It’s family, Jim, but not as you knew it
Once upon a time, UK family values came neatly packaged: nuclear households, women as homemakers and church on Sundays. Fast-forward a few decades and family life looks rather different, and so do expectations about what later life should look like. Retirement isn’t the same for everyone and it’s often a balancing act between responsibilities to loved ones and responsibilities to oneself.
Still very much in the frame
For today’s Boomers, stepping back from work doesn’t necessarily mean retreating into the background in the way their own parents might have done. 82% of Affluent Adventurers1 and 79% of Strategic Pragmatists say they still have a lot to contribute2 to their families. Free from the nine-to-five, no doubt these groups still want to feel a sense of purpose and family is one way of achieving that.
Home comforts vs out-and-about
More than half of Prudent Traditionalists3 and 58% of Resigned Pessimists4 say quality time with family means relaxing at home. So, for many, Sunday roasts, summer barbecues and evenings spent watching the telly and passing round the ‘good’ biscuits is the way forward. Meanwhile, 28% of Affluent Adventurers think the best family bonding happens when being out and about5, perhaps because money isn’t an issue, or just because they like exploring and trying new things.
Me-time and we-time
After decades combining work with family responsibilities, nearly half of Affluent Adventurers (45%)6 and 46% of Strategic Pragmatists7 can’t wait to spend more time on their own hobbies and interests. Think of Stanley Tucci and his passion for Italian food and travel, or Rod Stewart (born in 1945 but surely an honorary Boomer) and his beloved model railway. Of course, some find the balance tricky; the tug-of-war between duty and desire that many adults feel can continue onwards. 16% of Spontaneous Optimists8 and 17% of Resigned Pessimists9 admit they find it hard to carve out time for themselves.
From tradition to transition
When it comes to family values it’s different strokes for different folks as Muhammad Ali once said. While over half of Strategic Pragmatists (52%)10 describe their families as more traditional and conservative, almost as many Cultural Hobbyists (47%)11 say theirs lean modern and liberal. So contrary to popular opinion, not everyone over 60 wants a return to some imaginary golden age. A significant number of Boomers are likely to be unfazed by single parents, blended families, same-sex couples with kids and all the other non-cookie-cutter iteration of the family model.
So where does that leave us? With both complexity and opportunity. Family life in later years is still central to most of our audience segments but it’s not neat and predictable, with different audience segments having their own ideas about what family means to them. And while family still matters, many are also carving out space for their own interests. Later life isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s a hotchpotch of different roles, priorities and aspirations. Brands that recognise this diversity and can deliver nuanced responses will build deeper connections with audiences and earn lasting relevance.
Footnote references
Just Group Boomer Segmentation Study 2025