In The Aging Workforce, Hedge, Borman and Lammelei maintain that "changing demographics" in U.S. society and the workplace demand organizations become knowledgeable about issues related to the "older worker," in order to develop "effective [human resources] practices for an aging workforce" (3). In January 2006, the first 77 million Baby Boomers turned 60 amidst radically changing notions of retirement (Freedman and Moen B1). In When Generations Collide, Lancaster and Stillman maintain generational cultural diversity characterizes the contemporary workplace, divided in four unique generations: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and the Millenial Generation. This analysis will discuss how Baby Boomers are changing traditional stereotypes and societal attitudes toward what an older worker is in America and how what has been typically thought of as retirement age is changing and why.
Longer life expectancy due to the advance of medical technologies and the aging of hundreds of millions of individuals known as Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are changing the way this generation approaches retirement as well as being responsible for changing stereotypes of older workers in America. The case of Stanford professor Steve Weiner, 55, is typical of Baby Boomers. He thought about retiring after 30 years in his profession, but realized according to life expectancy tables he would probably live another 25-30 years in good health. Many Baby Boomers like Wiener are extending their work careers for emotional as well as financial reasons. As Freedman and Moen explain, "Health and longevity have been stretched, creating the possibility of a new decades-long stage of life between the career- and family-building phase and the onset of true old age: the third age" (B1). Pre-boomers and boomers are beginning to realize new careers during these "bonus decades" in ways that are changing the workforce and ster...