Baby boomers and a changing world

Hopefully, we'll make the transition voluntarily before we're forced by economic reality. I'm talking about private sector social assistance to replace government social programs -- a little different approach than in the article -- an approach I've written about often.

We are an altruistic society, and baby boomers will live long after retirement -- their skills and knowledge can be helpful in re-training, education, counseling and all forms of assistance to people in need. If we begin forming private associations to help deal with social problems, like Field of Dreams, the money to fund the efforts will follow. Baby boomers retired from professional positions or execuctive positions can use their contacts to get funding for assistance efforts. Businesses of all sizes can be convinced it's not only a good thing to fund, but it will be in their interests to do so, especially re-training and education.

This would be a meaningful way for people still energetic in retirement to spend their later years doing something meaningful. Innovation in social assistance is sorely needed. Private associations to provide these services will be superior to politically charged, bureacratically swollen, poorly staffed and costly social programs.

We'll just need to remove all the regulations which now make such private efforts impossible.