Poll finds that knowledge is a boon for working boomers

The influential baby boomer demographic is expected to reinvent retirement, and many are planning to work well past the traditional retirement age. In fact, it seems that many companies now appreciate the experience and expertise of these silver-haired workers - a poll conducted by The Associated Press and LifeGoesStrong.com found that 61 percent of boomers say that their age is not an issue at work and 25 percent view it as an asset.

Many reported that younger co-workers often look up to their more experienced colleagues and ask them for advice. A third of boomers said that they were treated with more respect due to their age. Two-thirds said that adapting to changing technology hasn't been a difficult process.

Perhaps most surprisingly, the poll revealed that one of every five boomers is enjoying a career in a field that they have been in for less than a decade. This indicates that experienced employees are just as flexible as younger workers, and prone to seize new opportunities.

"You need to find something you love doing and in a field that you're comfortable in," Cynthia Forwerck, 54, told the news source. She has been the director of a Charlotte, N.C., church preschool for 18 years. "You have to be somewhat creative and adaptive over many years."

A Congressional Budget Office report published in March found that the participation rate of workers age 60 to 69 is steadily rising. Findings from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate that the population of older workers will grow five times faster than the rest of the labor force.

Del Webb retirement communities are built with this boomer trend in mind. For example, residents at Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala, Florida, enjoy access to the Learning and Business Center, which offers wireless connectivity that make it a great place to telecommute or review work materials.