Early retirement and health issues

For some people, particularly those retiring into the Independent Phase, retirement can lead to an improvement in physical health.

While early retirement for reasons of poor health is associated with declines in physical health and health generally declines with age, some people experience an improvement in physical health immediately following retirement. This is particularly true for those who retire into the Independent Phase. For these people, planned and voluntary, in some cases early, retirement can result in improved physical health levels, with these improvements typically ascribed to better health behaviours and relief from work-related strain.

Jobs that are stressful or physically demanding can have a negative effect on health, leading to an improvement in health as a result of later life. However, if work and related activities are one of the primary forms of physical activity for an individual, their health is likely to decline after retirement, unless they make appropriate adjustments. Those in the Independent

Phase, with minimal health issues and full physical functionality, are best positioned to make necessary adjustments, compared to those in the Decline or Dependent Phases may be limited by their existing health conditions. Approaches to health and physical activity at the point of later life can impact health trajectories over the course of later

life although some health issues will be unavoidable.

Some people change their health behaviours at retirement, while others don’t. Those who don’t change except that Retirement will make little difference to their health concerns. These are people who have changed their health behaviours before retirement. Some of those have already made substantive changes to their health behaviours prior to retiring, often in response to specific health issues. Then there are those people who don’t intend to change their health behaviours at retirement because they are happy to continue existing patterns of behaviour, out of habit or enjoyment, whether because their behaviour is already healthy or regardless of health advice.

Then there are those people who see retirement as a time for a change in the way they approach their own health. These people expect retirement to be more active than working. They see a direct link between work and specific negative health behaviours and expect retirement to alleviate health problems and improve health practices. These folks use retirement as a chance to make changes and believe that there is a link between increased leisure and specific health behaviours and so expect a positive change in retirement. The final group are people who expect retirement to be less active than working life, they see a direct link between retirement and potentially negative behaviours and plan to actively address these.

Which group are you in?

Six short stories

I read this on Time goes Bye and believe it is worth the 30 seconds it takes to read it. The editing was done by the author of Time goes Bye as there was no author listed and she edited it for clarity.

Story 1: Once, all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer, all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella. That's FAITH.

Story 2: When you throw babies in the air, they laugh because they know you will catch them. That's TRUST.

Story 3: Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarms to wake up. That's HOPE.

Story 4: We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future. That's CONFIDENCE.

Story 5: We see the world suffering but still we get married and have children. That's LOVE.

Story 6: On an old man's shirt was written a sentence, “I am not 80 years old; I am sweet 16 with 64 years of experience.” That's ATTITUDE

My generation

Sometimes, instead of a pie, you get a sandwich. There are costs associated with being part of an interdependent, intergenerational family unit. It is not uncommon today for Boomers, also referred to as “The Sandwich Generation,” to be simultaneously providing financial assistance to their grown children, ageing parents and, in some cases, even their grandchildren. One quarter of Canadian Boomers surveyed had one or more parents who require regular assistance, and the majority (59%) of Boomers who had children age 18 and over were still providing financial support to their children. On the other hand, a U.S. survey found that 40% (or 2.5 million) of all grandparents whose grandchildren live with them reported being responsible for most of their basic needs. These added responsibilities not only diminish the Boomers’ inheritances and existing retirement nest-eggs; they may also reduce or eliminate any hopes of inheritance for subsequent generations.

Risk factors such as longevity, the rising cost of living and intergenerational obligations, threaten to consume legacies that would have otherwise been transferred to future generations. But subtle differences in the way each generation views the world and the impact of outside forces beyond their control may also significantly shape the way money is channelled to the next generation.

Both seniors and Boomers agree on the importance of leaving an inheritance. However, seniors are likely to feel more obligated than Boomers to do so. The reason for this distinction may be that seniors grew up with an intimate understanding of deprivation, first surviving the Great Depression, and then fighting in the Second World War. Because they had endured such hardships, some seniors may feel compelled to provide financial assistance to others. In contrast, Boomers were raised in a time of relative peace and affluence, and have generally grown up accustomed to a life of abundance. Socially, they are idealists who value financial self- sufficiency, making the world a better place for all and enjoying a high standard of living. Unlike the seniors, they may consider leaving a legacy as a bonus instead of a requirement. As a result, intergenerational differences in perspectives on inheritance will affect the distribution of wealth.

When you fall

We have had many workshops on fall prevention strategies this fall. as we get older it is not a matter of if you will fall, but a matter of when you will fall. The National Institute on ageing has some good tips to help you if you fall.

If you do fall, stay as calm as possible and follow these steps:

Take several deep breaths to try to relax. Remain still on the floor or ground for a few moments. This will help you get over the shock of falling.

“Decide if you are hurt before getting up. Getting up too quickly or in the wrong way could make an injury worse.” When my wife fell, people tried to help her get up right away when what she needed to do was to adjust to the pain and mentally check her body to see if she was all in one piece. Insist on time to do this when people try to help."

“If you think you can get up safely without help, roll over onto your side. Rest again while your body and blood pressure adjust. Slowly get up on your hands and knees, and crawl to a sturdy chair.

“Put your hands on the chair seat and slide one foot forward so that it is flat on the floor. Keep the other leg bent so the knee is on the floor. From this kneeling position, slowly rise and turn your body to sit in the chair.

“If you are hurt or cannot get up on your own, ask someone for help or call 911. If you are alone, try to get into a comfortable position and wait for help to arrive.

“Carrying a mobile or portable phone with you as you move about your house could make it easier to call someone if you need assistance. An emergency response system, which lets you push a button on a special necklace or bracelet to call for help, is another option.”