I've long believed in the power of mentoring. I remember mentors who helped me as I advanced in my career, some of whom were my bosses. I think back to when I ran a direct marketing agency and decided to bring on a partner with more experience than me. He, too, became a key mentor in my professional development.

When I retired from marketing, I wanted to mentor others in the same way. For ten years, I was a volunteer marketing counselor to small business owners, mostly one-person operations, through a local college's small business center.  While I had expertise in marketing, I had to keep up with current marketing practices, so mentoring forced me to stay on top of things and continue to learn. This is a part of mentoring that some people overlook -- mentoring can be as much a learning experience as a teaching experience. For me, mentoring was extremely gratifying, especially when I received the occasional thank you note from a person I helped. I got pretty pumped up when I saw how some local entrepreneurs were applying my advice to grow their businesses.

I have a feeling there is huge mentoring potential in retired and soon-to-be retired Boomers, and so does Marc Freedman, the founder of Encore.org. In his new book, How to Live Forever, Freedman discusses the value of an older generation mentoring younger generations. In an interview with Jane Brody of The New York Times, Freedman said, “Older people are uniquely suited for a mentoring role. The critical skills for nurturing relationships — emotional regulation and empathy — blossom as we age.” 

As for what it takes to be a mentor, Freedman commented that any Boomer could be good at it by following a few basic ground rules. “You don’t have to be a charismatic superhero," Freedman said. "You don’t need an advanced degree. It’s more about the relationship than imparting sage advice. The key is not being interesting. The real key is being interested — being present and paying attention.”

For Boomers who have special expertise in a particular discipline, as I did, mentoring through a small business center or through SCORE, the nation's largest network of business counselors, is the way to go. But there are many other types of mentoring opportunities that don't require a professional background, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, one of the country's largest youth mentoring organizations.

It turns out that mentoring, like volunteering, really does improve your quality of life in your later years. In her article, Brody cites research from a four-decade study that suggests "middle-aged and older people who invested in the well-being of the next generation were three times as likely to be happy as those who didn’t make such an effort. They also lived longer."

Mentoring worked for me, and it seems to work for many other Boomers. Maybe it can work for you.

Have you heard about the new book, Boomer Brands?

A new memoir, I'm Your Daughter, Julie, explores the emotional experience of a baby boomer caring for her mother, who has been diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia. In reading this excellent, engaging book, I began to understand the enormous challenge of caring for elderly parents, and I also learned a great deal about the harsh realities of dementia.

Julie Gorges, the author of the book, was kind enough to answer my questions about her writing career, her new book, and her advice for boomers who face a dementia diagnosis.

You've had a wide variety of writing experience -- as a newspaper reporter, short story writer, and author of non-fiction and fiction books. How would you characterize the difference between writing non-fiction and fiction? Do you find one form of writing more appealing than another?

That’s a good question. Writing fiction and non-fiction are more alike than one may think. Penning a novel with a fascinating plot, compelling characters, and lyrical prose is a creative endeavor. But the process often involves using true personal experiences or factual events as a springboard into an author’s imagination. Non-fiction is based purely on accurate facts. But techniques used in fiction are often used to make articles and non-fiction books more compelling and dramatic.

Do I like one form of writing more than another? When I first started writing, I focused primarily on fiction. But as the years went by, I became increasingly drawn to non-fiction. Stories I wrote about people as a newspaper reporter were fascinating and inspiring. Plus, I discovered that writing non-fiction has the power to educate, motivate, solve problems, heal, offer hope, and even change lives. Writing about real life is a great way to share the wisdom you’ve gained over the years to help others.

While I’m writing non-fiction right now, I haven’t ruled out writing another novel someday. What I do know is that I will write until the day I die. I’m in love, captivated, and addicted to words. Words are powerful, sometimes even magical, evoke our imaginations, and create wondrous worlds to explore. I started down the path of becoming a writer 30 years ago and still love the endless possibilities that this career offers.

Why did you write your first novel for teenage girls? How difficult was it to adopt the persona of a teenage girl and write in the first person?

I started my first novel while in my early 20s when my teen years were still fresh on my mind. So, it was easy to channel my experiences and feelings into my novel. Thankfully, I kept diaries as a teen-ager and much of the story comes directly from journals – with some fabrication, embellishments, and imagination thrown in, of course.

The teen years are fascinating to write about since it’s a time of discovery, a time when decisions can change your life forever, and a time of intense emotions. That’s why we all remember our teen years so well. It’s a time of unforgettable firsts – your first love, your first betrayal, your first profound mistake, or your first heroic act – all happening within a short amount of time.

Since the main character had many facets of my personality, it was easy for me to adopt her persona and writing in first person seemed to come naturally. By the way, finishing and publishing my first novel came years later, which speaks to the tenacity and perseverance that this career demands.

Your new book, I'm Your Daughter, Julie: Caring for a Parent with Dementia, is a very personal story about caring for your mom, who had Lewy Body Dementia. What made you decide to write this memoir?

Although many people encouraged me to share my story, I couldn’t immediately immerse myself in the painful memories of watching Mom slowly lose her mind, deteriorate physically before my eyes, and take her last breath. Nevertheless, eventually, I felt compelled to write the book out of a desire to help others learn from my successes and mistakes as a caregiver. For example, when my Mom developed bedsores while in a rehabilitation center that contributed to her death, I knew it was important to warn other caregivers and family members so they might be able to prevent such a catastrophe. By sharing my intimate journey, I hoped to make the process of bit easier and provide comfort to those losing a loved one to dementia so they wouldn’t feel alone.

I also wanted to write the kind of book that I would have found beneficial during those difficult years. I tried to read a few books while caregiving, but they were so thick and overwhelming. Time was limited and I didn’t need to know all the science behind what causes Alzheimer’s or Lewy Body dementia or try to decipher essential information from fluff often used as filler to meet a publisher’s page requirement. In a short amount of time, I needed to know how to communicate with my Mom when she was being unreasonable, how to help her get dressed when she became immobile, and how to keep from going crazy. That’s why my concise book is under 100 pages and to the point.  

In addition, not all books of this nature take you to the end of this journey and beyond. The mourning process for a caregiver is somewhat different and I wanted to share ways that family caregivers can move forward after their loved ones die.

What advice do you have for boomers who are facing a dementia diagnosis, either for a loved one or for themselves?

Knowledge is power. Become informed. You’ll be better prepared to handle the wide variety of challenges that lie ahead if you know what to expect. Try and learn everything you can about the disease from your doctors, websites, books, and support groups. There are many things you can do to make life more dignified and enjoyable during this time. Once you become informed, you may need to help educate other family members and friends.

Also, keep in mind, there are several types of dementia. Try to get an accurate diagnosis so you can find the right treatment plan that can include medications and lifestyle changes to help with symptoms. Having an accurate diagnosis will also help you make informed medical decisions and make plans for the future.

Finally, face this disease one day at a time. If you are caring for a loved one with dementia, caregiving is a meaningful, worthwhile, and important undertaking. That being said, make sure you take care of your own needs, accept help when offered, and be aware of caregiving options to help you during later stages.

About Julie
Julie A. Gorges is an award-winning journalist, author, and freelance writer. She is also a blogger at Baby Boomer Bliss, recently recognized as one of the top baby boomer blogs on the web. Her latest book, I’m Your Daughter, Julie is available on Amazon. If you’d like to learn more about Julie, please visit her author’s website.

Statistically, Boomers are about to lose their position as the generation with the highest U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2019, Millennials are expected to reach 73 million in number while Boomers will top out at 72 million.

Still, the number of Boomers in the job market is significant. According to an article in Forbes, workers age 55-plus accounted for around 23 percent of the labor market in 2018, up from about 18 percent in 2008, ten years earlier. In terms of the labor force participation rate, younger workers have either remained flat or declined from 1998 to 2018, while the 55-64 and 65-plus age groups have steadily increased.

Aparna Mathur, who authored the article, sees a number of reasons for this phenomenon. For one thing, many older workers need to work longer for financial reasons. For another, older workers are healthier and living longer, so they have the ability to remain in the work force longer than previous generations. Just as important, older workers want to remain in the workforce because work is rewarding for them.

The interesting side effect is that the current economy boasts a very low unemployment rate, which means it is more challenging for companies to find skilled workers. Guess what -- Boomers are skilled workers! Boomers can also offer employers flexibility in that they are willing and often want to work part-time, which turns out to be more cost-effective for the hiring companies.

So let's hope we are nearing a point at which the continuing desire of Boomers to work, and their resiliency in the labor market, intersects with the employment needs of companies. Only then will our society conquer age discrimination and realize the value that Boomers continue to bring to the table.

Have you heard about the new book, Boomer Brands?

Sadly, most of the advertising Boomers are exposed to seems to be squarely aimed at the Millennial, Gen X or younger generations. Increasingly, ads for just about any product feature consumers younger than Boomers. Advertising that does target Boomers (during television news shows, for example) is largely composed of pharmaceutical promotions.

The benign neglect exhibited by marketers toward Boomers doesn't really make good business sense. There are over 70 million Boomers in the U.S. The majority of the country's wealth is concentrated in our hands, and we are responsible for the lion's share of consumer spending. We continue to work longer and, as a result, spend more longer. 

Still, I've noticed a few things lately that suggest Boomers are not being completely ignored by marketers.

Remember Woodstock? (Of course you do.) Well get ready for Woodstock 50. Celebrating the Fiftieth Anniversary of Woodstock, a three-day festival (August 16, 17, 18, 2019) will be held in Watkins Glen, New York, according to Rolling Stone. In preparation for the event, a replica of the iconic Volkswagen "magic bus" will be making the rounds during the summer. The original VW van couldn't be found, so a replica was painstakingly created, in part with the support of Volkswagen. Smart marketers will use Woodstock 50 as an opportunity to appeal to Boomers.

The revitalization of "Boomer brands" also seems to be in vogue. Remember Hickory Farms? (Of course you do.) Created in 1951, this specialty foods brand is currently undergoing a makeover with the addition of such updated products as truffle salami and sriracha mustard. It's an effort to keep the brand fresh while maintaining its original reputation for quality. It's also an attempt to remind Boomers of a brand they grew up with while appealing to younger audiences.

Some television shows and movies have latched onto the Boomer era. The award-winning Amazon TV show, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," takes place in 1958, while "Green Book," the movie that won this year's Best Picture at the Academy Awards, was set in 1962.

Some marketers may continue to ignore Boomers, but wise marketers and media companies recognize that Boomers are still vital... and very capable of spending money.

Have you heard about the new book, Boomer Brands?