Colorado Boomers
Non-Profits
12 of Jan, 2010Rose Community Foundation launched Boomers Leading Change, an initiative to find out how 55 - 65-year-olds in Metro Denver are thinking about their futures. In 2006. Funding was provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies as part of a national effort to understand the potential for future civic engagement of adults in their 50s and older.
The effort began with a community assessment that included:
- Literature review and demographic research
- 772 surveys
- 14 focus groups
- 60 key informant interview
- 9News/Survey USA poll of 250 55 to 65-year-olds
- Surveys of employers, nonprofits and educational institutions
Some experts foresee a potentially unsustainable escalation of costs associated with aging. Others are more optimistic. As a whole, the baby boomers arehealthier, better educated and more affluent thanprevious generations. They reject the terms such as seniors, aging and “golden years.” They see themselves as a generation that embodies a wealth of work and life skills that they can still put to use.
Our communities, our nation and our world can profit from what baby boomers have to offer. If we can imagine how people can live meaningfully and productively in their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond, everyone will benefit.
