Are you a baby boomer who’s moved so much to advance your career that you don’t know where you belong?
In his book “Next Stop, Reloville: Life Inside America’s New Rootless Professional Class,” Peter Kilborn, a former New York Times reporter, talks about the isolation boomers feel when they’ve moved so often they’re not connect to anyplace.
When it’s time to retire, these boomers don’t know where to go or how to make connections.
Relos, short for those who relocate frequently, tend to gather together in suburbs, which Kilborn dubs Relovilles.
He says the lifestyle is tough on kids and spouses, and often there’s only one breadwinner. Spouses frequently can’t find jobs in their professions. They take low-paying jobs or do work on the Internet.
With no extended family or friends, Kilborn says relos form tight-knit nuclear families. When they reach middle age, these boomers rely on their relationships with their adult children and their Internet connections to try to find a sense of place.
Are you a relo? If so, what are your plans for retirement?
See KUOW’s “America’s Rootless Professional Class” for details relos and Relovilles.
I feel like a relo! Though we try to grow roots wherever we go.
Hi Lisa,
Putting down roots is a good idea when you move frequently. It’s great to have friends and a sense of community.
Rita