Vantage062916

VANTAGE

A supplement to The Oklahoman JUNE 29, 2016

BABY BOOMERS AND BEYOND

Surprise!

WHAT NO ONE EVER TOLD

YOU ABOUT GETTING OLDER

Growing older, growing bolder

I’ve been bingeing on the first season of the television series “Better Call Saul.” Sure it’s entertaining, even intriguing. But the show’s portrayal of older people leaves me a bit perplexed.

The show’s protagonist is a downand-out lawyer who has turned the focus of his practice to elder law. He trolls for business in retirement homes trying to charm the “old folks” with containers of Jell-O and trite greetings such as, “You’re looking more beautiful today than yesterday, Mrs. Smith,” and

“Oh my, that’s quite a grip you have, Mr. Jones.”

Really? If someone talks to me like that when I’m 85, I’m going to stick out my gnarly toes, trip the dude and say, “Oh, I hope you didn’t break a hip, young man.”

Being old is not the same as being ingenuous, or gullible, or vapid.

In this issue, Vantage looks at the unexpected aspects of getting older.

One of the topics is ageism and the way younger generations see aging boomers. While boomers are kicking the door in on many of the old stereotypes of aging, remnants remain. America’s youth-focused culture is languishing in denial over the inevitable reality that if you keep breathing, you’re going to get older and yes, old.

This is evident in two areas: first, in the proliferation of medspas and cosmetic surgical centers designed to keep us mid- and late-lifers looking young and fabulous; and second, in the way younger generations regard – or don’t regard – older generations. For many of CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

It was OK to kick your heel above your head until you’re 90, or paint scenes on your back fence in your long underwear, or run the liquor store in a mostly dry town. They were, in their older life, finally who they wanted to be.

us, the older we get, the more invisible we become.

Case in point, I was at a Sam’s Club on a recent Saturday, putting groceries into my car, which was parked next to the cart drop-off stall. I go to put my cart in the chute and a young family whips around me to pull out one of those special carts that would accommodate the children. “OK,” I think. “I can wait to put my cart in.” And so I wait, and wait, and wait while the kids get their toys situated and Dad checks his phone and everyone gets safely buckled in.

Not once did the family acknowledge me. They never saw me. I was standing there, but I was “invisible.” At 56, this happens to me frequently. It’s kind of like family therapist Charlotte Lankard told me in an interview for this issue of Vantage. Younger generations respond to an older person like, “I don’t wanna be ya, so I don’t wanna see ya.”

On the upside, the older you get the less you care about what other people think, so there’s that.

But maybe aging is not so much about what we don’t expect as is it about what we do expect. I never anticipated becoming the person I really wanted to

be until I reached my 50s and beyond.

Why? Because of all the great women in my life.

When I was growing up, I had great aunts and grandmothers who were saucy older gals. They dressed to the nines and kept up with the fashion trends. They told jokes, mostly offcolor, with theatrical precision. They loved life and broke the mold on what “little old ladies” were supposed to be like. They were creative, generous, fun, intelligent and most of all, full of grounded wisdom that they imparted to me.

And what I learned was this: They were who they were because they took their cues from the saucy old gals who went before them. It was OK to kick your heel above your head until you’re 90, or paint scenes on your back fence in your long underwear, or run the liquor store in a mostly dry town. They were, in their older life, finally who they wanted to be.

Maybe the best thing that no one ever told me about aging is that the attributes of the people you admired in your young life will follow you and blossom as you get older. For this, I am grateful.

CAUTIONARY TALES UTTERED BY MY MOTHER OVER BEER AND SYMPATHY

I knew I was in for it the night my mother leaned over, a cold Keystone Light in her hand, and said those words I will never forget, “Honey, we need to talk about your face.”

Now, take my word for it, I was quite shocked. I had already received several like shocks from the woman in the months before. Words like the “Big C.” Treatments. Oncologists.

Words you never want to hear someone you love say. But now — WTH — we’re going to talk about my face?

To be honest, she did preface our conversation with the fact she was worried that her time remaining here on Earth could possibly be shorter than she had anticipated, and being the woman who could use absolutely anything as a teaching opportunity, wanted to prepare me for the worst.

The awful. The inevitable: Aging.

JOHN KERRY AND LESSONS ON A GOOD FACE-LIFT

And so our lessons on aging began. One day she woke from a deep slumber, peered incredulously at the television and, pointing a well-manicured talon, said, “Look at John Kerry, Lesa Belle. He had his face-lift the same time his wife did.

Now they look alike. His plastic surgeon should be shot.” Then she went back to sleep.

Another time, she pointed at the well-preserved Jane Fonda and said, “Like her or not, the girl started getting her work early and did it right.

Lesa Belle, never scrimp on a good plastic surgeon.” Mom had her face done in the late ’80s and, like she said, done right, a good face-lift will last you about 30 years. She always said pick your surgeon wisely and pay cash. Plastic surgeons love cash.

Even sick, my mother made sure she was always coiffed and welldressed. One morning, I could hear her muttering in the bathroom, and when I said, “Whatcha doin’ Ma?” she whipped around, took my face in her hands and stared deeply into my eyes. “Your eyebrows are turning gray, dear. Ask your girl to dye them same color as your hair.”

My eyebrows? What? Are you serious? I had no idea. Mom said she knew I had no idea and it was time to get myself to my local department store and buy the highest octane magnifying glass that money could buy. “A good mirror will save you a plethora of embarrassment in the future.” I immediately complied.

‘I should have paid cash!’

WISDOM ON THE UPSIDE OF BODY BETRAYAL

It was during that discussion that it hit me that my eyes, along with my eyebrows, had truly had gone down the drain. The makeup mirror helped, but not with the daily tasks and trials of life. When I complained that I could not read the chocolate chip cookie recipe, Mother quickly loaded me up in the car and took me to the local chain drugstore.

She hustled me down the aisle like I was a 4-year-old after a yearly doctor’s checkup until she found the reading glasses and promptly picked up a red pair of peepers. I said, “Ma, I am not wearing Sally Jesse Raphael

[PHOTO PROVIDED BY WIKI COMMONS]

glasses.” (If you do not get that reference, you are too young to read this article. Move on.)

Then she threw in leopard-print glasses and spotted glasses and neon glasses and every color of glasses you could ever imagine. Like 20 of them. She went on to explain to me that when you age, your eyes betray you before anything else. Might as well use that betrayal as a fashion tool and use your eyeglasses to promote your “whimsical” side.

I now keep bowls of those little suckers all over the house.

Speaking of betrayal, Mom helped me through the “Great Estrogen Debates” earlier in this new century. You remember … when they told us to quit taking our estrogen. Then, one day it was good for you. The next it was bad. I told my mother that I was going to cold turkey it — I of all people could make it without that evil estrogen.

That was until 27 days into cold turkey and a client really ticked me off. I launched a cellphone across my office like a Saturn 5 rocket. It stuck right in the Sheetrock. Mother died laughing and said, “Honey, to some people, estrogen is like Valium. Stay on it. It will keep you out of jail.”

MILLIE’S TOP 5 INSIGHTS ON AGING

When I write these articles, I inevitably know at about this part of the page, I have to start wrapping it up. I usually end with something heartwarming or personally

redeeming so everyone doesn’t think I’m snarky, terminally shallow or stupid. Not here folks. I’m running out of time, so I am going to list for you some of my mother’s favorite lessons on aging. In her words: 1. Forgo birthdays and, ergo, birthday gifts. Life is short. Buy yourself your own presents. Do not wait. Wear the good nightgowns. Get your nails done. Buy the steak instead of the hamburger.

2. Speaking of, Mom truly believed that food tastes better as you get older, and it was God’s way of saying, “Sorry your face has gone south.”

3. You are hot. Really. Here’s Mom’s point — think back to 10 years ago. Picture yourself wearing a little summer dress. Bathing suit. Shorts and sleeveless shirts, for heaven’s sake. Remember how critical you were of how you looked back then? How you “hated” your thighs?

Thought your nose was too big? Worried about your cellulite? For all of us, that list goes on and on.

Now, don’t you feel silly? I know I do. I am going to be positively jealous of my 58-year-old self when I’m 84! As Mom would say, you are hot!

4. You’re never too old to be someone’s Tootsie. You see, I called Mother one morning complaining that some old guy had hit on me when I was out with friends. Old. Guy. Beginning of the Earth and Older than Dirt Dear

Lord He Was a Caveman Kinda Old. I was absolutely incensed and insulted. Mother just sighed in her patient and all-knowing way and said, “How old was he?” I said probably about 80.

She replied that, at my age, I was just the right age for him to be a cradle robber. Think about it. I am a newer, sleeker, never-before-had model. At this age, to him, I am the forbidden fruit.

5. Many of us complain, at a certain age, of having to do the quick Texas Two Step in order to find the ladies’ room. Or goodness knows, one sneeze and off we go.

Many, including my mother, have postulated nonmedical preventive measures, but I’m not sure any actually work.

Heed my mother’s cautionary tales on aging. Read, learn, absorb. But no matter what — go out there and be someone’s forbidden fruit.

Lesa Deason Crowe is president /CEO of atomic.marketing and the oldest of four grieving daughters who will celebrate the first anniversary of the evolution of their mother into a higher life form on June 17. Her knuckle-dragging husband’s back is still out-of-order, her kids are moving on to college, and life is good . Like her on Facebook at facebook.com /lesa .crowe, where you can share your thoughts on betrayal , aging and lessons your mama taught you .

YOU’LL WANT LESS

STUFF

BY MELISSA HOWELL Staff Writer

At 56, I have a recurring dream. I am trying to move to m another city, but I have so much stuff to pack, I can’t seem to get it all into boxes and onto a moving truck.

It doesn’t take a therapist to figure that one out. I need to lighten up before I can move forward. es People who have lived five, six, seven or eight decades know that they probably have packed away clutter in a rnumber of places, their homes, their minds, even their spiritual lives. Lightening up can take an approach to all three..

Clutter in the environment

Most people wake up one day and realize that the more re rstuff they have, the less happy they are. They are overwhelmed with their multitude of things — things to take ke care of, things to maintain, things to get rid of, things that at remind them of times in their lives that have collected dust st for 20 years.

If you have an orderly home, it’s because you’ve already dy purged your life of unneeded things or you have stuffed ed he every closet and cabinet with all you’ve collected. And the ge longer you collect, the more your stuff creeps out of storage into corners and shelves and tabletops.

Then it really gets overwhelming.

“Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about ut our homes, our workplaces and ourselves,” says Sherrie ie Bourg Carter, who holds a doctorate in psychology, in Psyychology Today. “Messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is ur clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives.” er Bourg Carter says clutter can steal serenity in a number of ways:

• Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli over (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important.

• Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on.

• Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.

• Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.

• Clutter makes us anxious, because we’re never sure what it’s going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile.

• Clutter creates feelings of guilt (‘I should be more organized’) and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces.

• Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brain storm and problem solve.

• Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the ‘pile’ or keys swallowed up by the clutter).

Where to start

So, how do we get out from under the weight of our clutter?

Start in the room where the storage is, said Darlene Broderick, with Clutter Buster in Oklahoma City.

“If there’s no shelving, get what you need to organize at that time. Figure out where it’s going to live first, before you start sorting,” she said.

Next, start areas for donation, for what you are keeping and what you’re throwing away.

“Give yourself a time limit and start sorting in your area. Set your alarm halfway through, then put everything away that you’ve sorted,” said Broderick, who started her company 18 years ago. “If you stay controlled, you can cut your time in half.”

Emotional ties

Broderick said sentimental items can be the most difficult. To work through those things, she interviews her client to find out what’s been meaningful in his or her life and match that with a charity that takes donations. If a client has had a long military career, Disabled American Veterans may be a good fit. If it’s a single mom with her grown child’s baby clothes, giving to Infant Crisis Center may ease the sting of letting go of those things.

“If it goes to underprivileged children or the battered women’s shelter or the Toby Keith Foundation … when you tell people that, it starts flying out the door. There’s someone else who needs it,” she said.

What are the most common culprits? Shoes, magazines, genealogy, Beanie Babies, trophies and old sports equipment, she said.

And for boomers, Broderick says now is the time to start paring down.

“If you’re a boomer, now is the time to go through it, getting VHS tapes switched over. If your daughter comes to you and needs a turkey platter, give it to her now. “(Decluttering) decreases your stress, gives peace of mind,” she said.

“People feel trapped. It’s nice to have a service like ours. We worked seven days a week for 18 years.”

Broderick recalls one client who was very depressed before Clutter Buster decluttered her home.

“She wouldn’t look you in the eye. Now she’s happy. She’s jovial. It’s life changing,” Broderick said.

Decluttering the mind and spirit

Mind clutter can be even more detrimental to well-being than environmental clutter.

Mind clutter can come from obsessive thoughts or worries or shame and regret that collect over time, said Oklahoma City therapist Vicki Wyatt, Ph.D. “You start letting those negative messages from the past (send you into) a shame spiral. If you don’t know how to manage that, it becomes overwhelming,” Wyatt said.

“If you’re distracted and you’re feeling a lot of shame, it affects your ability to focus.

That’s how we get into a cluttered state. We let those emotions get in front of managing our environment.”

But mental clutter also can derive from excessive busyness.

Wyatt referred to the book “Addicted to Busy: Recovery for the Rushed Soul” by Brady Boyd, in which the narrative follows the struggles of a senior pastor who found that his busyness essentially was contrived.

“It’s almost as if you’re afraid that if you take a rest, you’ll discover that your busyness is covering up a void in your life,” she said. “From an (emotional and) spiritual perspective, his busyness was about his ego and not about pleasing God. It becomes about managing an image and not what we really want to do.”

The key to decluttering the mind is balance, Wyatt said.

“Part of that is breath work and meditation to hone focus.

The other side of that equation is developing a strategy for renewal. What is the big picture and what are the little things we do each day to get there?

“It’s like you have a mission statement. What was your mission statement given to you by your family?

How do you want to change that? There are little things that I do daily that inform that decision.

“You have (a) plan that is manageable. There’s an emotional and intellectual piece to that. This is where you get into meditation and relaxation to calm down (emotions). You don’t disregard your emotions. Then that mission statement helps guide those decisions. You ask, Is this really going to get me where I need to be? If it doesn’t, that’s where I can weed that out.”

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Bargoers socialize, listen to the live music and dance at Friends Bar & Grill. Photo by Kurt Steiss, The Oklahoman

Shirley Getting older to me is … I’m surprised at how much happier I am.

Richard That’s a really good question. It kinda sucks getting old in the physical sense. My emotional sense?

My emotions are great. If my body was a great as my emotions … (Laughs.) Getting old is not so bad. I’ve embraced it. I have grandkids. I live a very fulfilling life, so it’s not so bad.

Rebecca When I was in my 20s and 30s, I thought I knew it all. But they don’t have anything on me now.

Sally Katrina Evans and Mike Miller dance at Friends Bar & Grill.

Photo by Kurt Steiss, The Oklahoman

What surprises baby boomers about getting older?

BY MELISSA HOWELL | VANTAGE EDITOR It’s 8 p.m. on a Saturday at Friends Bar & Grill in northwest Oklahoma City.

Amid the buzzing and bumping of the classic rock band setting up on stage is the crack of pool balls as a couple of 20-somethings start a new game of 8-ball.

In the back, a young woman is wearing a mock veil, presiding over a raucous bachelorette party.

Regulars, mostly in couples, are sidled up to the bar, chatting about politics, work and social ills over frosty mugs of beer and cocktails.

Behind the bar, owner Mike Scandy and two other bartenders run a well-oiled system — joining in several conversations around the bar while serving up libations with Swiss-clock precision.

It’s a diverse set of customers of all ages. Earlier in the evening, mostly baby boomers (but certainly not all) dominate the dance floor, which gives way to a younger crowd between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., Scandy said. It’s a place where boomers can hang out with others who have memories of ’68 Mustangs and Rowan and Martin and the Smothers Brothers. And they can hang out with their adult kids, too.

In a quest to find out what no one told boomers about getting older, I spoke to a few of the over-50 crowd at Friends. Here’s what they thought.

Jim It hurts. Everything hurts. Your back, your knees, your ankles, your pride.

I think I’m surprised at how much fun I have.

Rod Nobody ever told me that hard work was going to pay off in the end.

???

AND FORGET WHY YOU’RE THERE

BY MELISSA HOWELL | VANTAGE EDITOR

We’ve all done it — walked into the kitchen to do something and, poof, it’s gone. No memory of what you were going to do.

What’s really going on in the brain when that happens?

“Unfortunately, what happens is either the firing is just slower, or the chemicals move slower as the brain and body interact,” said Dr. Andrew Dentino, medical director of the OU Medical Center Senior Health Center Clinic and clinical director of Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative, Central Oklahoma Region Center for Healthy Aging. “Really, when one thinks about the person whose brain is 60, 70, 90, it is going to be slower.”

But slow firing might not be the only reason your brain slows down.

A host of conditions that affect an aging body can also affect memory.

“Then on top of that are other behavioral, metabolic and pure abnormal brain chemistry,” Dentino said. “The other (concern) is contagion, flu, viruses and bacterial infec-

tions. The brain is protected from the rest of the body by a blood barrier.

In an older person, that gets more porous.”

CLEARING THE FOG So how do boomers clear the fog?

Movement, Dentino said.

“The brain is by far the most aerobically active organ in the body.

Oxygen is utilized by the brain far more than any other organ,” he said.

“Physical activities really help the brain function.”

Do puzzles and websites designed to exercise the brain really help?

They can, Dentino said.

“Brain websites are helpful. They make us work parts of our brain that we normally don’t. But without physical exercise, the other is sub-optimal for brain health. They are complementary to each other.”

Another path to better memory?

Fasting.

Although the brain makes up only 2 percent of our total body weight,

it requires 20 percent of the calories we consume. When those calories are cut off, some researchers say it invigorates brain cells and protects against disease. A recent study by the National Institute on Aging has found that fasting also might lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.

“As is similar to what happens when muscles are exercised, the neurons in the brain benefit from being mildly stressed. To achieve the right kind of stress, people might benefit from severely minimizing their food intake,” lead researcher Mark Mattson told Johns Hopkins Magazine in 2012.

Although fasting can be a good thing, it’s not without its caveats.

“For older adults who would consider fasting, it must be under the supervision of a health care provider,” Dentino said. “Fasting can be good for certain persons, but it is definitely not recommended for people with certain conditions.”

WHEN TO WORRY For some, those minor memory lapses become pronounced. Sometimes people worry unnecessarily about themselves. Other times, they know something is wrong and try to hide the problem, Dentino said.

“It’s time to worry when functional activities are impaired. When you see them in a parking lot and they can’t find their car. It’s all about function,” he said.

When it comes to memory loss, gerontologists look at two categories of memory function, Dentino said.

One category involves the basic activities of living — Can they groom themselves? Can they lift themselves out of beds? Can they dress themselves?” he said.

“Then there are instrumental activities of living — using a phone, driving to the bank, shopping. Good (instrumental function) will keep you out of the nursing home. But if basics are intact, you can live in (assisted living) for many years,” Dentino said.

“I think that with th one one n new ew finding ... there’s e’’s a lot lot off enthusiasm that hat there there may be more pl plasticity lastticity there than we’ve vee tthought hought in the past. I’d d ssay ayy tthat hat that’s at least very ery likely. likely.”

— DR. STEPHEN PRESCOTT

“Really, “ Really when one thinks about about the person whose brain brain iis 60, 70, 90, it is going g oin ng to be slower.”

— DR. ANDREW DENTINO

HOPE ON THE HORIZON It’s probably the case with all of us that we’ll lose the ability to make connections in the brain, or lose plasticity, said Dr. Stephen Prescott, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation president.

“Your brain can find new ways to do things — process things. It can adapt. We see this in people who have had head injuries,” he said. “It’s generally thought that we lose that capacity the older we get. But maybe older brains can do better than we thought.”

Prescott pointed to new research findings that reverse traditional thinking on aging and neuroplasticity.

“I think that with one new finding ... there’s a lot of enthusiasm that there may be more plasticity there than we’ve thought in the past. I’d say that that’s at least very likely,” he said. “I think that there will be powerful treatment for (neurocognitive disorder) in

the next decade.”

But until there’s treatment, older brains will continue to slow down.

“Probably 3 to 5 percent (of the population) is going to have problems at 65,” Dentino said. “By the time someone gets into their 80s, where the tipping point is, there will be more people with (major cognitive disorder) than not.

“What we can do is (use) certain meds that can stymie progression. Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s is still a terminal disease.

Until we have a cure, it’s like 1940 and we don’t have penicillin yet,” he said.

Dentino echoed Prescott’s optimism about aging brains in the future, but until that happens, it’s OK for the older adult brain to be wired differently than the millennials, he said.

“There’s mindfulness in being older,” Dentino said.

YOU WILL HAVE LESS MONEY TO RETIRE ON THAN YOU THINK YOU DO

BY JEFF WUORIO | DESERET NEWS Many Americans are woefully unprepared financially to retire.

Recent Federal Reserve statistics show one-third of American households had no retirement savings, and among those that did, the typical nest egg totaled just $14,500 in savings.

For those who have done reasonably well in the savings department and are five or so years away from hanging up your working shoes, there are still a few issues to consider while you have time and flexibility to make any adjustments.

E VA L U AT E A N D C AT C H U P Whether you have set aside enough savings to retire turns on a number of factors — desired lifestyle, time of retirement and life expectancy, among others.

“The most important thing is for people to look at what they have to work with and what their expenses are,” said Tracy Ann Miller, of Red River Advisors LLC in Oklahoma City. “Very seldom do I see people who are saving too much. Mostly, people should look at … what they have, how much money is in the bank, do they have a home or other assets. All can be used to fund income when the paycheck goes away. Then you need to look at what you’d like to spend. Then look at bare bones of what you’ll need.”

While there are easy-to-use tools that give you an idea of where you stand — such as the MSN Money calculator — a financial pro can make a more precise forecast through a cash-flow analysis.

“A cash flow report will evaluate their assets, expenses and expected future income to determine if their assets and income will allow for a certain level of spending,” said Rebecca Pavese, a port-

folio manager with Palisades Hudson Financial Group. “The report will assume a certain amount of inflation for expenses and a projected rate of return for assets.”

If the analysis suggests you’re not where you should be, the IRS allows for “catch up” contributions to your savings plan that are higher than conventional levels. People 50 or older can deposit an extra $6,000 per year into a 401(k). IRAs allow an additional $1,000.

But use financial caution against upping the risk level of your investments to possibly boost returns. While you may be worried about the size of your total nest egg, an aggressive shift can mean greater volatility when you can least afford it.

“I think you need to look at welldiversified Vanguard funds,” Miller said. “Just be moderate. If you have more than $50,000, you should have someone help you. Have a plan that’s not a gamble.

Don’t take risks and be aggressive. Usually that turns into loss.

“You have to save and you have to be moderate in your expectations. But if you can, save and invest on a moderate level,” she said. “Have a moderate return and look at things that are more risk averse.

Don’t go for the big kill.”

NEXT STEPS After you have a sense of your available funds, turn your attention to other factors: H E A LT H C A R E

Get an idea of how much you can expect to spend on health care. A handy resource to gauge this is The Healthcare Bluebook.

Then review health coverage options.

“Find out if your company provides this. A

few companies still do,” said Dana Twight, of Twight Financial Education.

L O N G -T E R M C A R E I N S U R A N C E

Many financial pros recommend buying long-term care insurance — for nursing-home expenses and other forms of long-term care — in your 50s or 60s (the younger you buy in, the lower the premiums). Check for inflation coverage.

E S TAT E P L A N N I N G

Review life insurance policies, particularly group life coverage offered by many employers, and make sure the beneficiaries have been updated. “If you have children, are they aware of your estate plans or who your trusted advisers are?” Twight said. “If your children are not of age, you may wish to set up a trust or trustees to manage an inheritance.”

GET MAJOR O F T H E WAY

PURCHASES

OUT

If possible, pay off your mortgage before retiring. The same holds true with debt, such as credit card balances.

CONSIDER DOWNSIZING

A smaller home not only means less upkeep, “the proceeds from the sale of

the prior home will allow for the purchase (without a mortgage) of a new, smaller home and a deposit into an investment account,” Pavese said.

TA K E A T E S T D R I V E

“Start transitioning to your retirement lifestyle and spending thresholds now,” said Brett Anderson, a certified financial planner in Hudson, Wis. “Nothing like a financial test drive today to see if you can make it work.”

B E YO N D M O N E Y Retirement planning shouldn’t be limited to financial issues. For some, retirement may mean continued work either out of financial necessity or a desire to remain active in a professional setting.

Others may think about going into business for themselves.

“Staying relevant in one’s retirement years is important,” Anderson said. “It’s worth figuring and determining now how will you spend your time in your retirement years. It’s not all about money.”

Staff writer Melissa Howell contributed to this story.

Baby boomers are about to give $8 trillion to charity, but they won’t just write a check YOU’LL WANT TO GIVE BACK ALLISON POND, DESERET NEWS

David Campbell was on the cusp of retirement at age 63 after a successful career in the technology sector when a tidal wave altered his path.

Moved by the profound humanitarian need in Thailand in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, Campbell flew across the world to try using the Internet to organize volunteers in a natural disaster.

He created a project base at a hotel that became a hub for “spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers” and found that his management experience came in handy when it came to getting money and volunteers to the places they were needed most.

Campbell intended to stay in Thailand for 10 days but ended up staying

for a month. Eleven years later, that first project has evolved into All Hands Volunteers, a nonprofit that responds to natural disasters and works on rebuilding projects around the world.

Giving gap

Boomers are set to give $8 trillion to charity over the next two decades in the form of money and volunteer hours, according to a Merrill Lynch study published in October. Giving by retirees will account for half of all giving by 2025, said Merrill Lynch financial adviser Ralph Byer.

The Merrill Lynch study found that 80 percent of Americans age 65 and older say they give money or goods to charity.

And they’re increasingly web-savvy givers: 42 percent of boomers said they gave online in 2013, making them just as likely to donate online as to respond to direct mail, according to a report from Blackbaud, a nonprofit services firm.

Retirement as encore

Retired Navy captain and Vietnam veteran Ed Nicholson was being treated for prostate cancer in 2005 at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Arlington, Va., when he met young veterans struggling through rehab in the occupational therapy clinic. An avid fly fisherman, Nicholson became interested in how the motion of casting a reel could help with recovery from certain injuries and volunteered to take some of the patients fishing.

Today, Nicholson runs Project Healing Waters, a nonprofit organization that organizes veterans and fishing clubs around the country to provide physical and social support for recovering veterans.

Nicholson and Campbell were both awarded the Purpose Prize, a $100,000 award for people over 60 creating new approaches to social problems. The prize is awarded by Encore.org, a nonprofit

that works to engage people in later life to benefit society.

Passion point

Boomers are interested in engaging at higher levels than retirees of the past by applying skills from their careers to the causes they care about, said Una Osili, Director of Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

“They are not interested in just writing a check,” she said. “Organizations have to understand what the needs are of the donors and find opportunities to engage them as volunteers, advisers, and so forth.”

Osili mentioned tools like Charity Navigator, an online rating system for vetting charities, along with others including Guidestar, where she said potential donors can view tax information, and the Better Business Bureau.

Givewell.org provides information about charities working in international development.