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Living Life to the Full in Retirement

06 September 2011 Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group

They were born before 1964, but are living full and satisfying lives with interests that include travel, food and fashion. They are money savvy, techno-able, discerning and smart and also health and body conscious – a far cry from the stereotype 40-plussers that popular opinion often considers to be staid and rigid in their ways.

They were the respondents who participated in the Prime Time research project conducted by the UCT Unilever Institute of Strategic Marketing, based at the University of Cape Town, School of Management Studies, in 2008.

With a combined income of R300 billion, the 1.98 million South Africans who were older than 40 years (at the time of the research), and classified as living within the living standards measure (LSM) 7 to 10, are an economic force to be reckoned with, according to the research.

That aging is all about attitude emerged clearly from the study − a mind-set which resonated well with renowned retirement coach Lynda Smith of the Refirement Network, who purchased the research results from the UCT Unilever Institute.

Smith’s work as a retirement coach focuses on retirement trends such as remaining productive in the second half of life, positive ageing, life-long learning, technology, encore careers and how to prepare for this new stage of life. She lives by the ethos ‘don’t retire – refire!’ and believes retired people have a constructive role to play in society and in business.

Smith says whether by circumstance or choice, the so called baby boomer generation− those born between 1946 and 1964 − are re-writing the rule book on how to live out their golden years. She helps these baby boomers to understand the opportunities and challenges the future holds for them, especially post-retirement. “As people are living longer healthier lives, the thought of three decades of leisure following retirement at sixty is not always that appealing,” she says.

Smith will be exhibiting at the Retirement Expo being held at the Coca-Cola dome in Johannesburg from 28-30 October 2011. The expo is the first-ever aimed at planning for retirement and enhancing lifestyles after retirement. The Prime Time research results will be presented in a trade session at the expo.

Owned by the Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group (TEPG) and presented by Century Property Developments, the Retirement Expo will showcase leading financial, property and lifestyle brands.

TEPG Managing Director Carol Weaving says the expo will be established as an important annual platform where South Africans can obtain information, services and products related to the retirement lifestyle.

“Today’s retirees are generally more active than before and have great expectations of their golden years,” says Weaving. “The expo will help them to pursue their dreams and plan accordingly. It will also offer visitors access to free workshops by specialists on planning for retirement and related matters such as real estate options, investments and estate planning.”

For more information on the Retirement Expo visit http://www.retirementexpo.co.za/ or contact Rene Staack on tel 011549 8300 or rene@tepg.co.za.

Quick Polls

QUESTION

Is relying on a primary home as a source of retirement equity still a viable strategy for South Africans?

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