'Assuming that I'm just a little old lady was your first mistake': Retired boomers are rejecting the idea they're lonely or sad

Fri, 04/12/2024 - 05:59

Hand holding postcard with handwritten notes and photo of older person skydiving — Boomers living full and active lives in retirement say the freedom they have is like returning to childhood.
Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

For many, retirement is synonymous with bad health, loneliness, and the end of life.
The switch from a career to retirement can be a psychological hurdle for many, boomers admit.
But these five retirees told Business Insider about why people's perceptions of retirement are wrong.

Helen Brown had worked hard for her career.

She worked in computer science — a notoriously difficult industry for women in the 90s — while battling chronic fatigue and migraines. Last year, Brown's illnesses meant the 60-year-old had to step back from work.