Planning For Retirement Activities
Planning for Retirement Activities
Retirement doesn't mean the end of an active lifestyle. Quite
the contrary, it opens up new opportunities for many new
activities. Some retirees substitute voluntary community work
for their former work. This gives definition or meaning to their
roles after retirement.
Household work, volunteer work, family roles and community
service actually increase after retirement. The familial roles
of grandparents increase because of the expanded time available
for travel.
The skills and knowledge acquired before retirement have value
in the life of a retiree. Even if learning something new
education and training affects the ability to do various
activities at retirement. Lack of skill and a low literacy tends
to limit the leisure activities of retirees.
A very difficult task to prepare for later on in life is the
ability to cope with losses that increase as people get older.
The productivity is the first loss in retirement but adjustment
usually is short. Loss of a spouse generally has the biggest
impact, and in general is the hardest to anticipate unless a
terminal illness is diagnosed before death. The best preparation
for a loss of spouse is to work on a sense of independence and
self-reliance.
The two biggest concerns for retirement living were security of
finances and health coverage. This is according to the GSA
(Gerontological Society of America). Another great concern
identified was isolation or lack of social support for
well-being and loneliness or lack of support for emotional well
being.
Planning for retirement must have preparation for financial
well-being, a social support network, a set of meaningful
activities and health care coverage. All of these concerns
actually relate to each other. When a retiring person has a
sound financial plan, the person can buy adequate housing and
health care coverage. Retirement lifestyle is a continuation of
the person's middle-age life.
A sound lifestyle can last a long while. Friendship and family
can provide the support network later on in life. Retirement
planning which includes developing economic and social skills
cannot anticipate everything but provides a good foundation for
enjoyment of life later on.
A successful retirement living includes the creation of a
network of groups, family members and friends. Few people choose
to be alone from the rest even if approximately forty four
percent of women and roughly 18 percent of men aged 65 or older
lived without relatives. Fifty percent of women above 65 were
widows.