LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT

LIFE AFTER RETIREMENT:

What are the options available after retirement.?
1] CARE TAKER OF THE FAMILY :wherein the retired man /woman takes care of the day to day household work like paying bills, taxes, purchasing daily needs, attending telephone calls, baby sitting, answering front door bells etc.. This type of retirement life is more or less thrust upon them while the youngsters are busy building up their career, name ,image ,focus entirely being towards a monitory oriented .There is hardly any time or intention for relaxed family get-together. .If both the seniors and the children have their own freedom there will be mutual respect with healthy relationship.


2] TAKE UP A SECOND SALARIED CAREER:This type of retired life becomes obligatory when there is no financial support, and the need is to take care of the spouse. One is left with no choice except to live with their children who don’t offer any helping hand. but expect them to take up option [1} i.e. care taker of the family. Under such circumstances retired persons forced to meet his or her medical expenses and daily needs. Hence a retired citizen has to take up a remunerative job to meet the ends in spite of his infirmity.

3]BECOME A MOUSE OR COUCH POTATO:Addiction to T.V. or computer is no doubt time passing but eventually lead to obesity,hypertension,cardiac problem, depression,alzhemier disease. This is certainly contraindicated. This type addiction will no doubt invite physical and mental abuse from children

4] CHOOSE TO LIVE IN A RETIREMNET COMMUNITY:This seems to be the best option when a citizen has [a] saved enough wealth to take care of both husband and wife [b]in reasonable good health [c]insured against medical expenses [d]maintaining a harmonious relationship with children. This will ensure freedom to children to live their chosen way of life and avoid day-to-day friction between in-laws., and avoid contempt breeding In fact this will strengthen the bond and relationship with affection between parents and children when they get-together during family functions or holidaying together with grand children
Living in a retirement community will open up opportunities to explore new avenues to do something different to give vent to your latent hidden thoughts, take up hobbies like gardening, reading, agriculture, bee keeping, recreational activities like golf, shuttle, chess, scrable etc.One will be able to interact with co citizens to go together to temples, pilgrimage centers etc.Life in retirement community with different form of engagement we are free to choose want we want.. This gives a great deal satisfaction and peace of mind. We are free to engage in group activities like social service, helping orphanage children, health care for tribal people etc.. Opportunities to take part in meditation, yoga etc will provide positive emotional energy and help to slow the aging process.. With right attitude this change this life will be a most satisfying period of leisure and contended life. There is sense of freedom with new life rhythm. We will be able to relish the quietness and appreciate of being alone and not wanting to be among the rat race crowd. What seemed important earlier doesn’t seem to be any more.

The most vital aspect of retired life is not only to keep our physical well being but also to keep our mind active, energetic, willimgness to lend our ears to others views, and accept things and people as they are .It is essential for a retired senior citizen to have self belief in his /her ability to handle pain,sorrow,or good news with equilibrium. Day to day learning new words, solving crosswords, puzzles will energize the brain and boost up the immune system. Above all as we age we should accept life as it is, learn to be listener rather than critical, view other opinion as suggestion rather than critical or reprimanding, develop compassion and empathy ,cut down our expectations and demand to the bare minimum. This way we become wiser and age gracefully.

IDEAL RETIREMENT PLACE

IDEAL RETIREMENT PLACE:

Let me first discuss retirement plan for a couple.Husband and wife agree towards retirement.. I am sure that lady more than the husband will be more willing to retire early considering the fact that she has been all these years looked after the house keeping, cooking, cleaning, washing etc . Sure enough she looks forward to a relaxed life which will free her of the burden. All the more these days when getting reliable house help is a daunting problem. It is often said that after retirement the wife gets a full time husband. Not many husbands are keen to help out with the house keeping since either they are unwilling or too lazy or unfamiliar with job .Now we have a case when the lady feels enough is enough with the housekeeping and the husband not keen to give a helping hand to the lady. Both of them are eager to retire and there will be no need for house keeping and the husband also is free..They will have to find a place to be taken care of reg.their food, health, security..Food preferably vegetarian should be easily digestible with less oil, salt fried foods etc .basic health care, emergency medical aid should be available with in the campus. Facilities to take care of them till their end with nursing assistance, physiotherapy are essential. Having lived in urban surroundings all these years retirement place should be free from noise and air pollution. Security for the residents with round the clock watch and ward, intercom communication system, fire extinquisheretc are essential
For a bachelor, divorcee, or spinster the retirement plan is much simpler since he /she are alone to decide without the need to give respect the views of the spouse.
Living in retirement homes will open up avenues for socializing with like minded citizens, form a platform for discussion, to create opportunities like part time education, teaching embroidery, toy making etc.These will impart a sense purpose in life with commitment. Here we have something to live for, where there is no room for brooding over the past or worrying about the future.
Facilities for supervised yoga, meditation will help to inculcate compassion, empathy etc

Like minded citizens are free to get together and take picnic tour to hill stations or pilgrimage to temples..
Keeping pets like dogs will ensure a sense of belonging. Opportunities to take up a hobby like gardening, bee keeping, vocal or instrumental music, taking part in laughter club or indoor games like chess, scrable, and dart will help to rejuvenate the aging mind..

All such activities will prevent the aging mind sinking into depression.

PLAN BEFORE RETIREMENT

PLAN BEFORE RETIREMENT

During our professional or business life we chart out a plan for next day, next week and so on. Similarly we must plan well in advance for our retirement, whether we are planning for a second career or just sit at home as care taker of the family, looking after the children paying bills etc. if one chooses to take up an income generating second career then we are back to square one living with our ego to build up an image in the society. If one chooses to be a care taker of the family then we are open to criticism, abuse by children etc. which will eventually lead to depression. We should not consider retirement as a set back but look forward to it with advance planning so that we enjoy our retirement.

FULCRUM OF RETIREMENT PLAN

A]High morale; First we must accept that aging is a biological inevitable process and in order that we don’t decay develop mind set to give vent to our thoughts open our mind to keep ourselves active with our chosen hobby or activity. With low morale our immune system is depressed and it means new diseases are likely to engulf us.

B] Finance planning: plan well in advance say 4 years earlier and take into consideration 1] inflation,2]reduced income 3] our needs and expectations.mediclaim insurance is essential to cover for hospital expences.we must accept to spend within our reduced income and avoid buying things which we don’t use regularly. when we have saved enough wealth we need not look forward to financial assistance from children or relatives.

3}Health: learn to accept aging with a positive out look ,compassion, forgiveness. All these ensure boundless happiness. Happiness adds years to life but more so life to years. Your immunelogical competence gets a booster.

Food: avoid non.vegetarian food,alcholol,smoking. Good easily digest able organic vegetable food are preferred

Exercise: Moderate regular physical activity helps to keep the circulatory,respiratory,and excretory system in a healthy state.

Hobbies: we must open our mind and give vent to our thoughts and take up a hobby. Hobbies in our retired life give immense joy, pleasure and satisfaction .
Indoor hobbies: painting, handicrafts, bridge card game, chess,reading, correspondencepuzzle solving etc
Out door hobbies: apiculture, gardening, golf, photography, table tennis or tennis. These are some of the hobbies which can be undertaken.

Hobbies with social contacts: teaching, health care of poor people also ensure immense satisfaction. Hobby is the attitude of the mind. In order our mind does't become a devils workshop developing a hobby is a must

Attitude towards other people: don’t try to dominate, don’t insist that your advise is followed, don’t seek sympathy, don’t brood over the past..
As I have mentioned earlier aging is inevitable biological process and as long as we live we should delay the onset of age related disease.
Laughter club:becoming member of a laughter club and group laughing is a good exercise for the body especilly for the respiratory system and also it invigorates the mind adding alertness with a positive frame of mind