Mature Market Experts: more news and stats you can use on boomers, seniors, and the mature market – They’ll never get my tonsils - Several years ago, on the day before my birthday, my appendix broke. It was an amazingly painful experience that left me grateful for the surgeon who removed the little bugger (normally two to four inches long).

Not only is a busted appendix painful, but it can also prove deadly. Every year 300 to 400 people die according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The doctor who performed the surgery, in an effort to comfort me, assured me that the appendix was worthless. Still . . . since the experience, I have often wondered what the purpose of this organ was.

Think about it logically. This God person seems pretty smart. After all the human body is an amazingly sophisticated machine. Why would he/she just throw in an extra part? Well, turns out some scientists think they have figured out the appendix’s job . . . to produce and protect good germs for your stomach. A career hypochondriac, I am now left to spend my remaining years worrying about who will fight the bad guys in my tummy.

They’ll never get my tonsils!

We tend to joke that as boomers and seniors age, all they talk about is their ailments. To me, it makes perfect sense. After all, your health IS your wealth! If your retirement community is not capitalizing on this natural “obsession” by marketing or advertising a “preventive” health care approach you are missing a major opportunity.  Many of the boomers and seniors are just now beginning to discover their own mortality. This STAGE event, usually triggered by tragedy or illness causes a deeper reflection of their lives. A good example is my appendix … the what “ifs” of life become more meaningful.

As I’ve preached before, stage NOT age is what drives people’s behavior. This is why; despite tons of money being thrown at it, Eons has not been overwhelmingly successful … while WebMD continues to be a raging success.