During a story on the Today Show called "50 is the New 30," Katie Couric, 48, gave Boomer women in America permission to start growing old.

The story on "Today" featured former supermodels Cheryl Tiegs, 58, and Christie Brinkley, 51, talking about how "50 is the new 30" and cosmetic companies are using older models and actresses in their ads in an attempt to appeal to aging Baby Boomers.

Christie was talking about how Revlon's products are now scientifically designed to reflect light out of wrinkles, so you don't appear to have as many. That's when Katie stopped her and offered up this journalistic opinion:

"I have such mixed feelings about this: I'm so happy that people are embracing women as they age, but are they really embracing the aging process? In other words, is this about women in their 50s trying to look 30?  I mean, everyone wants to look attractive, but I just wish that that didn't necessarily mean no wrinkles, you know, because I think that's a sign of experience and wisdom and the fact that you've lived. So do you guys ever think that not everybody has to look like they're 30 to be really beautiful?"

Katie tells America that "wrinkles...[are] a sign of experience and wisdom and the fact that you've...lived."  She wonders if real beauty isn't tied to one's age.

These epiphanies by Katie are ones she couldn't have had at age 38. She wasn't "mature enough" to come to this conclusion back then. But she is now.  America listens to Katie Couric. I bet in the next Entertainment Weekly we'll see that wrinkles are "In" and botox is "Out."

Cheryl Tiegs answered Katie by asserting that "I don't know if we're trying to look like we're 30, I just think we're doing the best we can with our age and with what we have. I think the days of plastic surgery, pulling everything back, getting rid of every single line and wrinkle, are over."

Cheryl went on to say "Women today are doing something that's never been done in the history of civilization, and that's looking fabulous until the day you die."

Then Christie said "I think that 50-year-old women today have very full, interesting lives...we're comfortable being our age, we don't want to be just forgotten, we don't want to keep seeing 20-year- olds as the standard for vibrant, important people -- we're vibrant, important ourselves."

December 6, 2005 will forever be remembered as the day Boomer women were given permission to age -- thanks to Katie Couric!  You can watch the entire story here (after a :30 commercial).

Thank you for attending my Jane Fonda . . . Martha Stewart presentation last fall.  I promised to send you pertinent research and information as I came across it and I hope you find this information useful. As always, if I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Robin Eggert, Senior Vice President

Phone: 763-537-5700   Email: robine@hdgi1.com

Health Dimensions Group has been serving a diverse group of clients for over 30 years and is the nation’s leading, fully integrated senior living and health care management and consulting firm.