By Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

The first baby boomers will turn 62 this year, and this generation of retirees is poised to redefine prevailing conceptions of aging, according to a recent report  from the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA).

“Active aging means staying involved in life, and the boomers are planning to do that,” ICAA CEO Colin Milner says in a statement. “This age group is ready to take action to stay healthy and actively engaged with their friends, families, and communities.”

Milner and his staff identified eight trends in aging that they say will become increasingly apparent as baby boomers begin to retire.

Ian Brown, executive director of Sedgebrook, says he sees many residents already exhibiting these trends, putting the Erickson retirement community in  Lincolnshire ahead of the active aging curve.

“They are engaged in college-level classes that include topics in philosophy, pop culture, religion, and politics,” Brown says. “They are mentoring the future generation of business, educational, religious, and civic leaders at nearby high schools and leadership academies.”