ActiveAging

Sunday, March 28, 2021 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 2 ACTIVE AGING By Al Kemp Special to Active Aging Lynne Kornblatt wouldn’t describe herself as retired.“More like repurposed,” she says. Kornblatt is reinventing herself at age 63, a year after walking away from a senior position as vice president and chief human resources officer for a major Northwest cancer research center and hospital. Her passion today is setting up her own shop as a self-employed consultant, spe- cializing in coaching, mediation and organizational leadership. At this time last year, she wasn’t even sure she could run a business by herself, she says. Being her own boss is a pro- found change of landscape from the hierarchy and institutional culture Kornblatt left behind. Today, she works at her own pace, dealing with fewer crises and surprises. Elizabeth Atcheson totally gets it. Her Seattle firm, Blue Bridge Career Coaching, has guided clients through all manner of professional transitions over the past 11 years. Many of her clients are people of retirement age in search of an Act 2 in their work- ing lives. According to the Hamilton Project, an economic studies arm of the Brookings Institution, life expectancy in the United States has increased by 25 years in the last century, to an average age of 76 for men and 81 for women. That longevity has redefined the meaning of the word retirement to the point where being of re- tirement age doesn’t mean one’s working days are necessarily over, Atcheson says. “People who have been engaged actors in the economic ACTIVE AGING This section was produced by the Advertising Publications Department of The Seattle Times. Contact us at 206- 464-2400 or advertising@ seattletimes.com . landscape seldom want to just sit on their couch and watch the world go by,” she says. “As people grow older they ask themselves, ‘What will be my legacy? What footprint have I left on the world?’ Often these questions lead to a new path in their later years. Maybe it’s writing a book or a blog. Maybe it’s volunteering in their community. Maybe it’s securing a part-time job.” Part-time positions in the retail and service sectors have been For many older adults, there’s still work to be done landing spots for many older workers for decades, but the coronavirus outbreak muddied that picture somewhat. “Retail has been pounded dur- ing the pandemic, and with more shopping moving online, these positions are more competi- tive than ever, and often go to younger workers who are seen as more energetic and tech- savvy,” says Atcheson, who works one-on-one with clients and also conducts monthly workshops such as “Level up your LinkedIn” and “Tools for Transition.” Many senior professionals, like Kornblatt, strive to parlay their professional skills into a consult- ing role for their retirement gig. After working 40 years at vari- ous levels in the health sciences sector on both the East Coast and West Coast, as well as practic- ing law, Kornblatt has a wealth GETTY IMAGES of expertise and wisdom, and is now pouring it all into her new business, Lynne R. Kornblatt and Associates. “The skills and competencies I bring owe themselves to years of working in organizations and truly understanding how each individual business works,” she says. “I learned how to be a coach and a mediator by accruing a tremendous amount of insight into human beings and their identities as employees, and what they value and can contribute to a Lynn Kornblatt See Work, page 5 Elizabeth Atcheson