What Retirees Want: A Holistic View of Life’s Third Age

Product Description

“Dychtwald and Morison offer a brilliant and convincing perspective: an essential re-think of what ‘aging’ and ‘retirement’ mean today and an invitation to help mobilize the best in the tidal wave of Boomer Third Agers.”―Daniel Goleman, PhD, Author, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
Throughout 99 percent of human history, life expectancy at birth was less than 18 years. Few people had a chance to age. Today, thanks to extraordinary medical, demographic, and economic shifts, most of us expect to live long lives. Consequently, the world is witnessing a powerful new version of retirement, driven by the power and needs of the Baby Boomer generation. Consumers over age 50 account for more than half of all spending and control more than 70% of our total net worth – yet are largely ignored by youth-focused marketers. How will work, family, and retirement be transformed to accommodate two billion people over the age of 60 worldwide? In the coming years, we’ll see explosive business growth fueled by this unprecedented longevity revolution.
What Retirees Want presents the culmination of 30 years of research by world-famous “Age Wave” expert Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D., and author and consultant Robert Morison. It explains how the aging of the Baby Boomers will forever change our lives, businesses, government programs, and the consumer marketplace. This exciting new stage of life, the “Third Age,” poses daunting questions:

What will “old” look like in the years ahead? With continued advances in longevity, all of the traditional life-stage markers and boundaries will need to be adjusted.
What new products and services will boom as a result of this coming longevity revolution?
What unconscious ageist marketing practices are hurting people – and business growth?
Will the majority of elder boomers outlive their pensions and retirement savings and how can this financial disaster be prevented?
What incredible new technologies of medicine, life extension, and human enhancement await us in the near future?
What purposeful new roles can we create for elder boomers so that the aging nations of the Americas, Europe, and Asia capitalize on the upsides of aging?
Which pioneering organizations and companies worldwide have created marketing strategies and programs that resonate with the quirky and demanding Boomer generation?

In this entertaining, thought-provoking, and wide-ranging book, Dychtwald and Morison explain how individuals, businesses, non-profits, and governments can best prepare for a new era – where the needs and demands of the “Third Age” will set the lifestyle, health, social, marketplace, and political priorities of generations to come.

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PRAISE FOR WHAT RETIREES WANT
“Dychtwald and Morison have changed the way I view the future. Their analysis of rising longevity and aging demographics is critical for any business, not-for-profit, or government leader who wants to understand the massive changes and new opportunities that will affect every aspect of our lives.” —Peter H. Diamandis, MD, Founder, XPRIZE, and Author, Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think
“The authors challenge the age-related myths and prejudices that are pervasive in modern marketing. It’s time to reframe how we think about, portray, and treat the growing cohort of retirees, and this thoughtful and important book shows us both why and how.” —Stephanie Fischer, President and CEO, Global Retail Marketing Association
“Dychtwald and Morison offer a brilliant and convincing perspective: an essential re-think of what ‘aging’ and ‘retirement’ mean today and an invitation to help mobilize the best in the tidal wave of Boomer Third Agers.” —Daniel Goleman, PhD, Author, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
“What Retirees Want provides fascinating insights into what a world with a billion people over age 60 will look like—its impact on society, business, politics, health care, and the mar