The expectations of today’s older adults were underscored in a new study of Americans aged 65 and over commissioned by Vi. According to the Vi Next Chapter study, more than four out of five seniors (82%) feel they have “so much to look forward to” in the next chapter of life, and 83% say they “feel younger than they are.” The Vi Next Chapter study found that 81% of Americans over 65 have a different vision of their retirement from that of their parents. Almost nine out of 10 (86%) say they want their retirement to be more exciting and more active than their parents’ retirement, while almost all (98%) say retirement “can and should be a fun experience.” Conversely, a scant 6% look to their parents’ retirement as a guide for their own future.

Surprisingly, the study also showed a different attitude about themselves and the fact of “being old”; rather than look upon their “senior moments” as a negative, older adults are turning the traditional perception of that phrase upside down to more accurately reflect their health-conscious, active lifestyles, as well as their points of view about the next chapter of their lives. In fact, 39% say the phrase “senior moments” is a common joke among their friends, and they use it themselves, according to the new national survey. Indeed, more than four out of five seniors polled (82%) feel they have “so much to look forward to” and 83% say they feel “younger than they are.”

Other elements of the study show that:

• 81% of those surveyed have a different vision of retirement from that of their parents.
• The concept of “independence” in the later years is also undergoing a transformation.
• Nearly half (46%) say they’re done taking care of chores – it’s time to take care of “myself.”
• Two in five (39%) say that as they’ve gotten older, they’ve become “more adventurous.”
• Health trumps money by a ratio of 4 to 1 when it comes to things older Americans are worried about.
• Sixty percent of older Americans polled say they are exercising more than 2-3 hours a week with 21% saying they exercise more than 5 hours each week.

The Vi Next Chapter Study was commissioned by Vi and conducted by Penn Schoen Berland among nearly 800 U.S. adults between the ages of 65 and 80. Results based on this sample of adults have a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points, with a 95% confidence level.