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Retirement is a hard-earned break after devoting your time and energy to your career for so many years of your life. It can be a welcome break for many; however, it can also be a little intimidated. In the blink of an eye, you have lots of free time on your hands that you never had before. This can be fun at first, but after a while, it can start to feel monotonous if you don’t have something to engage you.
Some seniors worry about being able to find their purpose and define their lives after retirement. While it does take a bit of effort, you can find a variety of ways to keep yourself busy and find a sense of fulfillment when your working days are over.
Ideas to Consider
Don’t Fully Retire Right Away
You don’t have to fully retire right away. Annuity.org states, “More than half of workers (55%) plan to work in retirement.” (1) There are many benefits to keeping a part-time job after you retire from a full-time job. A part-time job can provide you with some extra income, keep you busy, help you socialize, and provide you with a sense of purpose. Some simple part-time jobs you may want to consider include:
· Tutor
· Accountant
· Pet Sitter
· Delivery Person
· Concierge
· Coach
· Blogger
· Personal Assistant
· Substitute Teacher
· Librarian
· Greeter/Cashier
A part-time job can keep you busy without tiring you out. If you do take a part-time job, be sure to get a mobile medical alert necklace for the elderly. This can keep you safe while traveling back and forth between your job. If you experience any type of emergency on your way to or from work or on the job, you will have an instant way to contact someone for help.
8 Ways to Find Purpose and Fulfillment After Retirement
1. Do What Makes You Happy
"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness." – Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet
The things that make you happy tend to also be the things that also make you feel fulfilled. Think about what activities make you happy or what the happiest days of your life have been. Then do more of those activities. If you love spending time with grandchildren, take them on outings or go to their sporting events and concerts. If you love animals, consider getting a pet, visiting a zoo, or volunteering at an animal rescue center.
2. Find a Hobby
If you are aging in place, hobbies are a great way to spend time doing what you love. Whether you want to create things, play games, or learn, there are hundreds of hobbies for seniors to participate in. Some ideas include:
· Fitness and Sports
· Crafts
· Gardening
· Photography
· Cooking
· Genealogy
· Collecting
· Board Games and Card Games
Some hobbies on this list can even make you some money. You can create, grow, or bake various goods and sell them. Playing games and continuing to learn is a great way to keep your mind sharp so that you can remain healthy, avoid Alzheimer’s, and keep your risk of falling low.
3. Socialize
Socialization is another way to keep your mind sharp. It improves your mood, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, boosts your immunity, boosts self-esteem and more. Working on being a good grandmother, parent, friend, or neighbor can help give you a sense of purpose. It allows you the chance to provide advice to people, support them, and make their life better.
When you do go out to visit friends, family, and neighbors, be sure to wear a mobile emergency alert system for seniors. If you happen to fall or have a medical emergency while you are socializing, you can instantly contact an emergency response agent to get the help you need.
4. Exercise
Exercise improves your strength, balance, energy, immune system, mood, and your cognitive functions. All these benefits also help reduce your risk of falling. By exercising regularly, you can improve your overall health and well-being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that older adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. (2) You should also do some fall prevention exercises that improve your strength and balance. This will help keep yourself safe and keep you more energized throughout the day.
A medical alert watch for seniors is the perfect complementary tool for seniors who enjoy exercise or are trying to improve their fitness level. Not only can it help you contact someone for help if you fall or experience a medical emergency, but it can also tell you the weather and track your steps. By holding down the button on the side, you can contact an emergency response agent whenever and wherever you need help. You can talk to the agent through a speaker within the watch to get help fast. Other built-in features include a weather app and pedometer, which can help you properly prepare for outdoor exercise and help you meet your stepping goals.
5. Learn Something New
Albert Einstein said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” It is never too late to learn something new. Whether you simply enjoy reading books or want to learn a new skill, learning new things is a great way to keep your brain active and your mind healthy. Find something you are curious about, whether it be a topic or skill, and pursue it.
6. Travel
Traveling can keep you stimulated by giving you new sights to see and new ways of thinking. It can make you happier, relieve stress, boost your creativity, and make you physically healthier. If there are any places you have always wanted to see, but haven’t, book a trip and have the adventure of a lifetime. According to Suddenly Senior, “Seniors represent 80% of all luxury travel purchased in the U.S., making up 65% of all cruise passengers and typically spending 74% more on vacations than the 18-49 years old population segment.” (3)
On-the-go medical alert devices for the elderly offer protection to seniors who enjoy traveling. This emergency response solution offers a built-in 2-way speaker so you can talk to an emergency response agent from anywhere in the United States. You can also add a GPS and fall detection sensor to your device. With the GPS, your agent can easily pinpoint your location to send help exactly where it needs to go. The fall detection alert button offers extra protection as it can automatically contact an emergency response agent for you when it registers a fall. If you are injured or can’t press a button for any reason, the fall detector can provide you with an alternative way to get the help you need.
7. Volunteer
Many seniors who volunteer gain a sense of purpose as they are helping others fulfill their needs or goals. Volunteering can also improve confidence, teach you new skills, challenge you, and allow you to meet new people. A survey from Annuity.org found that, 64% of women and 47% of men plan to volunteer in retirement. (4)
A medical alert wrist watch is a great tool to wear while you are volunteering. It can tell you the time so that you know if you are on pace with your tasks and tell you the weather so that you can properly prepare for outdoor work. If you fall or experience a medical emergency, you will also have a fast way to contact an emergency response agent for help.
8. Find a Life Coach
A life coach can help you find a purpose and set you on the right track for a fulfilling life after retirement. They will guide you as you write the next chapter of your life and provide you with support in reaching your goals. A life coach can also help you ask yourself deep questions to give you insight about what you may need to do to feel better if you are feeling lonely, depressed, or unfulfilled.
Keep Yourself Safe While You Go on Adventures
Age doesn’t necessarily have to stop you from doing all the things you love and want to do. You may simply need to make a few adjustments here and there to keep yourself safe and healthy. For instance, an Alert1 emergency response solution can help keep you safe while you participate in all the activities you love. Whether you choose the in-home button, the on-the-go button, or both, you can get the protection you require to do the things you love with the peace of mind that you can get help wherever and whenever you may need it.
Emergency response agents are available 24/7/365 to help with any fall or medical emergency. You don’t have to worry about typing many numbers into a phone, finding the right contact, or hoping that your loved one will answer their phone. An emergency response agent will always be there to get you the help you need when you press the button on your medical alert system for seniors. The agent will also stay on the line until the help you need arrives.
Live Your Life and Find Your Purpose
“Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.” -- David Bowie, (English singer-songwriter)
During your working life, you may not have had the time to do all the things you wanted to do. Now that you have more time, go out and do the things that you enjoy and that make you feel fulfilled. There are plenty of opportunities to enrich your purpose and fulfillment after retirement.
1,4 Borwick, Kim. 2020. Retirement. Annuity.org. 50 Essential Retirement Statistics for 2020.
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff. n.d. Physical Activity Basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Physical Activity Do Older Adults Need?
3 Suddenly Senior staff. July. 2020. Trivia & Facts. Suddenly Senior. Senior Citizen Facts, Figures, and Statistics for 2021.