to our communities.

“We’re strong women, and we can choose to live the way we want as we get older,” Nelson said. “Very often, that will mean with other women in close knit communities."

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Boomer Project predicts baby boomers will continue to transform America in 2012

By Rita R. Robison

In its recent newsletter, the Boomer Project, a consulting firm focusing on marketing to boomers, predicts that baby boomers will continue to transform American culture, pursuing their own vitality through their midlife years and on into old age.

John Martin, on the left in the photo, and Matt Thornhill, co-founders of the Boomer Project, offer these top 10 predictions for 2012 for boomers:

1. Boomers will remain at the head of the table, heading more households than any other generation, including more multigenerational households.

2. More boomers will embrace city living, attracted by the variety of activities, energy, and hassle-free lifestyle advantages offered by the center city and new urban villages.

3. More boomers will get religion, since the median age in America increases every year as boomers grow older, and older people are more likely to attend church than younger ones.

4. Boomers will become even more wired to stay connected to their kids and grandkids.

5. Health and well-care will be everywhere, with boomer spending on wellness, fitness, and physical appearance increasing in 2012.

6. Boomers will volunteer even more, with boomers projected to swell the ranks of volunteering by almost 50 percent over the next 10 years. 

7. Boomers will drive green innovations that matter, because boomer consumers want to be responsible in their consumption, striving for sustainability, not planned obsolescence. 

8. Boomers will lead the age of responsible consumerism, because the Great Recession – timed with the green movement, volatility of retirement accounts, and anticipated governmental cuts – has helped usher in more responsible consumerism.

9. Boomers will create the "longevity economy," a growing portion of the American economy that will be based on the behaviors, needs, and desires of the 50-plus market.

10. Boomers will support a thoughtful plan for America's future, because boomers are transformational and have led or supported many societal shifts – from women's rights to gay rights.

Martin and Thornhill close their 2012 predictions by saying:

These predictions may paint an optimistic view of 2012, but we have never been fervent believers in the Mayan prediction that the world ends on December 21, 2012. For boomers, 2012 marks the first year of the rest of their lives. Another year when they can make a difference.

See the January 2012 issue of Jumpin' Jack Flash, the Boomer Project's newsletter, for more information on these 10 predictions.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Happy New Year to consumers everywhere

By Rita R. Robison

Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a good consumer year in 2012.

Last year had its ups and downs for consumers. Although conservatives in Congress drug their feet and opposed many needed measures for consumers, consumers took to the streets with the Occupy Movement to tell politicians that enough is enough. The message was clear: the top 1 percent is prospering while the rest of us struggle along – working harder with less and less to show for it.

This year, 2012, is THE election year. Although I’d like to think that once the presidential election is over, the nation could return to a sense of normalcy, it’s unlikely that will happen. Conservatives seem hell-bent on dismantling government and changing how society operates, regardless of how many people are unemployed and how many are living on the streets. I expect the loud, harsh anti-people rhetoric by conservatives will continue no matter who is elected to the presidency.

It was refreshing to recently have a vacation in Europe. Newspapers and the media there aren’t filled with the kinds of hate messages conservatives here are spouting continually.

I hope 2012 is a good year for you as a consumer. Be sure to keep your credit card spending down, monitor your finances, and begin or continue your retirement planning.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What were your best and worst consumer experiences this week?

By Rita R. Robison

Which consumer happenings cheered you this week and which ones made you want to scream or weep?

Here are my best and worst consumer experiences this week:

My best: Seeing the Occupy Wall Street movement in my community

When I went over to TCTV, I heard from one of the producers that people were gathering in Sylvester Park in solidarity of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.

On my way home, I stopped by. I saw about 40 people crowded around two members of the Washington State Patrol. The park is owned by the state of Washington so the state patrol provides law enforcement there.

The group broke up, and an announcement was made about their agreement. People would be allowed to spend the night without a 14-day permit. The power would be left on in the gazebo. The Food and First Aid tents would be allowed to remain. No more tents could be put up, but people could sleep under tarps on the lawn or in the gazebo.

People then began a process to govern the protest. Facilitators and a timekeeper were chosen. People took turns saying what they’d like to see on an agenda. Many of those that spoke had issues they wanted covered such as health care, corporate greed, and jobs.

The meeting started with announcements. One woman brought musical instruments, so she wanted to know which instruments others had with them. The state patrol had indicated all music needed to stop at 9:30 p.m.

All in all, it was an orderly process.

Around 45 degrees, it was really cold. Some people brought their children. One was crying.

I agree with those in the United States and around the world who are protesting against the greed of Wall Street. I applaud the thousands of people who are gathering in a peaceful manner to make their voices heard.

My worst: Low-quality customer service at a medical supply store

When I went to a medical supply store to make a purchase, the clerk who helped me didn’t do a good job. She looked up my insurance and said I’d have to pay for the items because I hadn’t met the $2,000 deductible yet.

I about had a heart attack. Had my insurance suddenly changed so that my deductible had been increased to $2,000?

Fortunately, it was 4:50 p.m. I called my insurance company. I found out that the $2,000 the clerk saw in the computer was another number. It tracks how much I have paid out of pocket. When I’ve spent $2,000, then my insurance company pays 100 percent of my medical bills instead of 85 percent.

I went inside and made the purchase. I only had to pay the co-pay, not the full amount.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Occupy Wall Street: Americans are furious, and they're right to be, says consumer group

Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization, is supporting the Occupy Wall Street protest.

Robert Weissman, Public Citizen president, offered the following comments in a statement:

It’s no mystery why the Occupy Wall Street and related protests are capturing the country’s attention. Americans are furious about the state of our nation, and they’re right to be. Millions of people are out of work because of Wall Street’s recklessness. Millions more have been thrown out of their homes for the same reason. Meanwhile, the federal government fails to take obvious steps to address these problems because of the outsized influence of the very Wall Street firms and giant corporations that caused our economic problems. The country is past due for a mass protest movement demanding justice.

Occupy Wall Street has been criticized for not offering a clear set of demands. In fact, the protesters have been eloquent in rejecting the idea that they produce 'one demand,' and also in articulating in broad terms what they want. More to the point, it’s not for a lack of ideas that the country is in crisis.

Put the unemployed to work retrofitting energy-inefficient buildings, teaching children, and meeting other unmet needs. Invest in a green energy revolution. Impose a financial speculation tax, and increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations - and make them pay. Put in place a single-payer, Medicare-for-All health care system. Undo NAFTA-style corporate trade agreements – and don’t enter in any new ones. Force banks to renegotiate mortgage terms, and let foreclosed-upon families stay in their homes as renters. Overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission with a constitutional amendment and reestablish the principle that corporations exist to serve the people, not the other way around.

The country’s problem is not the lack of a policy agenda. It’s not even winning strong public support for the policy agenda – the public does support these ideas. The problem is translating the popular anger about the nation’s state of affairs into a political movement strong enough to overcome the corporate opposition. We can only hope that Occupy Wall Street serves as a spark to that political movement.

Public Citizen stands in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. We thank the protesters in New York and at Occupy protests around the country and world for their courage, commitment, creativity, and leadership.

Yes, let's move the country forward instead of fighting. So much needs to be done to help consumers who are struggling.

2012 retirement guide on how to live well on less offers tips for baby boomers to explore

By Rita R. Robison

While I don’t think I’d want to live in Boise, Idaho, one of the cities recommended by Money magazine’s article “Five Great Low-Cost Places to Retire,” the retirement guide has numerous tips worth considering.

In addition to this article, Money’s October issue includes these suggestions for a scaled-back retirement:

• Fine-tune your budget to cut expenses.

• Turn time into money by comparison shopping and cooking more at home.

• Live smaller by downsizing your home.

• Move to a low-cost area such as Marquette, Mich., Cape Coral, Fla., or Danville, Ken.

• Work part time.

• Become debt free.

For more information, look for copies of Money magazine’s October issue at newsstands or your local library.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Consumer coalition applauds Obama’s jobs plan, but says what country needs is large-scale mortgage modifications

By Rita R. Robison

Americans for Financial Reform, a coalition of more than 250 national and state organizations working for Wall Street reform, said it applauds President Obama for focusing on measures to create jobs and the problem of unemployment.

However, the coalition says what consumers and the economy need are large-scale mortgage modifications:

The unresolved housing crisis – including the millions of families facing foreclosure and the millions who owe much more than their homes are worth – remain another persistent drag on the economy. We support ways to make it easier for families to refinance, but we continue to believe that much more needs to be done. The country needs large-scale mortgage modifications, including deep principal reductions, to resolve the problem and to help spur consumer demand.

The coalition also believes that fair rules are needed for financial markets so that similar crisises can be averted. 

In its statement, the coalition said it’s troubling that Republican leaders in the Senate this week renewed their pledge to refuse to implement the consumer protection law passed last year by refusing to consider a nominee to direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 

“This may work well for Wall Street banks, and financial industry special interests, but it leaves the public at risk, the coalition said. “As families navigate hard times, it is especially important to prevent financial tricks and traps that leave them poorer.”

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Gallup is off the mark to call federal government an industry

By Rita R. Robison

Things were going well as I clicked through the list from a Gallup Poll of the most hated industries in America:

10. Advertising and public relations industry

9. Pharmaceutical industry

8. Airline industry

7. Education

6. The legal field

5. Banking

4. Healthcare

3. Real estate industry

2. Oil and gas industry

Then I clicked on No. 1: It was the federal government. I couldn’t believe it.

In every economics class I’ve ever taken, including consumer economics, it’s clear that businesses make and sell “widgets.” Government has a different function; it provides services. Business and government are two entirely different segments of the economy.

Dictionary.com defines industry as follows:

1. The aggregate of manufacturing or technically productive enterprises in a particular field, often named after its principal product: the automobile industry; the steel industry.
2. Any general business activity; commercial enterprise: the Italian tourist industry.
3. Trade or manufacture in general: the rise of industry in Africa.
4. The ownership and management of companies, factories, etc.: friction between labor and industry.

I don’t see any thing in the definition that would classify the federal government as an industry.

Gallup started polling about the popularity of American industries 10 years ago. Two years later, it added the federal government.

I think Gallup is way off with this poll that classifies the federal government an industry.

What do you think? Let me know in the Comment section below.

Copyright 2011, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist