December 31st, 2009
Baby boomers have been raised on tales of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ experiences of wartime England and some of the stories of the warmth of English hospitality and the good old English pub scene are by no means exaggerated. There is nowhere quite like England when it is the height of summer and the strawberries are in season: lunch on the lawn under the Chestnut tree; cricket teas; village fairs.
England is certainly all of this and more but there are some drawbacks to English life, not the least of which is the weather which can cast a damp pall over just about everything, making a barbecue impossible to plan ahead and edging a grey tinge around even the most enjoyable social event. English weather is unpredictable at best and an English summer during a bad year can be non existent, constantly battered by rain and wind from April through to September. Psychological articles recommend that anyone with a tendency to depression or suffering with SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder) should avoid the English climate at all cost.
That being said, the upside of English life must be the culture scene, with just about every town and village in the country involved in its own celebration of English heritage and history. The larger cities offer a wealth of stage plays; galleries; exhibitions and museums and English Heritage provides an incredible list of stately homes to visit for those whose tastes run to trawling through several hundred years of tapestries and family artefacts.
Most American baby boomers retiring to the UK take the precaution of prescribing to private health cover and enjoy top quality medical attention in the several hundred superior clinics and hospitals all over the country. The UK health service has received severe criticism in terms of waiting lists and sub standard care but in fact psychological articles advise the standards are not that bad and certainly private clinics have an excellent reputation.
The price of property in the UK depends on location. Rental can be expensive but in general the property market is seen as a sound long term investment for prospective baby boomers who wish to retire to good old ‘Blighty’. The traditional thatched country cottage with roses around the porch can be costly but British housing is well controlled and still represents a reasonably safe purchase for those who yearn for a social life in the local British pub and a safe and secure, albeit slightly soggy retirement…!
Dr Karen Turner, PhD, is a clinical psychologist with an interest in the baby boomer generation as the most successful and resourceful of all generations. Boomeryearbook.com focuses on connecting the baby boomer generation and providing interaction for boomers everywhere. If you are a baby boomer with an interest in the mysteries of the human brain, Boomeryearbook.com is the social network for you.
Image taken on 2005-05-08 16:24:34. Image Source. (Used with permission)
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