The New Retirement (Part 1): Now What? A Resource Guide

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Boomer retirees are nothing like their predecessors. Not only are today’s retirees looking at possibly decades of life ahead, they still have much to contribute, as one LO noted in response to last month’s post about knowing when it’s best to relinquish the reins.

He wrote, “I would appreciate additional sources for my personal direction at this point in my life. At age 68 I am looking at retirement (with one eye only) but want to stay active and perhaps be of service to others. Can you recommend books, etc.?”

Following are some of the best “new retirement” books and websites we’ve found, curated for easy sharing with your reverse mortgage clients, prospects, friends, and among yourselves:

• The Big Shift: Navigating the New Stage Beyond Midlife. Author Marc Freedman is an “encore careers” expert who defines what this “Third Age” looks like. His website, Encore.org, contains a number of Resources for Encore Seekers who want to use their next act for greater good.
• SHIFTonlne.org is a second careers network focused on helping people in midlife and beyond fuse productivity and purpose to create meaningful later life work for social causes.
• Life Planning Network (LPN) is a community of professionals and organizations from diverse disciplines dedicated to helping people 50+ navigate the next phase of their lives. LPN has a network of nationwide chapters and consultants to help people identify and move toward their goals in the second half. They’ve also published a guidebook, Live Smart After 50!
• The Transition Network (TTN) is a national member organization for “women 50 and forward” who are in transition. A unique TTN service, The Caring Collaborative, provides members with hands-on support when circumstances require it, such as a broken leg or temporary illness. The program offers a variety of services chapters can adopt depending on their needs.
• The Center for Conscious Eldering, which we highlighted in detail in this post, can guide you or your reverse mortgage clients and prospects on their inner journey. For many, addressing deep questions about meaning and purpose becomes important later in life, especially if they haven’t explored these subjects earlier.
• Vital Aging Network is a non-profit whose mission is to promote self-determination, civic engagement, and personal growth for people as they age, through education, leadership development, and opportunities for connection.
• Sixty&Me is a site by, for and about woman 60+, focusing on life and career reinvention, retirement, travel, health, money, friendships and more. Upbeat and chockfull of useful information in a digital magazine format.
• Suddenly Solo, started by a sociologist in his eighties, is “A lifestyle road map for the mature widowed or divorced man.” They’ve published a book with the same title. The site focuses on solo living for older men who may be living alone for the first time, and includes advice on dating and relationships, health and fitness, finances, and more.
• Leading Age is a non-profit consortium of 6,000+ organizations representing the entire field of aging services, including 39 state partners and hundreds of businesses, consumer groups, and foundations. The site provides portals for aging services technologies, applied research, housing services and advocacy, and offers a plethora of opportunities to get involved.
• Retirement Café’s Fun Things to Do When You Retire. While Ernie Zelinki’s site is basically a promotional vehicle for his book, How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free, it’s also informative, and focused on loving your life as a retiree.

In addition to this list, many retirement websites are location-specific, so you may want to search for retirement support resources in your area. There are hundreds of sites to guide you, your clients, and friends on their evolving journey. If you find the above list useful, please let us know and we can develop a follow-up post.

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