Seniors today are increasingly diminishing the image of Grandma and Grandpa rocking the days away in their chairs- so walking into a meeting with that preconceived notion could very easily lose a sale. Seniors are the healthiest they’ve ever been and life expectancies are growing longer. So is the new generation of active retirees sitting around knitting socks and watching Lawrence Welk reruns? Nope. They are out being active, living life, and enjoying the retirement they have worked so hard for.   Here are some of the things that seniors are up to nowadays:

Socializing- Retirees have friends, and they like to spend time with them. They may be golfing, going to movies, or enjoying dinners together among many other things. Increased health and wellness promotes greater mental activity and the desire to connect with others; paired with the extra time in their schedule, hanging out with friends is a great way to remain healthy.

Traveling- Many people have the lifelong goal of seeing the country- or the world- once they have enough time and money to do it. Active seniors that have planned for their retirement often jump at the chance to get to experience places and things in life they didn’t have the time to while they were working a full time job. They’re out and about enjoying what the world has to offer.

Volunteering- Seniors understand the importance of keeping the communities they live in positive and healthy. Many seniors choose to dedicate some of their extra time to serving their communities in multiple types of ways. Helping others gives them a continued sense of inspiration and gratitude.

Learning- Active minds need to be challenged at all ages- that’s why many retirees choose to enroll in college classes at a local community college or university. Continuing to learn throughout their senior years helps them remain current, relevant, and promotes heightened brain stimulation.

Understanding the differences between older generations of seniors and the seniors of today is important in how you relate to them and the products you may choose to present to them. Active seniors don’t want to be patronized- they want to be taken seriously and shown that you understand they aren’t sitting on the sidelines oblivious of the world around them. They want to be offered products that will suit their health and financial needs of today, which may be different from what you would offer seniors before. Some of them may not even realize they are “getting old”- and you don’t want to be the one to break the news. When approaching the modern senior, remember to throw your stereotypes out the window and be prepared to present your portfolio to someone who is just as with the times- or maybe even more so- than you are.