How to have a healthy retirement

Aim for a healthy post retirement life  

For a healthy retirement, staying healthy and feeling your best is important from any age, even if getting older brings with it a unique set of challenges. According to Suzanne Osberg, Nursing Services Manager at Rubicon Care, there are many simple, yet important ways in which life can be enriched after retirement – and because the elderly is prone to depression due to inactivity, participation in both physical and mental tasks is important.

The keys to healthy ageing

People often spend every working moment longing for retirement, only to find themselves at a loss once the big day arrives. After following a daily routine for many decades centered around a career, finding meaning in endless daily hours can be hard. 

Find meaning and joy

Everyone has different ways of experiencing meaning and joy, and the activities you enjoy may change over time. Once your career slows down or you retire, you may find you have more time on your hands and will have to re-evaluate how your days are spent.

If you are not sure where to get started, try some of the following suggestions:

• Try a hobby (either new or long neglected). Taking a class or joining a club is a great way to develop a new interest and expand your social network at the same time.
• Learn something new – and it doesn’t have to be a foreign language. It could be something as simple as planting a succulent garden or taking up birdwatching from your stoep.
• Get involved in your community. Try attending a local event (such as the SPCA or Cansa) or volunteering at church. It’s a great way to find purpose and share your skills. for a cause that is important to you.
• Spend time in nature. Take a scenic hike, go fishing or spend a morning in the botanical garden.
• Enjoy the arts. We’re stuck at the moment, but once life is back to normal, try going on an arts road trip in the Lowveld, join a book club (you could start your own) or take up art classes (another great way of connecting with people!).

Stay connected

Connect regularly with friends and family, even if it means you must master new technology. Seek out and spend time with people you enjoy and who make you feel upbeat. It could be having a chat to a neighbour, walking with an exercise buddy or having a regular date with an old friend.    

Also,make time to find new friends. As you move into the healthy retirement phase of your life, it is vital to make new connections and enjoy a social life, even if of a more low-key nature. You might now have the time to forge stronger relationships with your grandchildren, something you may not have had time before.

Find support groups if you feel overwhelmed. If you or a loved one is coping with a serious illness or recent loss, it can be very helpful to participate in a support group with others undergoing the same challenges.

Get active and boost vitality

It is never too late to start! No matter how old you are or how unhealthy you have been in the past, staying active and caring for your body has enormous benefits, including sharpening your memory and boosting your immune system. And the good news is, you don’t have to overdo it to reap benefits. Start by going for a short stroll down your street every day or do gentle exercises in the pool. Remember, safety first, so check with your healthcare provider before you embark on anything risky. 

Keep your mind sharp

Once you have retired, it’s extra important to keep your mind active, as you lose the daily stimulation and human interaction of a work environment. Remaining creative plays a part in staving off cognitive decline and memory problems. So, find something you enjoy doing, like puzzles, crosswords or trying out a new recipe. For a healthy retirement, try something new every day, even if it’s simply taking a different route to a shop you regularly go to. Ms Osberg agrees that 2020 has been a hard year so far, as Covid-19 forced families apart and made many of the outings Rubicon’s residents enjoy impossible. However, the friendships and camaraderie in the community has sustained them through this time: “We’re a tight-knit bunch and everybody is family. I think we will come through the lockdown with a new appreciation of what life has to offer.”

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