Consider these statistics from the Pew Research Center:

"More older Americans – those ages 65 and older – are working than at any time since the turn of the century, and today’s older workers are spending more time on the job than did their peers in previous years, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of employment data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"In May, 18.8% of Americans ages 65 and older, or nearly 9 million people, reported being employed full- or part-time, continuing a steady increase that dates to at least 2000 (which is as far back as we took our analysis). In May of that year, just 12.8% of 65-and-older Americans, or about 4 million people, said they were working."

Perhaps even more stunning is the Pew Research Center's analysis that more older workers continue to work full-time:

"Not only are more older Americans working, more of them are working full-time. In May 2000, 46.1% of workers ages 65 and older were working fewer than 35 hours a week (the BLS’ cutoff for full-time status). The part-time share has fallen steadily, so that by last month only 36.1% of 65-and-older workers were part-time."

So, nearly 20 percent of those 65 and older are in the workforce, and more than half of those older workers work 35 hours or more. Undoubtedly, this remarkable generational shift is driven by financial need, but there is probably more to it than that. Older workers continue to work not just for income, but because it demonstrates self-worth.

Boomers I've connected with often feel as if our society treats them as obsolete. It is a sad commentary that someone in their sixties or even fifties experiences age discrimination in the workplace. What happened to employers that once respected experience, stability, job longevity, and employer loyalty? If people are capable, healthy, and vibrant well into their seventies, are they any less employable than younger workers? Those employers who embrace older workers recognize their value as employees. Employers who encourage competent older workers to leave are doing them and their companies a disservice.

The larger issue, though, is a societal one. We as a society must learn to respect people as they age, instead of ridiculing the elderly and celebrating only youth. Everyone will grow old eventually. But today, society's perception of growing old needs to change for the better.