These days when you say that your grandparents rock, you don’t mean in a rocking chair! Baby boomers, many of whom are now seniors, have dramatically changed the face of retirement. They are curious, healthy, engaged and more likely to be learning about social media or taking a dance class than retiring to a sedentary life.

In the eighteen year period following World War II, 8.2 million babies were born in Canada. Now firmly bracketed between the ages of 50 and 68, boomers continue to defy stereotypical notions of what is age-appropriate.

As the idea of retirement at 65 is itself becoming a relic, boomers tend to approach their senior years with the same iconoclasm that typified their youth. For them, ‘the golden years’ means a time for learning or improving skills, for exploring personal interests and for maintaining their physically fit lifestyles.<