Retirement and work, which to you chose?

I thought I was one of the few who retired many times before taking full retirement. However I am, it appears soon to be in the majority. Some 40 percent of people 65 and older who are currently employed were retired at some point according to according to a 2017 Rand Corp. study authored by Nicole Maestas, an economist and associate professor of health-care policy at Harvard Medical School. 

She used data from the Health and Retirement Study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, which has tracked thousands of people age 50 and older over the past two decades.

Almost 20 percent of those age 65 or older old full-time jobs, up from 12 percent in 2000. Falling fertility rates and tighter immigration rules are propelling more employers to retain and hire older workers to fill shortages. That’s providing seniors with extra income to use for travel and entertainment or for new technology and other products.

More than half of men and women age 50 and older who weren’t working or seeking jobs said they’d return to work if the right opportunity comes along, according to an analysis of the 2015 American Working Conditions Survey conducted by economists at the Rand Corp. The percentage is higher among college graduates, 60 percent of whom said they could be enticed out of retirement.

Even retirees in their 70s are finding jobs when they want to earn money and be active, so there is still hope for me if I want to unretire for a while.

One is the Loneliest number

The holiday season will be soon upon us, and at this time of the year, many seniors are alone. Now loneliness is not a normal part of the aging process — but many of the challenges inherent in aging put older adult population at risk. In a new report (pdf file), developed with AARP Foundation support, researchers examined the best existing data to estimate the prevalence of loneliness among adults (age 62-91) in the U.S. The study identifies the characteristics of lonely older adults as well as segments of the older adult population who are at high risk for loneliness. Although related, loneliness and isolation are not the same thing. More than half of older adults (52%)in the United States experience some degree of loneliness

•       Loneliness (also known as subjective isolation) denotes how people perceive their experience and whether or not they feel isolated.

•       Objective isolation involves quantifiable measurements, such as the size of one’s social network (and the frequency of engagement with it), availability of transportation, and ability to access resources and information. The scope of this study was specific to loneliness

Looking at the characteristics of who is or isn’t lonely, some key similarities and differences are worth noting:

•       Education: Education levels don’t differ between lonely and non-lonely individuals.

•       Work/Retirement: Lonely and non-lonely older adults are equally likely to be retired, working or unemployed.

•       Caregiving: Lonely and non-lonely groups are equally likely to be providing care for a dependent.

•       Marital Status: The lonely group is less likely to be married than the non-lonely group, but both married (14%) and unmarried (30%) individuals can be lonely.

•       Income: Lonely older adults have lower household income and less wealth.

•       Living Alone: Lonely people are more likely to live alone, in large part because they are less likely to be married.

•       Health: Although there is no significant difference in number and severity of chronic health conditions between the two groups, lonely people rate their health less positively.

•       Physical Limitations: Lonely older adults have more physical limitations in carrying out the activities of daily living (e.g., dressing, bathing and feeding oneself).

•       Social Interaction: Lonely older adults socialize, volunteer, attend religious services and participate in organized groups less frequently than non-lonely adults.

Risk factors for loneliness include:

•       Not being married

•       Having three or fewer friends

•       Socializing less than once a week

•       Experiencing considerable strain in family relationships

The more risk factors present, the greater the odds of being lonely

What can you do to prevent or alleviate loneliness?

§  Stay or get socially active. Weekly or more frequent group participation, attendance at religious services, volunteering, and socializing with friends may help prevent and reduce loneliness. The less frequently people see each other, the weaker the connections become and the less supportive the relationships are.

§  Nurture relationships. Every relationship has its good and bad sides. The goal is to capitalize on the positive side and minimize the negative side. Reducing strain in family relationships is particularly important because these relationships are often the ones we turn to in times of need.

§  Find and take advantage of local resources. The ability to socialize can be hampered by poor access, other obligations, and even the inability to prepare one’s home for visitors. Explore transportation options, caregiver respite, or opportunities to get involved with activities and meet new people. Libraries, senior centers, community centers and other organizations offer a range of classes and groups, from computer training to arts classes to support groups and much more.

What if?

What if the word victim could be redefined into something closer to hero? 

A victim who speaks out against the wrong helps others to gain the knowledge of what they need to not follow the same path. 

A person is a hero who helps others recognize that the path some have to tread is not for them and will spare others from the same.

Caregiver stress

In Canada. According to the Caregiver Coalition, there are approximately 4 to 5 million unpaid people providing care for a family member with long-term health problems. The majority of these caregivers are women between 45 and 65 years old –but the number of male caregivers is increasing. The economic value of this unpaid work is between 6 to 9 billion dollars 60% of caregivers assist a parent or in-law.

Caregiving can bring many positives, but it can also be physically and emotionally draining. In order to avoid developing what’s known as caregiver burnout, it’s important to find a balance between caring for your loved one and yourself.

The roles of a care giver can be that of a household and financial manager, a communications coordinator, a transportation coordinator and chauffeur a chief cook and dishwasher, a problem-solver, a health aide, a legal assistant, an activist and advocate and an executive secretary. Given all of these roles, it can be of no surprise that caregivers may burn out.

Signs of Caregiver Burnout

·       You no longer find pleasure in things you once found enjoyable.

·       Friends and family have expressed concerns about your well-being.

·       You’re getting negative feedback at work.

·       You’re having problems with your spouse.

·       You experience intense and recurrent feelings of anger, sadness, worry or fear.

·       You have difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping, notice drastic weight changes or unexplained health problems.

·       You find yourself using a substance to cope with, manage or suppress uncomfortable or painful feelings.

·       Regular thoughts of anger or resentment toward the person for whom you’re caring

·       Irritation toward others who aren’t helping with your loved one’s care

·       Isolating yourself from people who aren’t involved in providing care to the person

·       Consistently arriving late to appointments or to visiting the person receiving care, or often leaving early

COMBATING BURNOUT

How can a caregiver combat burnout?

It may seem cliché, but taking a break can be your greatest ally against the development of caregiver burnout. Some strategies include:

·       Enlisting the help of a therapist

·       Finding and participating in a supportive community

·       Making daily gratitude lists and reading affirmations each day

·       Setting aside time for yourself each day

·       learn about the illness or disability

·       talk to others - specify your limits

·       let the recipient know how you are doing

·       focus on one day at a time

·       ask others for help with specific tasks

·       take time for yourself: go for a walk, meet  friends for coffee, pamper yourself

·       set limits for what you can and cannot do get enough sleep and exercise

·       join a support group (live or on line)

·       seek emotional support

·       encourage recipients to do as much as possible independently

·       Making a list of what you can and cannot control in your situation; focus on what you can control and try to accept the things you cannot