Would You Rather Be Youthful or Useful?

Ken Dychtwald has been measuring and forecasting the aging of America for almost 50 years, so he is not surprised by much, but the 73-year-old founder of the Age Wave consulting firm in Orinda was delighted to learn from a survey that a majority of respondents aged 65 and over (71%) say they believe their best years are happening now or are still ahead of them.  Further, when asked what is more important as they grow older, being youthful or being useful, 83% of the older adult population said usefulness matters more than youthfulness.

People crave purpose, yet our culture characterizes retirement as a time to relax and travel. So, what should older adults do? Keep working or stop and enjoy themselves? Dychtwald believes it is a blend of both. Studies indicate that people want to keep working longer because they enjoy it. “They like the stimulation. They like the challenge. They like the social connection.”

This is a significant shift for many, as he noted that we used to think of retirement as a couple or three years of rest and relaxation before the batteries ran out, but now people live long after they retire and as a society we are just starting to realize, “Something’s changing here.” He believes that if we’re going to live longer lives, we want those extra years to be a time for vitality, a time for well-being, a time for contribution, a time to enjoy our family, a time to try something new.

You might want a full-time job, prefer part-time work, a regular volunteer gig, or no schedule at all, just sharing when you can. Fortunately for us, Mill Valley is full of opportunities from which to choose to share your existing skills or learn a new one. So, try something out. If it gives you pleasure, terrific. If not, well, there are plenty more to try. Here’s to living in a time and place where we can all be useful!