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Are Baby Boomers And Young Adults Equally Lazy?

There are those who see the third age of life as a new adventure in learning, contributing, engaging and growing.
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Director of Community Relations at Silvernest, entrepreneur, busy Mom and Lover of Life

Director of Community Relations at Silvernest, entrepreneur, busy Mom and Lover of Life
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Imagine the scenario: an 18- to-21-year-old young adult in your life wants to have a talk. Maybe it is a child, grandchild or nephew. Here's a bit of the conversation:

"Yeah, so I'm not sure I want to go to college or pursue a career job. I want to focus on ME for a while. You know; just kick back, relax, master that video game and binge on some Netflix. I am not that worried about my health -- I get out to the gym once in a while, and my diet is fine -- after all pizza and beer never killed anyone before! Volunteer you say? Yeah, I am going to get around to that I promise. For now, I just want to chill."

What would you say to that young adult sitting in front of you? Take a moment and formulate your answer. Perhaps it would be something like this:

"That is a terrible idea, you would be wasting your talents -- you can't afford to just sit around -- you are going to have to support yourself. If you let your health go now it is a lot harder to get on a routine, and volunteering and giving back is an important part of being a part of society, and finally; I would be really upset and disappointed if all that time and money is left to go to waste."

Is this sounding familiar?

Now, imagine a newly retired 65- to 70-year-old who goes to the doctor for a checkup. Perhaps the scenario goes something like this:

"Yeah, so I'm not sure I want to do now that I am retired. I want to focus on ME for a while. You know, just kick back, relax, and binge on some Netflix. I am not that worried about my health, I get out to the gym once in a while and my diet is fine -- after all the studies say that coffee and wine is good for you right? Volunteer you say? Yeah, I am going to get around to that I promise. For now, I just want to take some time off."

The ingenious Jim Firman, CEO of NCOA (National Council On Aging) outlined this scenario recently at the Certified Senior Advisor's conference. The joke was on us all. It was so easy to lecture the young adult for taking an aisle seat in the road of life. Yet the reality is, many baby boomers are making the exact same choice; checking out with potentially decades of healthy life ahead of them.

Are You a Seenager or an Aging Master?

In one generation, our lifespan has stretched almost 30 years, and the idea of retiring at age 65 is not only becoming outdated, but fiscally and physically dangerous. Countless studies have shown that our health takes a rapid decline when we are alone and inactive. The areas in the world with the greatest longevity (the Blue Zones) are those where adults are nudged into activity all day long, and maintain a sense of purpose throughout life.

It seems there are a couple ways to approach the "third age." On the more indulgent side is a fun term; "Seenager," which describes the retired years as one of a second adolescence:

"Being a Seenager is defined as having everything that you wanted as a teenager, only 50 years later. You don't have to go to school or work. You get an allowance. You have your own pad. You can sleep as late as you want and you don't have a curfew. You have a driver's license and your own car. You have ID that gets you into bars and the liquor store. You not afraid of getting pregnant. You don't have acne. You can get legal drugs. You can wear what you want, swear without getting a bad reputation and don't have to care about what you should be when you grow up."

On the other hand, there are those who see the third age of life as a new adventure in learning, contributing, engaging and growing. The NCOA created an "Aging Mastery Program" to develop new expectations, norms, and pathways for people aged 50 to 100, to make the most of their gift of longevity.

According to the NCOA, "the nation's 76 million baby boomers have been given an unprecedented gift of health and time; but to a great extent, older adults do not make the most of this phase of life."

Firman mentioned a new Judaic version of the Aging Mastery program coming out the Fall. "After all, Abraham was in his 80's when he fathered his sons and was called upon by God to become the father of the Hebrew nation, and Moses was 76 when he was told to lead his people to a new land."

So, which are you? A "seenager" or a pioneer in Aging Mastery? Let's start a dialogue in the comments below.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

11 Easy Ways To Shorten Your Life
1. Make Bad Dietary Choices(01 of11)
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Over the years, there's been a lot of debate related to diet and longevity. But most experts agree that a diet low in sugar and refined carbohydrates is best. And some studies show that eating a traditional Mediterranean diet can add years to your life. (credit:Shutterstock)
2. Never Check Your Cholesterol(02 of11)
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Just like high blood pressure, high cholesterol can also increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore it's a good idea to have your cholesterol checked to see whether you need to undergo certain lifestyle changes or even possibly take some kind of cholesterol-lowering medication. For more information about cholesterol and saturated fats, go here.Eating certain foods, such as beans, which are rich in fiber and antioxidants, can help lower cholesterol. (credit:Getty Images)
3. Mix Alcohol And Prescription Or Illicit Drugs(03 of11)
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Even drinking wine with dinner and then taking prescription sleep aides can be a lethal combination. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found 5.8 percent of people age 50 to 59 used illicit drugs in 2010, up from 2.7 percent in 2002. (credit:Alamy)
4. Never Check For Diabetes(04 of11)
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The number of Americans with Type 2 diabetes is expected to rise from 30 million today to 46 million by 2030, when one of every four boomers -- 14 million -- will be living with this chronic disease, according to the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Untreated diabetes can lead to blindness, amputations and clogged arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes. The test to determine whether you are diabetic is a simple blood test; you should remind your doctor to include it in your annual physical. (credit:Alamy)
5. Pack On The Pounds(05 of11)
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More than one out of every three boomers -- more than 21 million -- will be considered obese by 2030. Already, we are the demographic with the highest and fastest-growing rate of obesity. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we burn fewer calories -- if we don't alter our eating and exercise patterns, weight gain is inevitable. Obesity can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a host of other life-threatening ailments. Losing just 10 percent of your body weight has health benefits, so consider that as a goal. (credit:Alamy)
6. Ignore The Signs Of A Heart Attack(06 of11)
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No chest pain doesn't mean no heart attack. Women having heart attacks frequently report experiencing a feeling of indigestion and extreme fatigue, while some men say they feel a fullness or a squeezing pain in the center of the chest, which may spread to the neck, shoulder or jaw. When a diabetic has a heart attack, the pain is often displaced to other areas such as the lower back. (credit:Alamy)
7. Get Little Sleep(07 of11)
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Try as you might, you just can't stay asleep, right? You pass out before "60 Minutes" is over, but then wake up around midnight and count sheep until the alarm goes off. If that sounds like you, you aren't alone. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that boomers report not getting enough sleep between one and 13 nights each month.Is it life-threatening? In itself, no. But as soon as you slip behind the wheel bleary-eyed, you are putting yourself and others at risk. Your reflexes are slower, you pay less attention and you could become one of the more than 100,000 Americans who fall asleep at the wheel and crash each year. And the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that's a conservative estimate, by the way. Driver fatigue results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. (credit:Alamy)
8. Avoid Exercise(08 of11)
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AARP says the minimum you need to stay healthy are muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week, plus 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity like walking or 75 minutes a week of a more intense activity like jogging. Exercise is also good for your memory: Just one year of walking three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that's key to memory. (credit:Alamy)
9. Carry The World's Burdens On Your Shoulders(09 of11)
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We're talking about stress with a capital S. Boomers are the sandwich generation, caught in the middle of caring for our parents and our children. We were deeply affected by the recession and boomers have the highest rates of depression by age demographic. Unless we unload, we are going to implode. (credit:Alamy)
10. Carry A Beer Belly And A Caboose(10 of11)
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It isn't just our extra weight; it's where we carry it. An excess of visceral fat causes our abdomens to protrude excessively. We call it a "pot belly" or "beer belly" or if the visceral fat is on our hips and buttocks, we say we are "apple shaped." Cute names aside, scientists now say that body fat, instead of body weight, is the key to evaluating obesity. And guess what? It's all bad. (credit:Alamy)
11. Continue To Smoke(11 of11)
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Gallup found that baby boomers between the ages of 44 and 54 reported higher levels of smoking than those immediately younger or those who are older. Hard to imagine that they haven't gotten the word yet about the risks cigarettes carry. (credit:Alamy)

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