Boomers are often advised to do some financial planning long before retiring, but Walter Updegrave writes for CNN Money that "lifestyle planning" is just as important as you approach retirement.

Updegrave advises that Boomers should think "seriously about they spend the last 30 or so years of their lives. He writes that, for many, the most effective way to "stay engaged with the world" is to "cultivate a strong social network." Family and friends become increasingly important in later years, and developing new friendships through social activities and part-time work can be beneficial.

The bottom line, writes Updegrave, is to go beyond financial planning, because "if you want the next chapter of your life to be meaningful and fulfilling, you've also got to engage in some lifestyle planning... After all, it would be a shame to do all that saving, investing and planning only to spend the last phase of your life marking time."

In his article, Updegrave mentions the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, where I live. OLLI, which has branches in other cities, is a great example of an organization that caters to the needs of seniors by offering non-credit courses, taught by volunteers, in all sorts of subjects. OLLI also offers a creative retirement seminar. My wife and I took this seminar over ten years ago, fell in love with Asheville, and relocated here as a result.

Read Updegrave's entire article here.