Sixties – New Horizons

Is it the beginning of old age?

I prefer the term Senior. It implies knowing more and having more experience. That is what sixty is about.

• The truth is all of life is a transition
• We are all Pioneers on our own journey
• You  have never been here before and never been this age before.
• These years can be surprisingly productive, fruitful and happy but adjustment is part of it  
• Some adjust well, some mindsets help. Embracing change or resisting change. Fixed in patterns, slow to review and reprioritise.
• Adjustments to retirement not easy 
• What to do with time
• Personal sense of worth
• How important work is to feeling connected/ friendships
• Pre-retirement courses fabulous for planning toward, thinking it out , you don’t have to reinvent the wheel others have done it before you. You can learn from them

Old is defined as “living a long time”. Now that life expectancy is rising with better lifestyles and healthcare , where and why do we set that line.

It’s helpful to think of three phases that you may reach at different points.

Age is not the predictor because these phases occur very differently for each person.

New Freedoms, New Horizons, New Simplicity

New Freedoms

This is a time that is marked by more space, more income, more time and more possibilities. Some have difficulty adjusting to this period and struggle with the lack of need for their intense efforts and achievements, whether that is in their career, or child-rearing.

New Horizons 

When they have adjusted to the new freedoms and are beginning to focus on what they can do with your energy and time they begin to decide to do those trips that they always wanted or to write that book they believed that they could. 

New Simplicity

This is  the period when people decide what we don’t want and maybe cannot handle anymore. Letting go of some of the things that are complicating life.

Eg – the larger house -too many relationships -too many commitments- too much physical clutter around you .

Health

There is  good news and bad news. 

If you’ve been active all your life then joints, muscles and bones can stay pretty good 

If not – ageing leads to the wearing down of cartilage, loss of lubricating joint fluid and weaker muscles and you will have achy joints.

Ageing is of course inevitable 

Health issues do and will come in to play

Sixties moves people into the high risk ages for diagnosis of cancers, cardiac issues. 

So mind your health, get your checks, and keep moving.

Grandchildren  

Pluses- Studies show that those who care for grandchildren, live 5 years longer than those who don’t.

The act of “helping others” releases oxytocin – builds bonds

Joy of grandchildren

Post menopausal women who minded grandchildren, once per week had better cognitive abilities and lowered risk of Alzheimers( Australian )

Cuddling boosts your immune system, more touches decreases inflammatory cells and whiiiite cells increase. ( fighter cells)

Learning through the eyes of the grandchildren , keeps you updated and sharpens brain.

Grand Parents describe having time that now that did not have with their own

Loving it / builds self esteem / feel needed / wanted.

Visiting is not the same as childminding- pluses and minuses

Can be issues of boundaries, parenting styles and it’s hard work.

Your Relationships

Empty nest or the re-filled nest

Adult children returning to live with parents – can be very testing on all parties.

Wife / husband /partners new age , a new time, a new level of connectedness or not.

Gaps can show up in a very stark way. 

Time for a new structure, some natural space from each other. Hobbies, golf, groups.  

Friendships

Work on keeping in touch, with colleagues, old friends, new friends through volunteering

And pursuing hobbies

PRE-RETIREMENT COURSES- Retirement Planning Council of Ireland –https://www.rpc.ie/courses/

Think about doing a pre-retirement course. Most large organisations offer them to staff, but if not contact the Retirement Planning Council at 01- 4789471