By Life Quotes, Inc. Staff

On the eve of their 65th birthday, the first generation of Baby Boomers say they are satisfied with their life choices and remain optimistic about the years to come, according to a recent AARP survey.

While the boomers, born in 1946, are approaching retirement age, more than 34 percent are still in the workforce. Of those still employed or looking for work, 29 percent said the earliest they expect to retire is by age 70, and four-in-ten (40 percent) reported that they, “plan to work until [they] drop.”

“Some are staying on the job to shore up their nest eggs; others just can’t imagine life without work,” said AARP executive president Steve Cone.

Today’s Baby Boomers are considered to be more active than the generations before them. The AARP survey reported that in their retirement years, Boomers have no plans of slowing down or getting bored. In fact, 84 percent of the Boomers surveyed plan to take better care of their health, while 81 percent plan to spend more time with loved ones, and 74 percent plan to set aside more time to do the things they always wanted to do. Those plans include traveling more (61 percent), volunteering (54 percent), and taking classes to learn something new (44 percent).

Boomers reported that their health and personal finances are the most predominant concerns in their lives. Thirty percent of the Boomers surveyed said their health and finances are in worse shape than they previously expected. However, even with the recent recession, they feel hopeful about what the next five years will bring.

Thousands of baby boomers will turn 65 every year with a new life expectancy of 75.65 years for men and 80.69 years for women, according to 2010 estimates by the CIA World Factbook. Life insurance is one of the more feasible purchases that can prevent a loved one from struggling financially when a spouse dies. In addition to this, some whole life insurance products provide a cash value component that can help baby boomers save up money for their retirement years.