Dallas, U.S.A. — Baby Boomers are not saving enough for retirement because they are spending too much on mortgage debt and carrying this and other debts into their near-retirement years, according to a new study from the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA).

“Unfortunately, a greater percentage of pre-retirees will be dragging mortgage debt into their retirement years,” said National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) Senior Fello Pam Villarreal. “This is a time when major debts should be pared down. Instead, many are taking out longer mortgages and home equity loans, spending more on interest payments and are, overall, buying too much house.”

In How Are Baby Boomers Spending Their Money?, Villarreal found that for 55 to 64 year olds in particular, mortgage interest comprises a larger share of their expenditures than for the same age group 20 years ago, despite the fact that interest rates have fallen over time.

Additionally, education expenditures have increased significantly for 45 to 64 year olds, some of this resulting from loans of their adult children.

“Baby boomers need to recognize their limitations when it comes to spending on their adult children,” said Villarreal. “Fifty-nine percent of these parents are providing financial support to adult children who are no longer in school. Nearly one-third have paid off student loans for their children.”

Villarreal said while individuals must adapt a mindset of saving, a key part of the solution is changing government tax policies that encourage consumption and punish saving.

To find more information in How Are Baby Boomers Spending Their Money, click in here http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/st341.pdf

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New York, U.S.A. – Smart TV manufacturers are hoping that the popularity of apps with smartphone and tablet users makes its way to the living room. Manufacturers and retailers are selling more and more televisions preloaded with Internet-connected functionality, frequently referred to as Smart TVs. This provides an environment where consumers can use apps to do anything from surfing the Internet using a fully functional web browser, to streaming their favorite movies, TV shows and music right on their TV sets.

Streaming video apps are the most popular apps for both Smart TV owners and consumers who don’t yet have a Smart TV. Three of the top five “must have” apps are Netflix (Owners 47%/Non-owners 34%), YouTube (Owners 44%/Non-owners 31%) and Amazon Instant Video (Owners 34%/Non-owners 23%). Social media giant Facebook (Owners 35%/Non-owners 29%) and online radio leader Pandora (Owners 28%/Non-owners 18%) round out the top five.

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,634 U.S. adults (ages 18 and over) surveyed online between May 7 and May 15, 2012 by Harris Interactive.

Younger adults (those 18-35) chose YouTube (Owners 57%) as their top “must have” app over the more traditional experience offered by Netflix (Owners 54%) and Amazon Instant Video (Owners 38%).

Almost three-quarters (73%) of non-Smart TV owners indicate that they are not that familiar (39%) or not at all familiar (33%) with Smart TV or Internet Connected TV, despite the fact that shipment data suggests that manufacturers are continuing to ship more and more Smart TVs.

This could be a major barrier to future purchase consideration, as only 7% of those who are not familiar with Smart TV are likely to purchase a Smart TV within the next 12 months. Conversely, non-Smart TV owners with a greater level of familiarity are four times (4x) more likely to purchase a Smart TV, with 29% suggesting that they are likely or very likely to purchase a Smart TV within the next 12 months.

So what?

“Younger adults desire a more social TV viewing experience,” says Manny Flores, Senior Vice President at Harris Interactive.  “With the proliferation of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, younger adults are not only more tech savvy, but are accustomed to being able to share their online experiences with their friends and family. So why not add TV viewing to the list of online experiences to share?”

“As the TV becomes a more overall entertainment device, it is only a matter of time before we see the mainstream use of additional content apps, such as Facebook, being used on the TV,” added Flores. “Yet, manufacturers and retailers evidently have to do a much better job of educating their consumers on what a Smart TV is and the benefits of a Smart TV experience. Increased familiarity appears to be the key to driving purchase consideration. Also, manufacturers need to hope that familiarity with smartphone and tablet apps translates into greater interest and adoption for apps that can be used on a bigger screen in the living room.”

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States between May 7 to 16, 2012 among 2,634 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words “margin of error” as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

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Michigan, U.S.A. — A new generation is redefining retirement by diving into high-energy activities and seeking new experiences – from motorcycle riding and hiking to kayaking and white-water river rafting.

One of the nation’s active adult community builder reports that high-energy clubs and activity groups are gaining popularity across the nation, with health and fitness emerging as a top interest among both Del Webb residents and prospective home buyers.

“Recreational interests among Baby Boomers are more diverse than ever before. Sure, golf and tennis are still popular, but now so are outdoor adventure activities like canoeing and kayaking, marathon running, rock climbing, off-roading and even sky diving,” said Judy Julison, Del Webb’s national director of lifestyle. “I’ve worked in the industry for more than 30 years and have never seen a more diverse group of people with so many varying interests.”

Julison added that expectations about age, vitality and quality of life continue to be redefined and emphasize the importance of physical activity for many Del Webb residents. Advancements in health care and improved access to wide variety of fitness and wellness oriented programs have contributed to promoting improved health and extending life expectancy. Boomers feel years younger than their chronological age and this typically is reflective of their active lifestyle, she said.

According to the most recent Del Webb Baby Boomer survey, 80 percent of Boomers indicated that they feel younger than their current age. More specifically, younger Boomers, age 50, said they feel 10 years younger, Boomers in their early 60s said they feel 13 years younger and Del Webb residents with a median age of 65 said they feel 15 years younger than their actual age.

“Baby Boomers enjoy ‘experiences,’ rather than just ‘activities.’ They are also known to go to great lengths to resist the realities of aging,” Julison said. “Our Del Webb residents are constantly seeking new, active and high-energy activities that can be incorporated into their everyday life, that also allow them to socialize and have fun. They are often motivated by a simple desire to try something new or to engage in an experience that challenges them physically and mentally.”

With 73 percent reporting they exercise regularly, Del Webb residents are embracing more health-oriented and fitness activities. This is also reflected in the residents’ requests for new group fitness classes, organized sporting events and increased attendance at the communities’ fitness centers.

Seeking more adventure activities is definitely in line with Jack Burch’s idea of retirement, as he regularly participates in motorcycle rides. Jack, 58, a Carolina Preserve by Del Webb resident, started riding a scooter when he was 10 because it was “easier than walking up the hill to fetch the cows.” From there he rode dirt bikes and street bikes. “I gave up riding while raising five children but my wife and I have returned to it now that they are grown.”

His wife Carol Burch, 55, also enjoys all kinds of rides in North Carolina and beyond – from three hour rides to trips that are 300 miles a day for a week.

“Riding on the back seat just wasn’t for me, so I took the class and got my own. Now when we go on trips whether they are three hours or 300 miles daily for a week, I am in control. I can smell those beautiful flowers on the side of the road and yes, also the cow dung,” Carol says. “I look forward to each and every ride exploring new areas and absolutely love the mountain twisties. This is something we can do into our 80s.”

Image Courtesy of  StreetStrider International

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Scottsdale, U.S.A. — As the economy begins to improve, employers across the board are finding it more difficult to retain key talent — employees who are the strongest performers, have high potential or are in critical jobs. The “Retention of Key Talent and the Role of Rewards” study by WorldatWork, Hay Group and Dow Scott, Ph.D., professor of human resources at Loyola University Chicago, found that a majority of respondents (83 percent) view turnover of key talent as very costly to their organization and two out of three agree retention of key talent is a major concern of senior management.

Survey participants reported that the number one reason key talent quits is to earn better pay elsewhere. Other reasons include a lack of promotional opportunities, the perception that pay is unfair and dissatisfaction with job and work responsibilities.

“Talent wars are going to become intense, not just this year but for the foreseeable future, because jobs are becoming more complex and demanding, Baby Boomers are retiring and Generation X has far fewer people who can fill this gap, and other countries are retaining their most talented people with great job opportunities of their own,” Dr. Scott said.

Tom McMullen, North America reward practice leader for Hay Group, added, “Top talent can more easily compare the ‘deal’ or pay package they get from their employer with other organizations via social networking sites like Salary.com, Vault.com and Glassdoor.com. If a company is to thrive in the next decade, they must learn how to recruit, develop and retain key talent in a much more competitive and transparent competitive environment.”

The most effective methods for retaining key talent are identifying key employees and discussing with them their future opportunities with the organization, paying key employees above the labor market, and allowing flexible hours or telecommuting.

“Rewards professionals are under increased pressure to make counteroffers, increase new-hire offers, and offer special deals to retain key employees,” said Kerry Chou, a certified compensation professional and practice leader at WorldatWork. “The most successful organizations moving forward will be those that develop a clear definition of what is considered key talent, identify them and make a concerted effort to ensure that those employees are engaged with their organization and satisfied with the full range of organization rewards.”

WorldatWork, Hay Group and Dow Scott, Ph.D., professor of human resources at Loyola University Chicago, collaborated on this study. Survey data were gathered from 526 participants (11 percent response rate) between Dec. 15, 2011, and Jan. 15, 2012. Respondents represented different types of organizations including: private sector-publicly traded (47 percent), private sector-privately held (26 percent) and public sector and not-for-profit (26 percent).

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In recognition of National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, Executive Service Corps (ESC) released volunteer figures for its professional network of consultants – 22,000 hours in 2011, with an estimated overall impact on services affecting more than 3,700,000 Chicago area men, women children, and families.

The 300 experienced professionals, CEOS and other executives who contribute their time and put their career experience to work for Chicago area nonprofits and public agencies represent a growing trend among Baby Boomers toward social commitment and volunteerism.

Pam Wilcox, President and CEO of the Chicago-based ESC, says they come to the Executive Corps of Chicago to serve in a professional consulting role because they know they can make “a significant and lasting difference, helping nonprofits and public agencies to keep their doors open, find new ways to collaborate and consolidate programs and operation, locate alternative sources of revenue and provide critical services to people and communities in need.

ESC believes a diverse and vibrant nonprofit environment provides vital services to people in need, creates strong communities and fuels economic health and growth.”

When RJ retired in 2006, he had served as chief strategy officer and chairman of multiple business units for one of the nation’s largest Fortune 500 companies. After nine months of retirement, he became restless for something more. A friend told him about ESC, a volunteer corps of nearly 300 men and women who use their skills and knowledge from long and successful careers, to help other non-profits thrive.

“I was ready to start re-engaging my brain and ‘giving back’ to the community seemed like a good way to do just that,” says RJ. Since 2007, he has worked with 12 different nonprofits, assisting in strategic planning, board development, and marketing. “It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience, doing all we can to help make a difference in people’s lives.”

A nonprofit in crisis was referred to ESC as they faced closing their doors after 38 years of providing bilingual early childhood programs to the underserved. An ESC consulting team with more than 80 cumulative years of leadership and management experience in the Chicago corporate sector was engaged. Using the team’s experience in financial management, human resources, strategic and business planning, this vital agency is now on the right track to continue their service to the community.

“ESC is such a deep resource; we never would have survived this transition without them. We had been working on this for two years and ESC was able to help us through it in two months,” wrote the nonprofit’s Board chair.

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Despite the economic recession, it is not all that difficult to get a loan when times are tough. The hard part is being able to pay back those loans, in full, and in a certain time frame. And among those struggling the most are recent college graduates who can’t find jobs. In fact, so many things have to go right for things to be uncomplicated for a college graduate since the recession. Without a paycheck, the student loans quickly become a huge burden.

With the Baby Boomer generation retiring at an older age, it is increasingly difficult for college graduates to find jobs. In fact, according to a report from MSNBC, in 2009 “employers would hire 22% fewer college graduates than in 2008.” Additionally many baby boomers are stalling retirement because the financial recession wiped out many of their 401K retirement plans. Along with the financial crisis comes federal budget cuts, which is reducing the number of jobs available, especially toward those fresh out of college.

Another financial burden for college students is the cost of health insurance. Bowling Green State University School Health Director Dr. Glen Egelman stated that “some universities are requiring that students have health insurance before they are admitted to college, and if they don’t, they must buy into the school’s student health care plan or obtain their own insurance.”

Julio Manceras, a former student at the University of Texas, knows all too well what student loans, federal budget cuts and lack of health insurance can do to a college student. At the age of 19, Julio was hospitalized and diagnosed with a severe health condition known as “Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia, a condition that occurs when one’s heart has irregular electrical pathways.”

After Julio’s tenth stay in the hospital, his medical costs exceeded $500,000.00 because his family did not have health insurance. The hospital wanted to apply the financial aid from UT towards his medical costs, but because his student loans were funded through federal grants, it made it impossible. Like most college students who are legally considered adults, Julio was ineligible for Medicaid.

At www.gobankingrates.com, four steps of advice are given to college-bound students and recent college graduates. When applying for college, always look at schools with lower tuition rates, scholarship opportunities and apply for FASFA as soon as possible. Once in college, think about internships to get some experience in your career field. Set budgets for yourself by thinking down the road rather than spending impulsively.

Additionally, have a back-up plan, if you can’t find a job immediately after graduation, whether it’s to move back home, make a savings account, or get an internship. Lastly, once you find a job, focus on those student loans and your basic expenses, and for the rest of it, save as much as you can.

Julio Manceras is now approaching graduation as a pre-med student at Texas Christian University, and through his xperiences, has decided to become a doctor. Manceras said, “through my hardships of problems and observing my environment, I wanted in return to give the care many people cannot afford.”

Let’s see if others will be given the financial care and opportunity they deserve. Not just in the medical field, but in every field that every college graduate pursues as a career.

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Baby boomers will control 52% of the total dollars spent on groceries, making them the largest food influencers and making iconic brands like Orville Redenbacher and Reddi-wip even more important, according to Phil Lempert, founder of Food Nutrition & Science and CEO of The Lempert Report and SupermarketGuru.com. Lempert’s Top 10 Food Trends for 2012 is featured in an article in the December issue of Food Nutrition & Science.

For more than 30 years, Lempert has predicted the top 10 food trends for the upcoming year. In 2012, Lempert says to expect farmers to become the next big food-celebrities and for mobile phones to become the new way to check out at a market.

“2012 is going to be an interesting year,” says Lempert. “Food prices will continue to increase, but more people – including dads – will cook at home. While technology in the store will move us forward, resurrected nostalgic brands will remind us of the past.”

Also in this month’s Food Nutrition & Science, an article on fat with results from a study that explain how good fats are actually essential to a person’s diet, and an update with Frito Lay’s Senior Director of Sustainability, Al Halvorsen, who discusses the company’s sustainability efforts – including completing a ‘Near Net Zero’ plant in Arizona and moving on to creating the most fuel-efficient transportation fleet in the country.

December’s Food Nutrition & Science includes information about a recent report that concludes a majority of people are concerned about the amount of food being discarded daily. According to Unilever’s World Menu Report Global Research Findings 2011, 84% of respondents are worried about the amount of food being thrown away at home and in restaurants.

Unilever talked to 3,500 people – from eight countries representing both the developed and developing world – who eat out at least once a week. Their first key concern is that there is too much professional food-waste. The second key concern is making sure that food-waste disposal is environmentally-friendly.

Other research results include a study from the University of Minnesota that examines if nutrition-facts labels are optimally designed to help consumers make healthier food-choices.

“The study shows that consumers have a limited attention span when it comes to reading nutrition-facts labels,” says Lempert. “Since they stick to the top few lines, they may miss important nutrition information that could be stored lower on the list that is important to their health and wellness. This is an opportunity for grocers to connect with their clients by educating them on labels and improving merchandising.”

Food Nutrition & Science also includes a video tour with St. Paul, Minnesota sheep Farmer Malissa Schentzel, and an article about ‘School Dudes,’ an innovative cafeteria ambassador-program in Forest City, Pennsylvania,  where students create and promote menu items.

littleny / Shutterstock.com

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Experts at Montefiore Medical Center urge the general public to be tested for the Hepatitis C virus, especially baby boomers, adults born between 1946-1964, who could be most at risk for this disease. Baby boomers are more likely to have been exposed to dangerous risk factors decades ago, such as sharing a drug needle, being tattooed or pierced with unsterilized tools or receiving a tainted blood transfusion.

The disease often has no symptoms, and if untreated, can lead to chronic infection that can scar the liver, cause liver failure or cancer and potentially lead to liver transplantation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood borne infection in the United States, with 35,000 to 185,000 new cases diagnosed per year. Worldwide, 180 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis C, with an estimated 3-4 million new cases reported each year. The disease particularly affects minorities, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and African-Americans.

“This disease has grown to epidemic proportions, with 350,000 people around the world dying from Hepatitis C-related liver disease,” said Milan Kinkhabwala, MD, Chief, Division of Transplantation at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Transplantation. “But it is called the ‘silent killer’ because many people don’t even know they have it.

This condition can be asymptomatic for decades and then present itself when it has already severely damaged the liver.” Individuals at risk can get a simple blood test to detect the virus before chronic infection leads to permanent liver damage. The Montefiore Medical Center Comprehensive Liver Disease Program offers simple and effective screenings.

It is recommended that individuals talk to their primary care physician or contact 888-RX-LIVER (888-795-4837) for more information or to set up an appointment for a screening. ”This is a revolutionary time in the treatment of the disease and there is more hope than ever before,” said Dr. Kinkhabwala. “The blood test is essential to detecting Hepatitis C, because now there are ways to treat the condition, and even reverse damage to the liver.”

Two new anti-viral oral medications, boceprevir and teleprevir, received FDA approval in May 2011. Both drugs work by blocking an enzyme that helps the virus reproduce. The drugs are intended to improve on standard treatments using the injected drug pegylated interferon alpha and the pill rivavrin.

“So far, the new drugs have shown promise in clearing the virus from the body and almost doubling the cure rate of the disease,” said Allan Wolkoff, MD, Professor of Medicine and of Anatomy and Structural Biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases at Montefiore and Einstein.

“Another key benefit is that they cut treatment time in half, thus reducing the time the patient has to endure the severe side effects, which include anemia, depression and flu-like symptoms like fatigue, fever and headache.”

When symptoms do occur after the disease has progressed, they’re generally mild and flu-like and may include fatigue, fever, nausea or poor appetite, muscle and joint pain, bruising, abdominal pain, jaundice and itching. At that point, chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver (fibrosis) and then advanced scarring (cirrhosis).

Scarring of the liver makes it difficult for the liver to function properly and can be devastating to the rest of the body, often causing liver failure or liver cancer. If the liver disease progresses too far and the medications are not effective, then transplantation is the last resort. However, more than 16,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for a liver donor, and in New York State, there are 1,700 patients on the waiting list.

Factors that have been reported to accelerate the rate of HCV disease progression include age, gender (males have more rapid disease progression than females), alcohol consumption, HIV coinfection (approximately 35% of patients) and fatty liver (the presence of fat in liver cells caused by obesity).

Unlike Hepatitis B, there is no vaccine to prevent this disease. While the symptoms are similar, distinct differences exist between the two viruses. Hepatitis B is primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse and is less severe. Dr. Kinkhabwala will be available for a live twitter chat to answer questions about Hepatitis C and liver disease on December 8, 2011 at noon. Follow @MontefioreNews to discuss #MonteHepC.

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