Consumers born between 1946 and 1964 are more likely than the overall adult population to vote, play the lottery or remodel their homes, according to Mediamark Research Inc.'s "BoomerView" study.

More than one-half of respondents said they had voted in a federal, state or local election in the past 12 months. More than three in 10 had started a home-remodeling project, and 41% said they had played the lottery.

Boomers were 22%, 21% and 18% more likely to have voted, started a home-remodeling project and played the lottery, respectively, than the general adult population.

About 40% of respondents thought that they and their households would be better off financially in a year. Nine in 10 thought that they would be either better off or the same in a year.

Despite this financial optimism, nearly one-quarter of boomers said they had no personal medical, hospital or accident insurance.