On top of that, life expectancy is climbing. In 1985 the average woman lived to 77. By 2009 that was 82 and rising.
Baby boomers are a discerning and interesting group. They differ from their predecessors in that they are better educated, more likely to have held professional and managerial roles, have varied work histories, have taken longer periods off work and will work for more of their adult years than ever before.
Boomers are more racially and ethnically diverse and have higher separation and divorce rates. They have longer life expectancies at 65 than the generation before. They juggle caregiving, work, family and other social commitments and have high expectations of support from paid service providers.
There's a group of retired teachers in London who use their internet connections to teach in East Africa - remote learning that makes use of their time and expertise and which provides an invaluable service to far-flung corners of the world that may not be able to afford a fully-fledged education system of the Western kind.
Business managers seem allergic to hiring over-55s, but let's not forget those years of experience. MediaWorks chairman Rod McGeoch at 67 maintains a work schedule that's exhausting to look at, let alone complete. Most US Presidents don't get to serve in that office until they're well advanced in years. Even the new Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi, is 56 - only a few months younger than William Hartnell when he was cast as the first Doctor in 1966. If there's any example of the way ageing has changed you just have to compare the two actors.
There are many other older role models who enjoy remarkable success such as Dame Wendy Pye, 71, Peta Matthias, 64, and Neil Finn, 56. Dame Helen Mirren still graces many a magazine cover despite being 68, Meryl Streep still has it going on at 65 and Sam Neill will continue to rock well past his current age of 66. None are considered old.
In New Zealand we've started talking about retirement and when it's feasible to give up work. The debate needs to consider what we'd lose if these people disappeared from the workforce, with the spending power of an older generation that continues to earn.
It's not just the "retirement industry" that has to think about this. Service provision planning at government level takes age 65 as a line in the sand. If we don't get the age markers right, policy development and planning may compound issues rather than address them.
Commercial services also need to take note of the older consumer. Tourism will be impacted by the changing demographic, as will urban design. Even marketing, which today seems to focus exclusively on 18 to 30-year-olds, will need to think about providing goods, services and experiences for discerning over-60s with high disposable income.
Remember Karen Walker using "stylish and creative older folks" to model her summer 2013 eyewear range? We should ask why that was a surprise.
We all have a role to play in this society and that doesn't stop once you hit 65.
Grainne Moss is managing director of Bupa Care Services New Zealand.