For years now, the baby boomer generation has been the generation that looks after their kids and their aged parents at the same time. However, things are changing for boomers as there is now a rise of solo boomers. Solo boomers as defined by The Mercury, are aging retirees who do not have dependents and are not in marital or other relationship. These so called solo boomers are without a spouse or an adult child to help care for them.
Boomers who have lost their spouses and their kids have moved out of the house contribute to the rise of the solo boomer. Adult children of baby boomers often move far away from home which may become challenging for boomers to visit or ask for assistance in their daily activities. Or, their kids may move to the city which can be daunting to baby boomers not acquainted with the city living lifestyle.
Another factor that has attributed to the rise of solo boomers is the increase in divorce rates which have doubled compared to the early 90s. There are a number of boomers who tend to split near or in retirement. Divorce can put a financial strain on finances and even hurt retirement plans. This trend is reinventing what it means to retire as a solo boomers attempt to plan or resolve what retirement will look like for a single person.
According to statistics from The Mercury, there are 1 in 5 boomers who are in the solo boomer category. This suggests that there are boomers who are prepared to be alone, discover themselves and also look after themselves. Solo boomers are still full of life which means they have the capacity to give back to society through mentoring, volunteering, part-time or contract employment to provide funds for a comfortable retirement.
Boomers that are living alone are often looking for community involvement and extra income. BoomersPlus is a resource for community and income as we provide boomers with content and employment opportunities. With the rise of solo boomers, BoomersPlus presents an opportunity to engage them with the intention of sharing their wealth of knowledge, experience and network to the society. For more information, or to be included in future Job Searches, sign up here.