‘Transitions’ support group offers baby boomers some help
MID-CITY It used to be you’d graduate, land a decent job with benefits, get married, raise some little ones, and then — if you were lucky and healthy enough — enjoy a few years of retirement before the sweet by and by.
However, thanks to medical breakthroughs and healthier lifestyles, millions of seniors are living longer and finding themselves at a crossroads, wondering which path to choose as they embark on the next phase of their life.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, we are all trying to find ourselves,” said Kathy Kurschner, a 63-year-old memory specialist at UCLA. “When you get older, you think you have everything figured out, but you really don’t”
Kurschner was faced with retirement ear-lier than she had planned because the company she worked for wanted to relocate. Rather than drive 50 miles to and from work each day, Kurschner decided to get involved locally, going back to school while volunteering at the Center for Healthy Aging.
“I wanted to challenge myself to take classes in things that I wasn’t good at,” Kurschner said. “I made myself try new things. I realized that the older you are, the less you care about impressing other people and you are more free to take risks.
“I’ve been able to find a happy medium.” Now, Kurschner is looking to help others aged 50 to 65 do the same. As the co-facilitator of the new support group “Transitions” at the center, Kurschner and others are helping those on the cusp of retirement figure out their next step — not only with their free time, but also with their finances, health, relationships and more.
Formed in January, the group, which so far has seven dedicated members, meets each Thursday from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the center, located at Arizona Avenue and 21st Street. People looking to participate must first be interviewed by staff to see if the group is the best fit for them. There is a fee, but participants only pay what they can and no one is turned away, said Sheila Segal, peer counselor coordinator for the center.
There is certainly a need. It is estimated that around 70 million Baby Boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — are nearing retirement age. That figure represents 29 percent of the total U.S. population, and the number is expected to increase in the years ahead.
Looking to capitalize on this group, entrepreneurs have begun marketing to older Americans, creating Web sites and revamping publications to capture their attention. One such Web site — BoomerTowne.com — offers a free membership to those who sign up, allowing them to create a personal profile and participate in chat rooms with leading experts in various fields like finance or “empty nest syndrome.” There are also guides to staying fit, and coming soon, a section allowing people to list their homes for sale.
The Internet is a useful tool, but there is no substitute for physical interaction with others going through the same things as you, Segal said.
“The real value in the group, that I see, is that people want to make changes,but there are fears that often get in the way,” Segal said. “By sharing their experiences with others going through something similar, it really motivates everyone involved and gets them to take risks. People are very supportive of one another and are able to network with each other.”
While it is a support group, Transitions forces people to question one another, offer suggestions, and ultimately, motivate someone to make a change. Self-examination can be brutal, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone can be frightening, but that’s what the group is there for.
“Transitions is based on growth,” said Segal. “People do challenge each other.”
“It can be a little painful, but you have to be willing to listen,”Kurschner said.“Growth comes when you listen to other people.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 7, 2007. Read the original PDF.