Some Boomers like to think they're invincible: They fully expect to be able to work into their 70s or beyond. The good news is that the percentage of workers over the age of 62 in the workforce has steadily increased. But consider this: While the national unemployment rate for workers age 55 and older is generally lower than the overall unemployment rate, the long-term unemployment rate (out of work 27 weeks or more) for older workers is generally higher than the overall long-term unemployment rate. That suggests once a Boomer is out of work, it is harder to get back into the workforce.

Cleo Parker's story is all too typical. As reported in The New York Times, Parker was about to turn 50 when her long-time marketing job was eliminated in 2006, a few years before the big recession. For the next ten years, she had to work a variety of contract and lower-paying jobs. She finally found a full-time job but that ended in 2018. Now 62, Parker finds she is overqualified for most of the jobs she interviews for, and the salary for those jobs is far less than what she earned before.

The financial pressure of this type of situation is obvious. Boomers who have had good, well-paying jobs for decades and then find themselves out of work are often faced with a precipitous drop in income in their later working years. Having all of the things associated with a middle class life -- house, car, sending your kids to college, etc. -- may have taken precedent over adequately saving for retirement. So now, the Boomer who is out of work or working at a low-paying job may be stuck with too much debt and expenses that exceed income. If expenses aren't reduced and savings are meager, the Boomer may have to draw Social Security benefits earlier than planned, which means lower monthly SS payments for the rest of that person's life. In addition, any retirement savings, such as 401(k) investments, typically cannot be drawn upon without penalty until age 70-1/2.

Involuntary job loss can be devastating -- but so can employment that is interrupted or abruptly ends because of health issues. Older workers are susceptible to more health problems than younger workers, if for no other reason than they are older. While there is some small comfort in having employer-paid health insurance or Medicare as of age 65, health problems can still be costly, both in terms of out-of-pocket medical expenses and loss of time on the job. Even worse, a serious health problem can lead to an unanticipated earlier retirement from the workforce.

So what can Boomers do about the double whammy of money and health? For one thing, we need to make a concerted effort to save as much as we can for retirement while we are still working. We should also try to delay taking Social Security payments at least until our "full retirement age," as defined by Social Security, or until age 70, when you can draw the maximum benefit. In terms of our health, as we age, it is very important for us to eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, and generally take good care of ourselves. Other than that... it's a crap shoot!

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As Boomers age, they may consider relocating from their current home, especially if it is too large. The increasing popularity of active adult and retirement communities is a clear indication that Boomers are more than willing to relocate to improve their living situation.

But for those who do not want to leave their homes, the concept of "aging in place" is gaining traction. According to The Center for Aging in Place, "Aging in Place is a national movement to enable people to stay in their own homes as they grow older by making available the social support, health care, and home maintenance services they require to live happy, productive lives in the community."

Aging in place can have both a positive and negative side. On the positive side, wise Boomers are making a concerted effort to modify their existing homes so they are safer, more secure habitats. On the negative side, some Boomers adamantly refuse to make needed modifications if they do not want leave their homes, creating a situation that could easily result in tripping, falling, or severe personal injury.

If you've made a decision to age in place, you owe it to yourself to take a good, hard look at your physical home, your neighborhood, and your general environment. You should ask yourself honest questions about whether or not there are deficiencies or conditions that need to be remedied for you to be able to live comfortably as you age. This article on NextAvenue.org answers several important questions: https://www.nextavenue.org/answers-questions-aging-place/

AARP has a wealth of material about aging in place offered through the "AARP HomeFit Guide." You can find it here: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/info-2014/aarp-home-fit-guide-aging-in-place.html 

Porch.com offers a comprehensive guide to aging in place: https://porch.com/advice/aging-in-place-what-every-senior-should-know

Below are a few links to some valuable resources concerning aging in place, courtesy of Marie at ElderImpact.org:

The Most Common In-Home Injuries for Seniors and How to Prevent Them

How to Reduce Hoarding and Clutter to Prevent Falls

How to Remodel for Accessibility

How to Make & Pay for Home Modifications to Enable Aging in Place

Top 7 Garage Safety Hazards that You Shouldn’t Be Ignoring

Making Aging in Place Easier with Digital Health Technology

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As you might expect, the concept of retirement is not for everyone. Boomers today are much less likely to traditionally "retire" than past generations. In fact, almost 40 percent of workers age 65 or above who retired "boomeranged" back to work, according to a RAND Corporation study. The challenge is that older workers often want to change careers after fifty or so years doing the same thing -- so when they return to work, it could be to a new "second career."

Author Chris Farrell has a good way of looking at it -- as a "sabbatical." In an interview in Forbes, he says, "When we think about retirement as a sabbatical, people are going to retire, take a break and start thinking about what they want to do next. That hopefully will be incredibly liberating. It’s a wonderful idea that you take a year off, recharge and rethink."

Farrell advises those wanting to return to work focus on their skills instead of their job title. While you may have worked in a particular career all your life, in your second career, you may be better off evaluating your personal skill set and pursuing a completely different line of work. Reinventing yourself -- and taking some time to explore what you enjoy and what you are good at -- may be exhilarating. To the extent that you are financially secure, you can even pursue something because you love it, not because you intend it to produce income.

I can totally relate to this perspective. Both my wife and I reinvented ourselves after professional careers. We followed our passions and did something different for our second act. She was a sales professional and became a dog groomer because she loves working with dogs. She worked in her own mobile dog grooming business for seven years and generated income. Then she stopped grooming for money because it was too physically strenuous. Now she grooms when she wants just because she enjoys it, as an unpaid volunteer at an animal shelter. I ran a direct marketing agency, but I always had a love for writing. Now I'm a freelance writer and I work when I want. Some of the writing I do generates income, and some I do just because I enjoy it.

One of the things my wife and I had to learn during our boomerang back to work was that the value equation is different. In our previous professional careers, our perceived value was based on how much revenue we brought in. That monetary value was important to our self-image. It took a while to realize that value doesn't always have to be related to money. Now we are more comfortable with the notion that self-worth isn't based on financial and material assets alone. In fact, we both get a great deal of satisfaction doing things that do not directly result in generating income.

The retirement boomerang is a common condition for Boomers. Don't be surprised if it happens to you.

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I often write about Boomer issues that relate to working past the traditional retirement age, including how to find inspiration for what to do in your second career. I rarely tackle retirement-related financial issues because that is neither my area of expertise nor my topical interest. But I feel compelled to give any reader of this blog a piece of personal, heartfelt advice: If you're approaching the second half of your life and you haven't yet engaged a financial planner, do yourself a favor and get one NOW.

My wife and I engaged a financial planner in our mid-thirties. It was one of the smartest moves we have ever made. With that person's counsel, we have been able to make wise financial decisions regarding budgeting, investments, insurance, purchasing and selling homes, paying for college, and retirement. In combination with a CPA and an estate attorney, the financial planner has also helped us with tax and estate planning.

It is never too late to get a financial planner. As CFP Casey Weade writes for Kiplinger, a financial planner becomes all the more important as we approach our retirement years: "For most people, problems, questions and opportunities are more likely to crop up as their goals change from accumulating money to protecting it. And that usually happens five to 10 years before retirement."

While professional Boomers may be tempted to handle financial planning themselves, Do-It-Yourselfers (DIYers) lack objectivity and broad knowledge of investments. Weade says, "An adviser can help retirees avoid ill-timed investment losses that could devastate their retirement plans, offer guaranteed income options to those who want reliable payments, and discuss the best 401(k) and IRA distribution choices. An adviser also can offer advice on Social Security income options that DIYers often don’t know about." As for DIY investing, Weade writes that "your investment strategy should match your overall financial plan and long-term goals. Too often, self-investing leads to over-concentrating on the tools being utilized rather than the ultimate goal you are trying to achieve."

Boomers are living a lot longer than our parents did, so making smart financial decisions that protect us in our later years is critically important. What are you waiting for? Get thee to a financial planner!

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