Q. Explain the difference between "Older Adults" and "Mature Adults." Older adults are defined by the Government as persons 65 years of age and older. The population of older Americans is itself getting older. Maybe this now means 75 is the new "old" milestone because the "oldest old" group, those 85 years+, is increasing faster than any other age group. According to Webster, maturity is "a condition of full development." There are good arguments that suggest people do not reach their full maturity until their '50's (if you accept the premise that 50 is now the new 40)! From my perspective – anyone who is still working after age 50 is, simply stated, mature! Old is later than it used to be.

Q. Do people become more rigid and difficult to work with as they mature? According to the American Psychological Association, personality remains relatively consistent throughout our lives. If a person is difficult and rigid young, count on the fact that they will always be difficult and rigid. And…vice-versa!

Q. Our organization's products require constant learning to keep up with marketplace demand. Are you confident that mature workers can keep pace with the rest of us? In the words of Eric Hoffer, "In times of drastic change, the learners inherit the future. The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists." When recruiting, internally or externally, look for people of all ages who have demonstrated their commitment to continuous learning. As in the previous question, if a person has not bothered to make learning a part of their commitment to the future in the past - they are unlikely to do so in the future. Numerous studies support that the ability to learn is lifelong and that changes in this ability vary by individual at every age. FYI, the University of California conducted a study measuring the grades of 3500 students, half over the age of 45. The ONLY difference in the academic results was that the older students finished what they started at a much higher rate than the younger students.

Q. You recently reported that the average American savings was $35,000 aside from one's house and 401(k). What was your source and did the source report on the average 401(k)? Fidelity Investments reported this data. They also reported that retirees' 401(k) accounts average about $80,000. More recently, the Employee Benefit Research Institute's annual retirement confidence survey found that "more than half of all workers say they've saved less than $25,000 toward retirement. Even among workers 55 and older, more than four in 10 have retirement savings under $25,000. While more than half of workers have less than $25,000 set aside, 12 percent have $25,000 to $49,999; 12 percent have $50,000 to $99,999; 11 percent have $100,000 to $249,999; and 12 percent have $250,000 or more."

Q. You often say that America has to begin to solve emerging demographic challenges that will affect every aspect of our society within 10 years. What are these challenges and why should we care NOW? First of all, the largest cohort group is "fast going gray" as I've reported time and again. Social Security, Medicare and Medical will be broken beyond repair if issues are not addressed. Pension plans, in both public and private sectors, will continue to erode or will be bankrupt no matter what entitlements the government seeks to guarantee. Older people will spend down their savings simply because they are living longer. Younger folks will, of necessity, have to work longer. Get ready for the impact of diversity as minorities will make up 1/3rd of the population by 2016. Hispanics will represent one in 4 Americans and many of these folks will be first generation immigrants whose investments in their children's education will not be felt as economic payoffs for a number of years beyond 2016. The population will shift until almost half of the U.S. population will come from 3 states (California, Texas and Florida). Think about why this population distribution is true and what this may mean! Gender shifts will be influential over the next 10 years as the number of women, who now make up almost 60% of the undergraduate college population, will grow to 3 million more women than men attending college by 2016. In business, M&A activity, global competition, and outsourcing will continue to grow. Free agency will become the norm. Healthcare costs will continue on the upswing and, in part, account for more people working through temporary agencies (like Spherion) in order to avail themselves of healthcare coverage. And…that's just for starters. For a "deeper dive" into your community and its challenges, ask the S-AGE! Finally, we should care because this is happening now – the problems will only get worse and, at some point – soon - the cost of procrastination will be too high to bear!