An Interview of Kathleen Casey-Kirschling - The First Baby Boomer
Kathleen Casey-Kirschling is celebrated as the first baby boomer. Get her take on what it is all about in this Baltimore Sun Interview.
Shallie Bey Smarter Small Business Blog (http://businessrebirth.blogspot.com)
Follow Shallie Bey on Twitter (http:www.twitter.com/ShallieBey)
Visit: Join The Baby Boomer Entrepreneurs (http://www.squidoo.com/Baby-Boomer-Entrepreneurs)Amplify’d from articles.baltimoresun.com
Nation's first baby boomer turns 65
Kathleen Casey-Kirschling's birthday represents milestone for generation
The nation's original baby boomer turned 65 on New Year's Day, representing another milestone for a generation.
Kathleen Casey-Kirschling, who celebrated her birthday with family at her second home on Maryland's Eastern Shore, is the very first of more than 78 million baby boomers who will turn grayer during the next two decades. According to the Pew Research Center, about 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day. All baby boomers, those who were born between 1946 and 1965, will reach that threshold by 2030.
That means they can collect Social Security — and now Medicare benefits.
Despite a recent Pew survey that found baby boomers feel more downbeat than other generations about their future, Casey-Kirschling is taking a different approach.
"I'm OK with knowing that I don't know what tomorrow will bring," the retired teacher said from her home in Earleville in Cecil County. "I'm going to live for today. And I'm thankful that I could live for today, and I am healthy."
Casey-Kirschling retired at 60 and two years later began taking her Social Security benefits early. Since then, she has volunteered, spent time with her six grandchildren and traveled with her husband, Patrick.
Because of the "first baby boomer" distinction, Casey-Kirschling has garnered a lot of media attention over the years. Since her late 30s, she has been featured in Money and People magazines, as well as in other national and regional publications and on television stations.
And this year was no different. She had just given an interview to NPR when she spoke with The Baltimore Sun about dealing with her celebrity, her generation and what it means to hit the 65-year threshold.
Question: How do you deal with all the media attention?
Answer: In the beginning, it was overwhelming. But I said I'm just going to be who I am and do what I can, especially for Social Security. They asked me to do public service [ads] for the generation and help baby boomers apply [for benefits] online and get direct deposit.
Whatever I could do, I would try to have a positive impact. So many things are negative in the nation today. Like all human beings, we are not a perfect generation. We certainly created so much, built so much and have an incredible work ethic to this day.
Q: Do you feel pressure to represent your generation?
Read more at articles.baltimoresun.com
