Category Archives: Healthy Living

5 Ways to Stay Positive in Retirement

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Retirement literally means a removal or withdrawal from service, often into privacy or seclusion. Retirees withdraw from a world they have been entrenched in for many years when they remove themselves from the working world.

However, I do not believe that the goal of those attaining age 65 is necessarily to hide from the rest of the world. Few retirees-to-be would describe their plans in terms of seclusion. While escaping the hectic nature of the working world is a commonly shared goal, retirement is also seen by many as a time to turn the page and begin a new chapter. Retirees are not done with life. They are just changing gears as they re-channel their energies toward new passions and experiences.

Unfortunately, there are some people who will experience a retirement that may accurately be described as secluded. Elderly people who have not prepared for the changes that are part and parcel of retired life may find themselves alone, uninspired, unchallenged, and living in a seclusion that is not their choice.

Many people underestimate the challenges of living a fulfilling and happy retirement. A 2011 National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Harvard School of Public Health survey found that about a quarter of retirees say life is worse after retirement. To avoid falling into such a predicament it is helpful to pursue positive goals as we transition into retirement:

1. Enjoy your grandchildren. What can be better than spending time with an energetic bundle of smiles and hugs, especially when their able parents can quickly be called upon to step in when their attitude becomes negative? Grandparents get to enjoy all of the good things about children, and hand over the reins when the bad comes along. A true joy ofspending time with grandchildren is you can be part of first-time experiences that result in wide-eyed wonder and amazement. Sharing these new experiences not only brings back personal memories but bonds you together for a lifetime.

2. Get up and get out. When you move around your body and mind benefit. Sitting in one place for too long dulls the mind and slows the body. Rather than looking for the path requiring the least effort, get moving. Walk to the store rather than drive. After dinner, don’t flop in front of the TV until you have taken a journey around the block on your own two feet. And when you do watch TV, why not add in a little stretching or sit-ups or push-ups.

3. Smile. It is difficult to feel badly when you have a smile on your face. Being happy improves your quality of life and perhaps also the quantity of life. A British study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that older people who reported feeling happy and content during a typical day were 35 percent less likely to die during the course of the five-year study. And if smiling doesn’t work, what do you have to lose?

4. Watch or read something funny. How bad can things really be if you are laughing? I am a sucker for slapstick comedy, so The Three Stoogesare the perfect tonic for all that ails me. Their antics may be a little low-brow for your tastes, but you probably have a particular comedian or actress that can always give you a chuckle. With all of the suffering we hear of each day, a little laughter can go a long way to improve our outlook.

5. Do something nice for someone. When we put the needs of another ahead of our own there is an inner satisfaction experienced that is hard to describe. A little thing done spontaneously without expectation of any reward can bring a smile to the face of the recipient as well as the giver. It is easy and opportunities present themselves with great frequency. You just have to be tuned in and ready to act when the moment arises.

From my US News & World Blog. Dave Bernard is the author of “I Want To Retire! Essential Considerations for the Retiree to Be“. Although not yet retired, he focuses on identifying and understanding the essential components of a fulfilling and meaningful retirement. He shares his discoveries and insights on his blog Retirement-Only The Beginning.

How to Stay Fit as you get Older

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Post by Sebastian Bos

Don’t count yourself out of the fitness crowd just because you’ve moved into a retirement home in Lancashire, where spending your time watching daytime TV and sitting around is the norm. You’re in a retirement home, not a graveyard.

Keeping fit is important no matter what stage of life you’re in, but many older people feel there’s not a lot of exercise they can do without risk of hurting themselves. Wrong! Keeping fit doesn’t necessarily mean getting out on the field for a vigorous game of football every night. Here are our top tips for staying fit as you get older.

Take a Stroll Every Day

Walking is the most basic form of exercise there is, and it’s important, too. Half an hour a day is the perfect amount to maintain basic fitness levels and keep your heart and lungs healthy. Half an hour of walking a day almost sounds TOO easy, right?

Engage in Moderate Aerobic Activity

Moderate aerobic exercise, in which your heart rates rises and you break a slight sweat, is a fantastic way to keep in shape, and is great for older people who want to do something more interesting than take a gentle stroll each day, but don’t fancy vigorous exercise. Cycling, swimming and line- and ballroom-dancing all do the trick! Shoot for two and a half hours per week.

Toss in Some High Intensity Exercises

This isn’t an absolute necessity, but if you’re relatively fit and healthy for your age, you should have no problems, and it can be fun as well as beneficial. If you’re up for it, sports such as badminton, running, squash and tennis will work their magic.

Muscle-Strengthening Bodyweight Exercises

Keeping your muscles strong doesn’t necessarily mean lifting weights at the gym, and it’s such an important element to maintaining your overall health. Your muscles will naturally weaken as you age, meaning regular tasks become harder and harder and you become more susceptible to diseases like osteoporosis – but there’s no reason you can’t fight back by incorporating body weight exercises (no weights needed!) into your week.

The aim is to work all your different muscle groups, including your back, arms, legs and core. Exercises like push ups, pull ups, squats and lunges can help you achieve this, but don’t worry if that sounds impossible: there are easier ways of doing these exercises than the full blown techniques you’re probably imagining right now. Push ups can be done against a wall, for example, instead of flat on the floor.

Hopefully you’re now confident that you can take exercise every day that will help keep you in shape, even if you are stuck in that care home in Lancashire. And just remember: some activity is better than none at all, so don’t immediately try to incorporate all of the above into your life if you find it overwhelming. Start slow, with that gentle stroll each day, and build on your fitness routine over time.

The Secret of Aging Gracefully

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From my US News & World Blog

The other day I was walking through the neighborhood, and I spotted a dime on the ground. I paused to stare intently at the coin, yet made no effort to bend down to pick it up. At that moment I realized I must be getting along in my years. A younger me would not have hesitated to swoop in and grab any shiny coin, even a penny. However, on this day I was evaluating the cost and benefit of bending down for ten cents. A quarter would be a no brainer, but a dime didn’t seem worth the effort.

As we get older, changes in ourselves and the way we live our life are the order of the day. We don’t move quite as fast as we used to, and we have to be careful about what we eat or risk the wrath of an upset stomach. We increasingly find ourselves challenged when reading in a less than well lighted place, and sometimes we just do not have the energy for the little things like picking up a stray coin.

Most of us refuse to surrender without a fight, of course. Plenty of people work out and endeavor to eat a healthy diet. We read all the latest studies and discoveries that can help us live longer lives, follow their guidelines, and check in with our doctors regularly. We do what we can to live a quality life on into our later years. But is there something more we can do to age well?

Here are two important concepts that can help us to maximize our fulfillment while allowing us to age gracefully at the same time:

1. Learn to accept the realities of aging. Embrace the new reality of your life. Listen to your body and behave accordingly. Heed warning signs, and adjust your lifestyle as needed. Ignore the dime on the ground, but go for the quarter. Realize that you are no longer twenty but neither are you ninety (yet). You may sacrifice some physical abilities, but in their place you have experience and wisdom learned with time.

2. Don’t just exist, live your life. Aging does not mean you acquiesce to watch life from the sidelines. Although some things may diminish through the years, your passion for living can and should grow and evolve. Once you exit the working world you have time to explore those other areas of living that you could not while burdened with a job and the responsibilities of raising a family. Those wishful thoughts imagined while drudging through your busy career now have a chance to become reality. Travel to a place that interests you for as long as you desire. Discover your artistic side by painting, writing, sculpting, or designing. Unleash your musical talents by learning an instrument. Keep searching for new ways to get engaged, stay active, and pursue your passions.

Aging gracefully should not be a resignation, but a commitment to living the most inspired and exciting life you can within whatever constraints you personally experience. While we cannot ignore the challenges brought on as we get older, don’t miss your chance to embrace something new.

Dave Bernard is the author of I Want To Retire! Essential Considerations for the Retiree to Be. Although not yet retired, he focuses on identifying and understanding the essential components a fulfilling and meaningful retirement. He shares his discoveries and insights on his blog Retirement-Only The Beginning.