Baby boomers are not just hedonists

This is the title of an entertaining article by Brian Groom in the FT this week. He takes a bit of a swipe at David Willetts new book the subject of which is clear from its title: The Pinch: How the Baby Boomers Stole Their Children’s Future and How They Can Give It Back.  Apparently we have been having a 50 year party leaving the mess for our kids to pick up. I think we may just have contributed to some extraordinary social developments whilst 'partying' and of course we are now subsidising those children and their children in the many ways that we have posted about on this site over the past year or so. So I agree totally with Brian that we are not just hedonists. I hope, however, that David's book does not herald a change of attitude towards default retirement age. I interviewed him a year ago and he was clearly against it at that point but more recently Theresa May appears to be fence sitting. Maybe another Conservative policy that might benefit from clarity?

The baby boomers come of old age

Do look at an excellent summary article in the FT which highlights the significant historical fact that the baby boomers are now all hitting traditional retirement age and yet more and more of us are not behaving in traditional ways.

Baby gloomers!

A recent study by the Aviva Company in the UK says that over 60% of the population over 50 is worried about having enough pension and savings to get them through retirement. Thus the newly coined term ‘baby gloomers’.

The Department of Health is to be publishing a Green Paper this month outlining a new government policy on social long term care. David Behan, UK Director General for Social Care, will be presenting on Wednesday morning, 23 July, during IAHSA’s 8th International Conference in London. That will be an opportunity to learn more about the Green Paper.