Retirement As You Want It

Tips for Transitioning to New Employment for Over-50

Carleen MacKay and Brad Taft write a newsletter on the maturing workforce from a selling yourself perspective. Here are some tips for accessing new careers. See their new book called Return of the Boomers: Crossing the Bridge to the Future with the Help of a Mature Workforce

• Prepare a written strategy

• Study the market as it is becoming, not as it once was

• Analyze the GAP between what you don't have in your career portfolio that the marketplace needs

• Fill in the gaps before seeking a new job

• Use multiple marketing tools to create a resume, rather than the conventional chronological one

• Familiarize yourself with sales training vs interview training. You are SELLING YOURSELF.

• Distinguish facts from myths about older workers and be prepared to respond to interviewers subtle (and not so subtle) questions about the myths.

• Quantify the benefits of hiring you - your "sales close."

• Pursue multiple avenues - part-time, flex-time, full time, project completion.

• Build your reputation through participation in professional organizations, networking, social networking - position yourself as an expert in your field and one whom people want to have around!

See particulars at Ageless in America. When you are ready to put these principles into action, call me for a complimentary coaching session at 617 731 6170 or write to Karma@LifeSpringCoaching.com

What's Your Social Security IQ?

Are you confused about how and when to apply for social security? Or about what Medicare really provides and what it costs?

You have good reason to be confused. There's lots of detail and opportunity for misperception. If you're at that stage when you are ready to register for Social Security, you'll do well to look at The Social Security AnswerBook: Practical Answers to More Than 200 Questions on Social Security by Stanley Tomkiel III, an attorney and former Social Security claims rep.

The book is easily navigable, divided into convenient sections so you can readily go to the chapter that is likely to have the answer you're looking for. He covers: 1) Retirement, 2) Disability, 3) Survivor benefits, 4) Medicare, as well as how to apply and what to do to prevent identity threat via your SS number.

The Q/A format, based on real people's life scenarios makes the material, which could be deadly boring, come to life. Here's a few things I've learned:

1) Benefits for Social Security retirement income are calculated on 40 quarters of covered employment. THe lowest 5 quarters of earning are dropped and the remaining 35 are averaged to arrive at your benefit.

2) You may continue to work and receive full benefits the year after your FRA (Full Retirement Age), which varies depending upon your birth date.

3) Once you reach your FRA, you must apply for benefits within 6 months if you want to ensure your benefits will be retroactive to the date of your FRA.

4) Self-employed people need to keep good records. Social Security will use your tax records as a starting point to determine your net income, on which your benefit is based.

5) If you have 40 quarters of covered employment, you are eligible for SS; if not, you are not eligible for benefits.

6) If your gross income is over $32,000 for a couple (or $25,000 for an individual), your SS benefits are taxable.

If you have dilemmas regarding your access to Social Security of Medicare, write a comment here and I'll direct them to the author.

Learning Adventures with Like-Minded People

Do you relish the opportunity to learn about the lives and history of people all over the world from local experts? Do you like to have time to investigate the area on your own? Do you want to travel and challenge yourself, physically and mentally?

Road Scholar, a program for Baby Boomers, the generation of lifelong learners, is run by Elder Hostel, the decades-established non-profit educational travel organization. Road Scholar has developed hands-on experiences designed to give participants a flavor for the real people, rather than just the service people whom one usually encounters on a tour.

No longer just for “elders.” No longer associated with “hostelling” or basic amenities as in the early days where participants stayed in university dorms, this program is geared toward the 50 and 60-year old crowd, who are energetic, fit, adventurous, and want to keep learning and experiencing life at its fullest.

Some of the descriptions sound tantalizing to me. Here’s a few examples:

• Not for the faint-hearted, a trip to Papua New Guinea, where you meet people in remote villages, accessible by small boat. You learn about their age-old traditions of food preparation, celebrations and art forms, plant and animal species, introduced by local experts
• Spiritual journey through India with holy men who guide you through ancient temples and monuments, where you learn the history of Eastern religions and the traditions of yoga and meditation.

• Ireland, where many Americans claim their roots, is introduced to you via scholars, schoolchildren, politicians, musicians, and film producers as they guide you through rural lands and urban centers. Discuss the works of great Irish writers, Joyce, Beckett and Yeats with a literary scholar.

No, I don’t get any kickback from the organization. Just heard about it from Steve Lembke, VP of Elder Hostel Programs, Worldwide, whom I met at the Positive Aging Conference last year. Let me know if you’ve had experiences with this rather new offshoot of the Elder Hostel we knew about from our parents’ generation. Is it as good as it sounds, or just new packaging?

Social Networking Sites: Beware of Identity Theft

Have you joined the legions of people who are baring their souls and identities on social networking sites?

In a previous post,I mentioned some websites that are geared to the more mature contributor. It's fun to re-connect with old friends from college or high school, to post your dolled up photo to show them how well you're keeping up your appearance.

But be circumspect, Emma-Lou Montgomery cautions in an MSN article, lest your identity be stolen, so much easier since fraudsters can scan in your photo. "Your visual anonymity has been lost forever," said George Dvorsky, director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. The more personal information we reveal on the Internet, the easier it is for a criminal to reconstruct our identity.

How to participate in this online revolution safely?

• Don't reveal your kids' or pets' names as you often use those for your passwords
• Don't give information about your finances
• Use a minimal amount of identifying information, like address or even your email address unless you know whom you're giving it to
• Be alert to people asking for more information, seemingly innocently

I almost got hoodwinked recently when someone emailed me asking to buy 200 of my books, Women Who Could...and Did. He didn't ask for a volume discount, which should have been the tip-off. He accepted my retail price and urgently requested that I tell him the total price including 3-5 day shipping to a country in Africa that couldn't have been too interested in this book, about inspirational American scientists and artists.Fortunately, I didn't go to the trouble of sending the shipment before googling the city, country and "book order frauds." It was right there. Probably these people use stolen IDs and faked bank checks.

The Internet is a marvel but can be scary. Watch yourself.

New Social Networking Sites for the Baby Boomer

Have you gingerly gone onto these social networking sites, like FaceBook and MySpace and thought maybe they weren't for you? Well, now there are several new sites created just for energetic, with-it people over age 40 or  50 who want to network with people who are going through some of the same things as they are.

Maybe they're not looking for a date, but they wonder how to maintain boundaries with their almost-adult children or their aging parent. Maybe they would like to meet a new life partner, but they're willing to spend time getting to know that person before making a date. Maybe they want to talk about sleep problems in middle age...or injuries incurred when trying to be the athletes they were 20 years ago. These new sites speak to concerns of Baby Boomers.

Matt Richtel's article, "New Social Sites Cater to People of a Certain Age" in The New York Times of Sept. 12 tells us that venture capitalists are interested in funding these start-ups as they believe that this demographic is "more sticky," that is , that they have more longevity in their interests. They're willing to put up big money on the bet.

Try these: Multiply, Eons, Maya's Mom, Boomj and Boomertown and see what you think. Let us know by commenting here on the blog, or if you're shy, write to me at karma@lifespringcoaching.com.

LifeLong Learning at Universities Across the Country

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Brandeis (BOLLI) is one of 112 such Osher-funded programs in the US, operating in all but 3 states. If you question whether the adult brain is capable of absorbing new learning, just look at these 10 week courses, offered by members of the BOLLI community:

• Building the US Constitution: Searching for the Founders' Original Intent
• Autumn in Darkness: a Study of Film Noir, its Reflection of American Culture, and its Distortion of the American Ideal
• The UN's Millennium Development Goals
• New  Voices Looking at Recent Immigration Through Fiction

BOLLI's director, Sharon Sokoloff, enthusiastically described the history and operation of the Institute, which began in 2000 and now has 530 members, average age of 70, ranging between 50-90 with 65% women. It offers 36 member-led courses, 10 of which are lotteried, as they're oversubscribed. With Baby Boomers retiring, Sharon's expectation is that there will be more younger people enrolled in their next census.

Because of the location of BOLLI, near affluent communities outside of Boston, the majority of the members are college educated and beyond...many PhD's, physicians, engineers, and professors.

BOLLIs' programs are peer-led and member-driven. The mission is: to "provide education and learning activities for midlife and beyond in an atmosphere of conviviality." The goals are to enhance quality of life for this age group and to promote cognitive vitality. Judging from the course syllabi and newsletters, all taught by and written by the membership, the goals have been met and exceeded.

Because OLLIs are university-related, courses have to be academic and have to pass the rigorous policies of academic deans. Members are participants in the university community, and as such, have privileges to use the library, theater, athletic facility...all value-added perks for the membership.

Sharon and her member committee leaders look for win-win situations with Brandeis, their host university...for example, graduate students teach 1 or 2 sessions in BOLLI's courses that match their specialty. The students get experience teaching smart, engaged students, who have high expectations of what they want to get out of their time. It's an inter-generational experience.

A Brandeis program called Sustainable International Development (SID) attracts incredible people from all over the world, from countries most of us never heard of. Many of the students intend to help women from their countries get educated, start businesses, start NGOs.

One of BOLLIs' members developed and implemented the idea of a matching program between BOLLI and SID. Now they have 72 matches. All of the international students want matches with BOLLI, now a cohesive program. 72 people from all over the world are now friends of BOLLI. One member brings SID students from different countries into local schools to talk with the children, some of whose heritage is from those countries in Africa, India, South America . What a synergy among generations and cultures.

These members are totally engaged, a testimony to generativity, the desire to give back some of one's learning and wisdom to the community. Commitment, time, energy, leadership, and spirit mark these member leaders. "I want to be like that when I grow up, " says Sharon."It's my greatest feeling of gratitude that people are so committed."

One of their first members, heartily involved in the program, calls himself a "curmudgeon." Recently, he organized a skit for a fundraiser for BOLLI. He included this true interchange in his skit:

"All I ever hear is complaints," Sharon told him. "Yet you seem so committed...tell me one positive thing."

"This has been the most rewarding professional experience of my life," he told her. Sharon burst out crying, feeling the pride of the momma, who has led this inspiring group. "If I could bottle the energy, we'd have no problem with financing."

A Short-Term Alternative to Peace Corps

A colleague Ellen Good brought something to my attention that might appeal to more people than the Peace Corps. Cross-Cultural Solutions provides short-term volunteer experiences for all age groups in many different countries throughout the world. You can sign up for trips of a few weeks at a time. It offers the opportunity to interact with people in a meaningful way and to contribute your skills and companionship to people in need.

Volunteers can elect to work in orphanages, schools, health clinics, day care centers. People who have skills that the host community needs can share their knowledge with local teachers or health professionals.

A volunteer named Joann said of her experience as a volunteer in Brazil: "I think one of the most rewarding things about this experience was being a small part of the children's lives. I had the most amazing experiences, including helping one of the babies learn to walk. He was only crawling when I first arrived and by the time I left he could walk by himself."

Linda, a volunteer to India, said this: "The trip was my 60th birthday present to myself, and it was a wonderful way to begin this new decade; I got to be selfish and generous at the same time, getting to visit a part of the world I had long wanted to see but at the same time returning with the feeling that I had had the chance to give back a bit of what life has so generously given me."

The program provides a combination of volunteering, sightseeing, and learning, a profound experience for many of the people whose stories are quoted on the website. Explore it yourself.

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Peace Corps When You're Not 22?

Have you thought of joining the Peace Corps after you leave your place of employment?  Yes, the Peace Corps. The service is starting a pilot project to attract Baby Boomers, who can act as role models to their younger counterparts. Ron Tschetter, the new director, is enthusiastic about recruiting this older generation (older than the just-out-of-college crowd) because they are "mature, highly skilled, educated and willing to give back to society."

The Grand Haven Tribune re-published an article from the Seattle Times that describes the pilot project. It will place Boomers and older in 9 test countries and will design the programs to be more responsive to mature persons' learning styles for language-training, medical screening will be quicker, and attention will be paid to the comfort and health care of these new recruits.

Worth considering for those of you with wanderlust, the desire to contribute and do something meaningful with your skills, and also for people who don't have quite enough money saved to travel.   

Next post will be a lovely story about an older woman (age 77) who was in Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe. You can see more of these stories at Peace Corps Online.