One in four Arizona residents is a baby boomer and their retirement will break every stereotype.

Several Valley cities are bracing for the imminent boom in retirees, developing programs that range from finding volunteer opportunities or a new career to caring for aging parents and growing grandchildren.

The 78 million Americans, including 1.3 million Arizonans, born between 1946 and 1964 have overcrowded public facilities, such as schools, as they aged. And retirement will be here soon. The oldest are 58, the youngest are hitting 40.

Like most states, the number of Arizona residents older than 65 is catching up to those younger than 18. 

Unlike generations before, boomers can expect to be healthy and active participants in their communities during a retirement that will average 30 years.

"This idea of retirement is different now," said Sandra Kulesza, 52, of Chandler. "We're not just waiting to die, we're starting a whole new way of life."

In June, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Peoria, Scottsdale, Phoenix and Paradise Valley will submit grant requests to the Virginia G. Piper Trust to fund programs that address the changing needs of future senior citizens.

The program, called Life Options, helps communities offer services, such as life planning, civic engagement, education and social activities for seniors.

The cities have received about $15,000 apiece from the Piper Trust and are drafting Life Options plans. 

"Retirees are not going to be particularly interested in bingo and crocheting toilet paper covers," Tempe social services manager Judy Tapscott said. "We are looking to create something more vibrant that speaks to the generation in a different kind of way."

Kulesza, who pointed out that retirement services have traditionally focused on finances, is excited that cities are starting to look at spiritual well-being. She said many boomers will have trouble transitioning from busy careers to retirement, while some will need help as they are sandwiched between caring for their children and their parents.

The Life Options concept, and the idea that boomers will change retirement, is relatively new. The Valley cities are joining a handful of communities creating programs for boomers, such as a Washington, D.C., organization that links older volunteers with youth organizations and a Chicago cafe that is a gathering place and education center for active, older adults.

Arizona State University Assistant Vice Provost Louie Olivas is a demographer and boomer.

"The needs, aspirations and wants of these baby boomers are a hell of a lot different from the needs of what our parents were," he said. 

The boomers are more diverse. They grew up in an environment of hip music, earrings and tattoos. They work out.

"We have everything from the Web to MTV to Janet Jackson exposing her breast," said Olivas, 57. "This baby boomer move into retirement will establish a new paradigm about what retirement should be about and what retirement homes should be offering."

He said the boomers will challenge the cities and expect them to offer different programs. But he doesn't know what form those programs will take.

"Cities are going to have to figure it out," he said. "Therein lies the excitement."

That's what those seven Valley cities are doing, each now holding focus groups to ask boomers what needs they anticipate and how they fit with Life Options.

Peoria and Tempe, along with the colleges and non-profit agencies in those areas, are planning coffee shops in their libraries.

Tapscott, 53, said that as a boomer, she wants something different than the traditional senior centers. Tempe already has more boomers than it does those 18 and younger. 

"I'm not into the image that I get when I think of senior center," she said. "This is a really cool concept that will be a space where people can gather to do a number of different things like search for volunteer opportunities, find caregiver programs for aging parents, get sources on grandparenting or find lifelong learning opportunities." 

Peoria residents are most interested in financial issues in the face of a tougher economy, community involvement opportunities and social activities, says Brenda Brown, that city's library manager.

She said increasing the focus on the boomer population won't force cities to cut programs for other age groups, primarily because program expenses and resources will be shared by many funding sources.


"Plus, we're just building on a lot of good work already being done," she said.

Retired boomer Ralph Jedda, 59, recently moved to Peoria from Minnesota. He invests, plays golf, hikes and is looking to volunteer.

"It doesn't seem like there's enough hours in the day," he said. "I've been busier since I've been retired."

He said boomers have the mentality that they've worked hard, saved and raised their families. Retirement is a time to enjoy all that they worked for. He said it's important to have a place new residents can go for information and services and that he would definitely frequent a coffee shop more than a senior center.

Chandler and Chandler-Gilbert Community College want to put Life Options Centers in neighborhoods for Chandler, Gilbert and Sun Lakes residents. They could be places for classes, peer counseling, service information and social events.

"In the last year, people have begun to realize that this is going to be a phenomenon we'll have to deal with," said Chandler Life Options coordinator Karen Drake. "We are talking to a lot of people in the target population to get an idea of what their needs and interests are."

She said Chandler boomers, like their counterparts throughout the country, will continue to work, either fewer hours in the field they are in or in entirely new ventures. They are interested in financial planning and housing while being very committed to civic involvement.

Chandler boomer Bill Crawford, 52, an associate dean at the community college, plans to retire in about 10 years. 

"I think of retirement as a time to enjoy life," he said. "My ideal situation would be to work as much as I wanted while still having time to participate in activities."

Dahlia Gonzales of Chandler, who is in her mid-40s, works full time and is in school full time but she is preparing for retirement. She is spending more time on hobbies like oil painting, is planning to travel and is talking to her family about downsizing her home. She said boomers are different because they are dealing with aging parents at the same time as helping kids who stay at home longer and raising grandchildren.

"We have to work harder to know where we want to be," she said. "We have to plan it."