After a year of radical lifestyle changes forced upon them by the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. seniors see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Go Toward The Light!
Fortunately for these seniors, this isn’t the kind of light you might see when you’re having a near-death experience, it’s a light that’s inviting them to pick up where they left off and to begin living a normal life again.
What Are U.S. Seniors Most Excited About?
Here are the top 5 things seniors are looking forward to after they get the vaccine:
- Visiting with friends and family, face to face. Thank God for FaceTime and Zoom but there’s nothing like being in the same room with friends and family.
- Hugs and handshakes. The lack of physical touch has taken its toll on all of us over the last 12 months. Who would have known how much we’d miss hugs and handshakes?
- Celebrating holidays. During the pandemic, many families skipped getting together for holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas, typically occasions for large family gatherings, were either celebrated in small groups or not at all. With Easter and Passover quickly approaching, and many seniors feeling safe after getting the vaccine, these gatherings can resume.
- Travel. Seniors are rushing to book trips. Even cruise lines, once considered breeding grounds for COVID, are reporting an encouraging increase in bookings. For many retired seniors, travel is the thing they most look forward to and a year without trips was very difficult.
- Shopping! Yes, online shopping is an incredibly convenient way to find and purchase products without leaving home but there’s something about being able to feel that fabric and try things on to make sure they fit right and they look good on you that makes in-person shopping pretty nice!
Over 25,000 Baby Boomers have begun actively planning trips to visit family and for pleasure. However, Baby Boomers are being more careful than before when planning travel, typically purchasing insurance that covers things like cancellations resulting from the possible resurgence of COVID, but they’re moving forward with a lot of exciting plans that wouldn’t have been possible for them pre-vaccine.
And Many U.S. Seniors Have Money to Spend!
Many retired seniors were already living comfortably off pensions and a lifetime of saving and investing. As a result of lifestyle changes forced by COVID, they spent way less money over the last 12 months than they typically would. At the same time, their investments grew in value during a nearly year-long stock market rally that’s provided them with more money to spend now.
With the pandemic seemingly coming to an end, seniors are breathing a sigh of relief and many have a renewed excitement about enjoying their later years. If there’s any silver lining to living through 12 months of a pandemic, that just might be it.