Working in Retirement
Chasing the next big dream during retirement
When you ask boomers about their retirement plans, you're more likely hear that they want to make a difference and keep working rather than fully retire. Many Americans view retirement as the chance to switch into different fields that allow them to give back while trying new opportunities at the same time.
The economic downturn has turned this dream into a necessity. Many boomers are planning on part-time positions - or even full-time careers - to be a regular part of retirement, especially when it comes to jobs in healthcare, teaching and non-profits, according to The Morning Star.
Most boomers are looking forward to the coming years as a plan to fulfill a lifelong dream or ambition. Institutions such as Civic Ventures believe that these encore careers can be a key to making society better as a whole, since so many prospective retirees are looking to stay busy.
The organization focuses on two primary goals for boomers - second careers and social entrepreneurship. By acting as a social networking site for Americans who are seeking work for retirement, Civic Ventures connects motivated workers with one another and also sponsors them. Last year, five winners received $100,000 prizes and five were awarded with $50,000 each.
The winners were involved in a variety of entrepreneurial activities. Charles Dey, 75, created Start on Success, a program of the National Organization on Disability, which helps disabled high schoolers find work. Sixty-seven year-old Marilyn Gaston and Gayle Porter, 60, founded Prime Time Sister Circles as a way to emphasize healthy habits among African American women.
Other winners chose to help educate disadvantaged children or launch programs that foster understanding and dialogue to fight intolerance and conflict.
"We've got people who have an enormous amount of experience, and I think for the first time in our history in these big numbers, the time to do something with it," founder Marc Freedoman told the The Star.
If you're looking for a luxurious setting for retirement that also sponsors the efforts to give back, look no farther than Del Webb retirement communities such as Del Webb Woodbridge in Manteca, California. The homeowners in this neighborhood regularly choose to volunteer, passionately engaging in positions in healthcare, construction and other social services.
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