Retirement Life

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Sir Michael Caine announces bombshell news

<p>After decades of captivating audiences with his extraordinary talent, Sir Michael Caine has officially announced his retirement from acting.</p> <p>The 90-year-old British acting legend made this revelation shortly after the release of his latest film, <em>The Great Escaper</em>. In an interview with the BBC, Caine reflected on his illustrious career, his recent film, and what the future holds for him.</p> <p>Caine has been a household name in the world of cinema for generations. The esteemed actor has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including Oscars, Golden Globe Awards and Baftas. His cinematic journey began in the early 1950s, and over the years, he has left an indelible mark on the film industry, starring in over 160 films across a span of seven remarkable decades.</p> <p>His filmography is a testament to his versatility, ranging from classic movies like <em>Zulu</em> and <em>The Italian Job</em> to more recent blockbusters like <em>Interstellar</em> and his iconic role as Alfred Pennyworth in <em>The Dark Knight</em> franchise alongside Christian Bale.</p> <p>However, it was his role in <em>The Great Escaper</em> that pushed Caine to make the life-altering decision to retire. In the film, he portrays real-life World War II veteran Bernie Jordan, who escapes from a care home to attend D-Day celebrations in France. Caine's performance received rave reviews, but it also prompted him to question his future in acting.</p> <p>“I keep saying I'm going to retire. Well, I am now,” Caine shared with the BBC. “I've had a picture where I've played the lead and had incredible reviews... What am I going to do that will beat this?”</p> <p>Caine's frank assessment of his career, acknowledging that at 90, leading roles for him were limited, was a heartfelt moment for both him and his fans. He humorously noted that the only roles he could expect now were for 90 or maybe 85-year-old men. Leading men are reserved for the young and handsome, and he saw no reason to continue in the industry under those circumstances. Caine felt it was time to exit the stage gracefully and on his terms.</p> <p>Even the role in <em>The Great Escaper</em> was not one he initially embraced. He had declined the role three times before ultimately accepting it, as he considered himself already retired at the time.</p> <p>In this poignant moment, Caine also paid tribute to his co-star in the film, Glenda Jackson, who passed away in June, shortly after the completion of the movie. Jackson was a beloved actress and a longtime friend of Caine.</p> <p>Caine's retirement from acting doesn't mean he's stepping away from the creative world entirely. He recently completed a novel titled <em>Deadly Game</em>, scheduled for release a month after his announcement. The novel features DCI Harry Taylor, a detective known for his disregard for red tape and political reputations. Caine expressed his excitement about venturing into the world of thriller writing, noting that it was a genre he adores. He hoped that readers would enjoy getting to know Harry Taylor as much as he did while crafting the character.</p> <p>Sir Michael Caine's retirement marks the end of an era in the film industry, but it also heralds the beginning of a new chapter in his life as an author. His impact on cinema and his dedication to his craft will be remembered for generations to come, making him an enduring icon in the annals of film history.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Happy ending after company's awful retirement send-off

<p>An elderly gentleman in the United States, who had faithfully served as an "extremely dependable" employee for 42 years, recently experienced a remarkable change in his fortunes, thanks in large part to the generosity of individuals from Australia.</p> <p>John Bartlett, the dedicated worker in question, had received <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/you-deserve-more-company-slammed-over-measly-send-off-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">underwhelming recognition from an unnamed company</a> for his decades of commitment. His daily 40-minute commute on public transportation to a job paying only the minimum wage went largely unnoticed until recently, causing widespread consternation.</p> <p>Sonia, one of his colleagues, was deeply moved by the perceived injustice and decided to share a video clip of Bartlett's story online. In her post, she expressed her wish that his hard work had been better acknowledged and thanked him for his unwavering loyalty. She noted that Bartlett loved his job so much that he was reluctant to retire, receiving nothing more than a barbecue and a certificate as a token of appreciation.</p> <p>After sharing Bartlett's story on social media, Sonia was inundated with messages from people eager to contribute to his well-deserved retirement. Responding to this outpouring of support, she set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/happy-retirement-john#xd_co_f=YjM1NWNiYzAtN2QwYS00MDc2LTgzZWEtNzRiYzE2ZjczZDU2~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> campaign, inviting the public to contribute "a little something for a better retirement" for him.</p> <p>Within a matter of days, the fundraiser received an overwhelming response, with donations and messages pouring in from around the world, including numerous contributions from Australians. The campaign was eventually closed after more than 1,900 individuals contributed, resulting in a total of A$57,454 for Bartlett's retirement fund.</p> <p>In his 70s, Bartlett was left speechless when Sonia shared this incredible news with him. She conveyed the global impact of his story and the messages of support he had received from people across the globe. Overwhelmed by the gesture, Bartlett could only smile and nod in response.</p> <p>“They left messages for you," said Sonia in the video. "So I’m going to print it out and go ahead and make something nice for you so you can read it on your own time. We started the GoFundMe because they wanted to give you something for your retirement on their part and it just blew up overnight. You deserve it, OK? I’m going to make sure everything goes to your account, just for you.”</p> <p>Supporters encouraged Bartlett to use the funds for special treats, like a grand holiday or for spending time with loved ones. Messages from donors expressed their heartfelt wishes for his retirement and new beginnings.</p> <p>Sonia expressed her gratitude to the donors, assuring them that every cent raised would be placed directly into Bartlett's account. In her final update to the GoFundMe account, she thanked donors for their kindness and reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring Bartlett received every penny, attributing the success of the campaign to their collective efforts.</p> <p>In the end, the power of community and compassion won out, as people from all walks of life came together to make a meaningful difference in the life of an individual who had dedicated so much to his job.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Kids dressing up as older people is harmless fun, right? No, it’s ageist, whatever Bluey says

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-mitchell-1143692">Lisa Mitchell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>A child once approached me, hunched over, carrying a vacuum cleaner like a walking stick. In a wobbly voice, he asked: "Do you want to play grannies?"</p> <p>The idea came from the children’s TV show Bluey, which <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ABCKidsCommunity/videos/bluey-grannies/468144817266668/">has</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ABCKidsCommunity/videos/new-bluey-episodes-the-grannies-are-back-abc-kids/371436135028190/">episodes</a>, <a href="https://www.bluey.tv/products/grannies-book/">a book</a>, <a href="https://www.discountmags.com/magazine/bluey-september-1-2023-digital">magazine</a> editions and an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBlueyTV/videos/grannies-filter-bluey/5728362390510269/">image filter</a> about dressing up as “grannies”.</p> <p>Children are also dressing up as 100-year-olds to mark their first “100 days of school”, an idea <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/old-people-s-home-for-five-year-olds-prep-students-don-senior-citizen-attire-20230801-p5dszb.html">gaining popularity</a> <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/cardigans-wigs-and-canes-why-kindy-students-are-dressing-up-as-100-year-olds-20230720-p5dpu8.html">in Australia</a>.</p> <p>Is this all just harmless fun?</p> <h2>How stereotypes take hold</h2> <p>When I look at the older people in my life, or the patients I see as a geriatrician, I cannot imagine how to suck out the individual to formulate a “look”.</p> <p>But Google “older person dress-ups” and you will find <a href="https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/dress-up-like-youre-100-years-old-100thdayofschool--15199717464361356/">Pinterests</a> and <a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Dress-Up-Like-an-Old-Person#:%7E:text=Dress%20in%20comfortable%2C%20loose%2Dfitting,older%20people%20may%20wear%20include%3A&amp;text=Oversized%20sweatshirts">Wikihow pages</a> doing just that.</p> <p>Waistcoats, walking sticks, glasses and hunched backs are the key. If you’re a “granny”, don’t forget a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBlueyTV/videos/games-you-can-play-at-home-grannies-bluey/645964056227345/">shawl and tinned beans</a>. You can buy “old lady” <a href="https://www.spotlightstores.com/party/costumes-and-accessories/costume-accessories/wigs-hair-accessories/wigs/spartys-kids-old-lady-wig-with-curlers/80578132?gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw0vWnBhC6ARIsAJpJM6emZHoNxO72pUa80Wc8ihYYiq3AohZ_w72jmuWBBDlficdCMy_rsK8aAj47EALw_wcB">wigs</a> or an “old man” <a href="https://www.bigw.com.au/product/facial-hair-set-old-man-3-pieces/p/305026">moustache and bushy eyebrows</a>.</p> <p>This depiction of how older people look and behave is a stereotype. And if dressing up as an older person is an example, such stereotypes are all around us.</p> <h2>What’s the harm?</h2> <p>There is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/hypa.12170">some debate</a> about whether stereotyping is intrinsically wrong, and if it is, why. But there is plenty of research about the harms of <em>age</em> stereotypes or ageism. That’s harm to current older people and harm to future older people.</p> <p>The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageism#tab=tab_1">defines ageism</a> as: "the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or ourselves based on age."</p> <p>Ageism <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageism#tab=tab_1">contributes to</a> social isolation, reduced health and life expectancy and costs economies <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/60/1/174/5166947">billions of dollars</a> globally.</p> <p>When it comes to health, the impact of negative stereotypes and beliefs about ageing may be even <a href="https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/60/1/174/5166947">more harmful</a> than the discrimination itself.</p> <p>In laboratory studies, older people perform <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4360754/">worse</a> than expected on tasks such as memory or thinking after being shown negative stereotypes about ageing. This may be due to a “<a href="https://www.simplypsychology.org/stereotype-threat.html">stereotype threat</a>”. This is when a person’s performance is impaired because they are worried about confirming a negative stereotype about the group they belong to. In other words, they perform less well because they’re worried about acting “old”.</p> <p>Another theory is “stereotype embodiment”. This is where people absorb negative stereotypes throughout their life and come to believe decline is an inevitable consequence of ageing. This leads to biological, psychological and physiological changes that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2927354/">create</a> a self-fulfilling prophecy.</p> <p>I have seen this in my clinic with people who do well, until they realise they’re an older person – a birthday, a fall, a revelation when they look in the mirror. Then, they stop going out, stop exercising, stop seeing their friends.</p> <p>Evidence for “stereotype embodiment” comes from studies that show people with more negative views about ageing are more likely to have higher levels of stress hormones (such as cortisol and C-reactive protein) and are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7182003/">less likely</a> to engage in health behaviours, such as exercising and eating healthy foods.</p> <p>Younger adults with negative views about ageing are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2666386/">more likely</a> to have a heart attack up to about 40 years later. People with the most negative attitudes towards ageing have a lower life expectancy by as much as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12150226/">7.5 years</a>.</p> <p>Children are particularly susceptible to absorbing stereotypes, a process <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2007-09385-010">that starts</a> in early childhood.</p> <h2>Ageism is all around us</h2> <p><a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageism#tab=tab_1">One in two people</a> have ageist views, so tackling ageism is complicated given it is socially acceptable and normalised.</p> <p>Think of all the birthday cards and jokes about ageing or phrases like “geezer” and “old duck”. Assuming a person (including yourself) is “too old” for something. Older people say it is harder to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-06/senior-job-seekers-struggle-to-get-a-foot-in-the-door/102563144">find work</a> and they face discrimination in <a href="https://www.hcnsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Ageism-in-Health-Care_final.pdf">health care</a>.</p> <h2>How can we reduce ageism?</h2> <p>We can reduce ageism through laws, policies and education. But we can also reduce it via <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageism#tab=tab_1">intergenerational contact</a>, where older people and younger people come together. This helps break down the segregation that allows stereotypes to fester. Think of the TV series <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/old-people-s-home-for-4-year-olds">Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds</a> or the follow-up <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/old-people-s-home-for-teenagers">Old People’s Home for Teenagers</a>. More simply, children can hang out with their older relatives, neighbours and friends.</p> <p>We can also challenge a negative view of ageing. What if we allowed kids to imagine their lives as grandparents and 100-year-olds as freely as they view their current selves? What would be the harm in that?<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212607/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lisa-mitchell-1143692"><em>Lisa Mitchell</em></a><em>, Geriatrician working in clinical practice. PhD Candidate at The University of Melbourne studying ethics and ageism in health care. Affiliate lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-dressing-up-as-older-people-is-harmless-fun-right-no-its-ageist-whatever-bluey-says-212607">original article</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

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“You deserve more”: Company slammed over measly send-off party

<p dir="ltr">A company has been slammed online for their measly attempt to farewell a hard-working employee of 42 years. </p> <p dir="ltr">John Barlett was a dedicated worker for four decades, commuting long distances to work at minimum wage and give his all to his colleagues. </p> <p dir="ltr">After 42 years of hard work, John announced his retirement from the company, prompting a measly farewell party from his place of work. </p> <p dir="ltr">One of John’s longtime co-worker, Sonia, was devastated over the injustice, sharing a short clip to social media of John – now in his 70s – and what she felt was his hard work going unappreciated.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Today is my co-worker’s last day. He worked for this company for 42 years making minimum wage,” Sonia wrote with the video. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The company only threw him a barbecue and gave him a certificate. He takes the bus and Bart (train) to get here every day on time. He’s 70+.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He loves working here so much he didn’t want to retire. [He got] No bonus, just a barbecue and a certificate. Don’t be a slave to your job. Thank you John for your loyalty.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video quickly went viral and was flooded with comments of support for John, with one person even suggesting that John start a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/happy-retirement-john" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> for people to contribute to his retirement. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the fundraiser, she revealed John could not drive because of a disability, but “rain or shine” would always make it to work.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was “extremely dependable”, Sonia added, revealing it had been difficult to convince him to take a break because he always wanted to work. </p> <p dir="ltr">He was “one of the most talented and hard working” employees at the company and his energy was “unmatched”, she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He has no wife or kids, however he does have a nephew whom he loves dearly,” she wrote in the fundraiser.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It would be nice to give him some kind of company or something to do so he knows that he’s special and loved.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the few days since the GoFundMe was created, it has raised almost $45,000, as many shared their comments of support.</p> <p dir="ltr">One person wrote, “Happy retirement, John. You deserve more than what this company has offered you. Wish you all the best in your life and your future.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

Retirement Life

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104-year-old woman becomes world's oldest skydiver

<p>A 104-year-old Chicago woman is believed to be the oldest person in the world to tandem skydive, after jumping off a plane from 13,500 feet (4,100 meters) in northern Illinois. </p> <p>On Sunday the 1st of October, Dorothy Hoffner left her walker behind without hesitation and hopped on a Skyvan to set a world record.</p> <p>The 104-year-old could not contain her excitement as she sat on the plane.</p> <p>“Let’s go, let’s go, Geronimo!” she said. </p> <p>Hoffner first started skydiving when she was 100, and initially had to be pushed out of the aircraft, but this time around, things were different. </p> <p>The centenarian insisted on leading the jump while tethered to a U.S. Parachute Association-certified instructor. She was cool and confident as the plane doors opened to reveal the golden crop fields below. </p> <p>Hoffner fearlessly tumbled out of the plane head first and successfully did a forward roll before freefalling from 13,500 feet in the air. </p> <p>The dive lasted seven minutes, including the parachutes slow descent on to the ground. </p> <p>As soon as she landed at Skydive Chicago in Ottawa, just 140 km southwest of Chicago, friends rushed in to share their congratulations. </p> <p>When asked how it felt to be back on land she simply replied with: “Wonderful." </p> <p>“But it was wonderful up there. The whole thing was delightful, wonderful, couldn’t have been better."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rQQyc9kRfio?si=3uj4x5hTPyyU6HrJ" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Moments after her touchdown, the centenarian told the cheering crowd: “Age is just a number." </p> <p>The previous Guinness World Record for oldest skydiver was set in May 2022 by 103-year-old Swedish woman Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson. </p> <p>Skydive Chicago is currently working with Guinness World Records to certify Hoffner's jump as a record according to <em>WLS-TV</em>. </p> <p>Hoffner's final message for those who haven't tried it: “Skydiving is a wonderful experience, and it’s nothing to be afraid of. Just do it." </p> <p><em>Images: ABC 7 Chicago / Skydive Chicago</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Sickness or health: Healthy life split along gender, education lines

<p>Australians are living and working longer than ever, but the number of healthy years they’re enjoying with this added longevity isn’t shared equally between the sexes, or by those who finished school before Year 12.</p> <div class="copy"> <p>A paper recently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00129-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-type="URL" data-id="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00129-9">published</a> in <em>The Lancet</em> <em>Public Health</em> from the Ageing Futures Institute at the University of New South Wales shows an increase in longevity in Australia. Other data in the publication reveal detail about “healthy years”.</p> <p>Men, and those with higher levels of education, worked about 2 years longer in good health. For women and those with lower education, the years of healthy life expectancy have gone backwards.</p> <p>The report, led by statistician Dr Kim Kiely who is now based at The University of Wollongong, compared representative cohorts of people aged 50-100 who participated in the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey (HILDA). Those cohorts were measured over decade long periods – the first from 2001-2010 and the second from 2011-2020.</p> <p>Men added an extra 11 months of healthy life between the cohorts, while women lost a month. Similarly those of any gender who had completed year 12 added about 10 months to their healthy life expectancy, while the same amount of time was lost by those who hadn’t.</p> <p>“Everyone’s increasing their working life expectancy, so the years they’re expected to be working,” Kiely says. “What is different is how long they’re expected to be living in good health: women and people with low education didn’t have an improvement in healthy life expectancy.</p> <p>“Everyone’s also living longer than ever before, but for women, those extra years seem to be years of poor health.  People with lower education – they end up going backwards, they’re losing years of healthy life.”</p> <p>Australia’s working life trends are similar to those in Europe and the UK, though this research suggests the Australian labour force works longer in poor health than their antipodean counterparts.</p> <p>Kiely says the findings are important considerations for policymakers pondering questions of retirement and pension ages: the demands of some labour may not be evenly spread when it comes to considering health implications.</p> <p>“We have a pension age that has been rising steadily over the past couple of decades – it’s not rising anymore – but there is a strong expectation for people to be working longer,” Kiely says. “And if that is the case, then we need opportunities for work for mature age, older adults, and those work opportunities have to be suitable for their capacity to work.</p> <p>“We do need to address things like age and gender discrimination in the workforce. And we need to think about how we support people who are unable to work before they reach the pension age.”</p> <p>Kiely is extending his research into how the nature of work in Australia influences these high-level findings. He hopes this can explain why gender and education influence healthy working years.</p> <p>Further drilling down into other subgroups is important, say Dr Marty Lynch and Dr Ross Wilkie from Keele University, UK. They investigated healthy working life expectancy as part of Britain’s Independent State Pension Age Review last year. They too found Briton were working longer, but not at a rate that keeps pace with the national pension age.</p> <p>In a <em>Lancet</em> editorial accompanying the Australian research, they point out that the HILDA data evaluation only shows changes in average ages on gender and education lines.</p> <p>“The extent of HWLE [Healthy Working Life Expectancy] inequalities between subpopulations with multiple specific characteristics are likely to be even wider and will also indicate targets and interventions to increase the number of years that people can be healthy and in work,” they say.</p> <p>The impact of socioeconomic status on life expectancy and disease burden was recently highlighted in a large-scale review of Australia’s 30-year health data.</p> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/australias-life-expectancy-is-up-but-healthy-years-are-a-different-story/">It found</a> while Australians have added 6 years to their life expectancy since 1990, those with lower socioeconomic backgrounds had a higher risk of death-causing disease.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/sickness-or-health-healthy-life-split-along-gender-education-lines/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="null">Cosmos</a>. </em></p> </div>

Retirement Life

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Retirement reinvented: how to find fulfilment later in life

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tania-wiseman-1183187">Tania Wiseman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swansea-university-2638">Swansea University</a></em></p> <p>Retirement can feel like a strange time for many people. Gone is the routine of work, your time is your own – in theory. How to stop chores from taking over can become a tricky balance. Some people retreat and return to work. Often, those that persevere find they are as busy as ever – but not always with the fun leisurely activities they were looking forward to.</p> <p>It’s strange that this is so often the case because retirement is something many of us look forward to for most of our working lives. Indeed, it’s the one time in life when you can really devote yourself to hobbies and interests, leisure and pleasure.<br />This uncertain picture means that approaching retirement can be a time of fear – <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkudla/2020/03/13/6-ways-to-ease-your-retirement-anxiety/">retirement anxiety</a> is a real thing. So too are the <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/retirement-stress-taking-it-too-easy-can-be-bad-for-you">retirement blues</a>.</p> <p>When you add in potential health concerns and financial worries, it’s maybe not surprising that a recent survey found that more than half of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/money/more-than-half-of-over40s-feel-anxious-about-retiring-survey-suggests-b2146484.html">over-40s feel anxious about retiring</a>.</p> <p>One retirement challenge is how to replace the <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ger-2020-0109/html#:%7E:text=We%20find%20that%20retirement%20changes,effect%20on%20the%20network's%20size.">friendships</a> you make through work. Indeed, it seems the people who fare best in retirement find ways to cultivate connections.</p> <p>The longest-running <a href="https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/">study on human happiness</a> found the thing that makes us most happy in life is our relationships and positive social connections – they also help us to live longer too. Indeed, this 85-year-old Harvard study shows that maintaining quality relationships has a huge benefit for our physical and mental health and wellbeing.</p> <p>Similarly, the charity The Centre for Better Ageing has found that <a href="https://ageing-better.org.uk/resources/later-life-2015-executive-summary">social connections</a> are just as important as money and health to a good later life.</p> <h2>Beyond routine</h2> <p>When it comes to retirement anxiety, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_2">my research</a> with retirees shows that most people who have been retired for several years learn to manage their concerns and develop <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">satisfying and interesting lives</a>.</p> <p>As with a lot of us, most of their time was taken up with home-based chores, self-care, looking after friends and relatives and serving the community – along with working really hard to keep fit, so as to “age well”.</p> <p>But my research also found that negative notions of ageing can <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1">become internalised</a> and prevent people from having fun and making new connections.</p> <p>In my study, people said they were conscious that others might judge the <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/bfm:978-3-030-71672-1/1?pdf=chapter%20toc">suitability of their leisure choices</a>. While some rebels could only really enjoy a pastime if they knew their children would disapprove (think daytime drinking, gambling, watching TV, cycling on busy roads in a rainstorm and flirting with strangers), most were limited in their leisure choices by this concern.</p> <p>Several did not have any pastimes they enjoyed. <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_6">Those who found a balance</a> had rich and varied leisure lives, but they preferred people from their own age group and a similar background, where they were less likely to be told how amazing they are, for their age.</p> <h2>From anxiety to adventure</h2> <p>While mixing with people from similar backgrounds and age groups can feel safe and comfortable. It can also mean you miss out on new and interesting experiences or having your worldviews challenged or expanded by spending time with different people</p> <p>Retirement is the ideal opportunity to mix things up and gently expand your leisure repertoire. It’s a time to embrace the convivial in the presence of others, not just the usual people you see.</p> <p>If you are happy with your leisure life, great. But if there is a little something missing, a little fun that could enhance it, consider adding in something new. Think outside the box of what’s “<a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-71672-1_5">suitable for your age group</a>”, (what does that even mean?). Indeed, age should not be a barrier to anything, age discrimination is illegal. So if you’re interested then it’s suitable.</p> <p>If you have limited resources learn a language with <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Duolingo</a> in five minutes a day. Then when you’re ready, find a language conversation group and join them for a social event.</p> <p>Learn a song, you can do it yourself using YouTube tutorials. If you enjoy that, you could join a community choir, or drag your friends and family to a karaoke night. You could even pick up an instrument and see how it feels to add percussion. Alternatively, perfect a dance at home and if you like it try a dance class – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe4xqYSoiUo">pole dancing</a> has become very popular.</p> <p>If you have a bit more time to spare, explore taking an interest to the next level. There are local groups for many activities, including rowing, climbing, circus skills, martial arts and horse riding – what takes your fancy?</p> <p>Not an “organised group” person? Try Frisbee, a boomerang, kite flying, bike rides, skateboarding or roller skating. You don’t have to be with people, just being around them is interesting.</p> <p>For more sedate options consider a cinema club, jazz club, poetry group, or start a quiz team. If you like the TV show <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-great-pottery-throw-down">The Great Pottery Throw Down</a> join a ceramic studio and unlock your inner creativity. If you have a free afternoon or evening, look at <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/">Eventbright</a> and try something random, because we don’t really know what we love until we find it.</p> <p>Nothing has to be a lifelong commitment. If you like it, carry on, if not, then move on to something else. Anything you try will make a good story to tell the younger people in your life – they need to know that later life is an adventure worth working towards.</p> <p>So defy expectations, knock down those mental barriers and try something different. Start today and see where it takes you.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201358/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tania-wiseman-1183187">Tania Wiseman</a>, Associate Professor, Head of Therapies , Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swansea-university-2638">Swansea University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/retirement-reinvented-how-to-find-fulfilment-later-in-life-201358">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Readers Respond: What is something you miss about pre-internet times?

<p>Times are changing and in an increasingly digital world, there are a few things that just don't feel the same.</p> <p>We asked our readers what they missed the most about the pre-internet times and while some shared their nostalgia, others believe that the change is for the better. </p> <p><strong>Jeanie Houston </strong>- The joy of getting a letter from loved ones overseas.</p> <p><strong>Tina Karanastasis</strong> - Having pen pals (a fad in my younger years), writing and receiving handwritten letters, building relationships through shared moments and time spent together face to face.</p> <p><strong>Deirdre Hudson </strong>- Being able to go anywhere without someone calling you</p> <p><strong>Lois Parkes</strong> - Going to a library to research the answer</p> <p><strong>Gini Glenn</strong> - Nothing! I love the internet and mobile phones. You can always leave your phone at home or turn it off. Lovely to have choices.</p> <p><strong>Teresa Hamilton Gross</strong> - Having a conversation with someone who is not looking at their cell phone.</p> <p><strong>Jan Gundersen </strong>- Being out at a restaurant & talking to each other!</p> <p><strong>Don Gregor</strong> - Getting lost while driving/traveling. Met the most interesting people and had the most memorable times. </p> <p><strong>Ann Hazlewood</strong> - Sitting around talking to family</p> <p><strong>Ellen Clarke</strong> - Sitting around the kitchen table & everyone talking at once, miss it! </p> <p><strong>Christine Armstrong </strong>- Letters! I miss getting letters from friends and family in the mail box</p> <p><strong>Beverley Collison</strong> - Listening to stories of the older generation when I was younger. And telephone conversations.</p> <p>Did we miss anything? Let us know if there are other things that you miss from the pre-internet times!</p>

Retirement Life

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Three centenarians share their secret to longevity

<p>Reaching 100 years old is quite an achievement, especially for anyone hitting the milestone now. Back in 1916 the average lifespan for a man was 55, the average lifespan for a woman was 59 and the likelihood of making it to 100 was one per cent.</p> <p>Times have changed and now we have a raft of seniors around Australia hitting triple digits. To celebrate this incredible milestone, a group of centenarians have been honoured to a special morning tea at Government House in Melbourne.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>ABC Online</em> they shared some of their secrets to longevity. Follow this advice and we reckon anyone has a chance of making it to 100 years old.</p> <p>Jean Hills believes family is the key to success, telling <em>ABC Online</em>, "[I'm] thankful that I had so many marvellous relatives. Often people say they don't have anything to do with their relatives. It was the relatives that saved me and my family during the depression and gave us the opportunity to really achieve something."</p> <p>Jean also adds, “Don't go near the TV.”</p> <p>Stasys Eimutis on the other hand attributes his longevity to his passions and insistence to cut out drinking and smoking, “I have a workshop and I'm doing many things. I'm not going to bed in the night time, [I'm] always doing something. Mostly woodwork. I make musical instruments and organise a music group and I'm still playing. I'm the leader."</p> <p>For Annie Bernstein however, it all comes down to hard work, "I'm getting all the pleasure now from my daughter, my granddaughter and my grandsons and my great granddaughter.</p> <p>"They're lovely."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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7 things you should pass on to your grandkids

<p>No one wants to think about what will happen when they’re no longer around, but thoughtfully choosing what to leave to your family will ensure your memory endures long after you’re gone. Here are the 10 things you should pass on to your grandchildren to help them remember you as you always were.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Your passport(s)</strong> – What better token of your life is there than a chronicle of all the incredible places you’ve visited? Your passports will inspire those you love to pack up their bags and follow in your footsteps.</li> <li><strong>Your wedding album</strong> – By passing on your beloved wedding photos, long after you and your partner are gone, your love story will continue to inspire generations after you – and maybe offer some style ideas to vintage-loving brides-to-be in your family!</li> <li><strong>Something belonging to your parents</strong> – If you have an old possession that used to belong to a parent, grandparent or even great-grandparent, giving it to your grandchildren will ensure their ancestors will live on through future generations.</li> <li><strong>Something sentimental</strong> – Photo albums are all well and good, but passing on something you love, which is truly special to you, will always remind your grandchildren of you. Just imagine their smiles as they look down on a watch or ring gifted to them by their beloved nan or pop.</li> <li><strong>A photo of the first time you met them</strong> – Who could forget the first time they meet their newborn grandchild? Share this moment with them and write on the back of the photo just how you felt when you held them for the first time.</li> <li><strong>Your favourite music, books, and movies</strong> – There’s nothing like music to bring back memories of people and places. Fill a bag (or load a USB) with your all-time favourite songs, books and movies so your family will always have something to lift their spirits when they’re feeling down.</li> <li><strong>Stories</strong> – while possessions are great, stories and memories are what will endure for decades after you’ve gone. Any chance you get, share a memory or a story with your loved ones, whether it’s about your life or theirs, and get a conversation going.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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When babysitting your grandkids is not the retirement plan

<p><em><strong>Megan Giles is a retirement designer for women. She supports and coaches women approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a lifestyle that is fulfilling, meaningful to them and lights them up each day.</strong></em></p> <p>You’re retiring, or maybe you’re about to cut down to part-time hours and you can smell freedom in the air. You have the schedule for a pilates studio on your fridge, a list of restaurants to try, and a couple ideas for that abandoned corner of your garden. At last you have time to do all of those things you’ve always wanted to do.</p> <p>And then the phone rings. “Mum, now that you’re not working, it would be great if you could look after [grandchild] on a Friday…” And your heart sinks. You love your grandchild to bits, but a regular baby-sitting gig is not part of your plan.</p> <p>While this is the perfect scenario for many people approaching retirement, it’s important to recognise that it’s not for everyone.</p> <p>What happens if your family has other ideas for your life after work, e.g. caring for grandchildren, or they have assumptions about what you can and can't (or shouldn't!) do in retirement. Do you acquiesce and abandon your dreams or do you recognise the value of your time and dreams and decide to ‘just go for it’?</p> <p>The trouble with choosing to pursue your own path is the huge amount of guilt this can bring up, particularly for women. You feel that you should be there for your children and grandchildren. You know that your support will make their life easier as they have demanding jobs and because the cost of living and day care is expensive. Or perhaps you convince yourself that you do have the time and energy because, well, you’re not working anymore. But the risk that goes with this is that you start to feel resentful because you’re not being true to your dreams.</p> <p>Broaching this with adult children, however, can be a tricky thing to do. It brings up conflicting emotions including love, guilt, joy, fear and obligation and the last thing you want to do is make a loved one feel bad.</p> <p>In recognition of this, the following provides tips for sharing your retirement ideals with your family in a positive way:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Make an uninterrupted time to talk.</strong> While it might be an easy time to catch your children, try to avoid the early evening ‘witching hour’ when feeding and bathing can create mayhem</li> <li><strong>Share your goals.</strong> Rather than assuming your family know what will be important to you, let them know what you would like to get out of retirement, particularly while you are active and have good health</li> <li><strong>Articulate your concerns or fears.</strong> Let them know, for example, that you worry about being able to keep up with your energetic grandchild, or that you risk letting them down in the longer term when you decide to go travelling and can’t do that regular Tuesday ‘gig’</li> <li><strong>Listen to what it is that your adult children are seeking</strong> and see if you can come up with alternate options together (it doesn’t always have to be one thing or the other)</li> <li><strong>Let your family know that you love and care for them unconditionally.</strong> Not being able to provide regular baby-sitting duties does not mean that you love them any less</li> </ul> <p>As the saying goes, you first have to look after yourself before you can look after others and this applies especially in retirement. However uncomfortable it may seem initially, have the conversation in order to understand and align both your and your family’s expectations, and then give yourself permission to follow your dreams in retirement!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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How to leave a legacy to look after those you love

<p dir="ltr"><em>It can be difficult getting on top of your own finances, and knowing how to prepare for the transition to the next generation, but with these tips from financial expert Jacqui Clarke, it has never been easier to manage your money, “so it doesn’t manage you”. </em></p> <p dir="ltr">Leaving a legacy involves more than just material wealth. It encompasses the values, memories, and support you provide to your loved ones even after you're gone. A legacy is the enduring impact and influence you leave behind, shaping the lives of others and the world around them. To be honest, in the context of family and looking after those that you love, it’s something that’s being created from the moment your children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews are born. Legacy can simply be the way you do things and ensuring your descendants know this. For others it might be a lifelong passion project that you want to continue supporting after your lifetime.</p> <p dir="ltr">To ensure your way, your wishes and your wealth are successfully transitioned to the next generation and create an enduring legacy there are 3 crucial steps to consider. Let’s delve into the significance of these elements and explore practical steps you can take to leave a lasting legacy that will benefit those you care about the most.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>1. Understanding Estate Planning </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Estate planning is the process of organising and distributing your assets after you pass away. It allows you to have control over who receives your property and ensures your wishes are carried out effectively. By engaging in estate planning, you not only protect your loved ones from potential legal disputes and unnecessary financial burdens but also provide them with a clear roadmap for the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">Start by taking inventory of your assets, including your savings, investments, real estate, and personal belongings. Next, consult with a qualified estate planning lawyer who can guide you through the creation of essential documents such as wills, power of attorney and possibly testamentary trusts. These legal instruments will help safeguard your assets, minimise tax liabilities, and ensure that your loved ones are taken care of according to your wishes, forming a solid foundation for your lasting legacy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Communicating Your Intentions </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Effective communication is essential when it comes to leaving a legacy. Clearly expressing your intentions and discussing your estate plan with your loved ones can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts down the line. Initiate an open and honest conversation about your plans, and explain the reasons behind your decisions. This will help your family understand your intentions and provide them with peace of mind during a potentially challenging time.</p> <p dir="ltr">While discussing your estate plan, it's vital to listen to your loved ones' concerns and consider their perspectives. Encourage dialogue and address any questions or uncertainties they may have. Engaging in these conversations demonstrates respect for their opinions and fosters a collaborative approach to legacy planning.</p> <p dir="ltr">By effectively communicating your intentions, you lay the groundwork for a legacy that encompasses not only financial assets but also the values, memories, and guidance you wish to pass on to future generations.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Incorporating Non-Financial Aspects </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Leaving a legacy isn't limited to financial matters and serious hiccups can occur if you miss this one. Consider the non-financial aspects that make up your legacy, such as your values, traditions, and life lessons. Take the time to document your family history, personal anecdotes, and insights that can guide future generations. This could be in the form of a written memoir, video recordings, or audio messages. As an example, my parents loved touring Australia, so I asked them to provide me with all their road trip planning documents, another example are collating the recipes from my grandmother and wanting to ensure these weren’t lost.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Family gatherings are a brilliant opportunity to promote a sense of openness about your planning. It’s a good time to chat about family heirlooms and meaningful possessions with your family members, not just your sentimental items but asking them if you hold something that carries sentimental value to them. You might be surprised by the reaction you get. Seemingly everyday “things” may serve as a special reminder of your love and the unique bonds you share.</p> <p dir="ltr">Your legacy encompasses not only the tangible assets you leave behind but also the intangible gifts of wisdom, love, and values that shape the lives of your loved ones. By incorporating these non-financial aspects into your estate plan and actively transmitting them, you ensure that your legacy extends beyond material possessions and leaves a profound impact on those you cherish.</p> <p dir="ltr">Leaving a legacy is about more than just divvying up your net worth. Through estate planning, effective communication, and the incorporation of non-financial aspects, you can shape the future and ensure that your loved ones are well taken care of. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jacqui Clarke FCA, FTI, GAICD, JP, author of <em>Stop Worrying About Money </em>(Wiley, $29.95), is a trusted advisor, board member, executor and veteran business executive. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>As a personal wealth and money management expert and over three decades of experience, 25 years at Deloitte and PWC helping high-net-worth families, individuals and business owners to build, manage and preserve their wealth. Her message is simple: with careful planning and effort, you can manage your money, so it doesn’t manage you.<a href="https://www.jacquiclarke.me/"> https://www.jacquiclarke.me/</a></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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90-year-old-with chronic leukaemia skydives for charity

<p>A thrill-seeking 90-year-old has celebrated her birthday - in what some would call an unconventional manner for her age - by skydiving, and raising £5,000 for a homeless charity in the process.</p> <p>Shirley Robinson, from Long Clawson in Leicestershire, jumped out of a plane at 14,000ft for the fundraiser at Skydive Langar in Nottinghamshire.</p> <p>Shirley, who was diagnosed with chronic leukaemia in 2022, raised funds for Crisis, a charity that provides help and support for homeless people.</p> <p>She told <em>BBC News</em>, “It's just wonderful how generous people have been. It's lovely.”</p> <p>Footage of her dive saw Shirley styled in a bright blue jumpsuit as she was cheered on by family and friends before getting on the plane.</p> <p>She smiled and waved at the camera as she was strapped to her skydiving instructor.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsZGxykN0PN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsZGxykN0PN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Skydive Langar (@skydivelangar)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>After Shirley’s adrenaline packed skydive, she landed safely in a field and can be heard in the video exclaiming, “That was wonderful.”</p> <p>When asked about her favourite part of the experience, she responded, “That was lovely, going through the clouds.”</p> <p>She confessed afterwards that the free fall was a “bit breathtaking” but she “loved it” before thanking her instructor for looking after her.</p> <p>Shirley returned to a hero’s welcome with her beaming friends and family congratulating her.</p> <p>A spokesperson for the charity said, “We want to say an enormous thank you to Shirley for the incredible amount of money she has raised.</p> <p>“Shirley's donation will provide vital support for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We're so grateful.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Retirement Life

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7 hot things to do this winter

<p>The best thing about winter in Australia is that in most parts of the country the weather doesn’t stop you from spending time outside. While swims at the beach might be out, there are still many things you can do out in the fresh winter air. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites.</p> <p><strong>1. Christmas in July picnic</strong><br />While people may think picnics are a summer-only activity, when it’s a sunny winter's day there is nowhere better to be than outdoors. As long as you suitably rug up, a picnic in your local park with family and friends is the perfect way to spend the day. With July coming up why don’t you get your family and or friends together and throw a Christmas in July party. It’s even an appropriate time get out the Christmas jumpers – something we cannot do on December 25th in this country.</p> <p><strong>2. A trip to the zoo</strong><br />Visiting the zoo is a great day out for all, young and old. Many zoos across the country put on special shows and activities during the school holidays (think June/July), so this is a great time to think about taking younger family members or the grandkids.</p> <p><strong>3. Wine and cheese tasting</strong><br />Whether you want to head out to some wineries for the day or have your own wine and cheese tasting soiree at home, winter is the perfect time to kick back with a lovely glass of red and a platter of cheeses. While Australia has many amazing wineries that everyone should try, we also love the idea of holding a wine tasting party. You can assign one type of wine to each of your guests and even theme the day (wines from one country or each person brings a wine from where they grew up) to make it more fun.</p> <p><strong>4. Walk in a national park</strong><br />We are so blessed with beautiful national parks in Australia, and many of them have lots of walking trails ranging from easy to more strenuous. While rainy, snowy or extremely windy days won’t be ideal for heading out for a walk, the crisp winter air combined with the sun offers the perfect conditions for a long walk. Just don’t forget a raincoat, some water and your mobile phone in case you need them.</p> <p><strong>5. A day trip to a remote pub</strong><br />Life is all about experiences and they say that those who mix things up, are generally happier people. So quick, get out of town for the day. Research small towns nearby and look for a lovely pub to go for a nice lunch at. You might even want to make a special playlist of old songs to make the car journey extra fun.</p> <p><strong>6. Have a bake off with your friends</strong><br />It is winter, so there are bound to be some rainy or snowy days. On these days when you’re restricted to indoor activities, why not invite the grandkids, family or friends over and have a mini bake-off. Competition aside, at the end of the bake-off you’ll have some warm treats to enjoy with a nice cuppa.</p> <p><strong>7. Start a winter book club</strong><br />There’s no better time to start a book club than during winter. Not only is winter the perfect time to curl up on the couch with a blanket and catch up on reading, it is also a time when you’ll be more inclined to spend time indoors by the fire or heater. Why not turn your extra time spent reading into a book club? It gives you an excuse to catch up and spend hours on end chatting with friends – even if the conversation veers away from the book.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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How to beat the retirement blues

<p>When people plan their retirement they don’t usually expect Post retiring depression (PRD). This kind of depression usually stems from dashed expectations, financial trouble or feeling lost and lonely. That’s why we’ve got four top tips to avoid PRD and enjoy your free time.</p> <p><strong>1. Plan it out</strong></p> <p>Know what you want to do, not what you think you should be doing. Don’t hold back in indulging yourself, travelling the world, volunteering abroad – the temporary discomfort of not knowing is better than realising when it’s too late that you never completed your bucket list.</p> <p><strong>2. Routine</strong></p> <p>A sudden lack of structure can become exhausting or at least unsettling. Schedule activities such as exercise, housework, errands, and social time. Then let the day flow from there.</p> <p><strong>3. Keep active</strong></p> <p>There is a lot of research to show that the people who cope best with retirement are those who stay active and involved. This might include:</p> <ul> <li>Developing an old hobby or starting a new one. </li> <li>Staying physically active, through walking, swimming, gym or sport. Make sure your exercise routine is appropriate for your physical capacities and limitations. </li> <li>Volunteering with a charity or church group. </li> <li>Working part-time. </li> <li>Studying a course.</li> </ul> <p><strong>4. Stay in touch</strong></p> <p>Loneliness and isolation can be easily avoided, so don’t fall into the trap of feeling alone. Make the effort to stay in contact with family and friends. Offer to babysit your grandchildren. Check out local community centres for upcoming activities you might enjoy. Even if you're not sure try something new, you might surprise yourself!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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The power of friendship in retirement

<p><em><strong>Megan Giles, Retirement Transition Consultant, supports those approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a retirement they will love to live!</strong></em></p> <p>When we think about staying healthy in retirement, we often think about becoming more active, eating better and ensuring a good night’s sleep. But there’s another powerful antidote and it doesn’t require active wear, perspiration or watching calorie intake. Did you know that maintaining strong friendships in retirement can have a significant and positive impact on your wellbeing?</p> <p>As we age we are going to become more dependent on others. Not only may we become less mobile, but amongst your group of friends it is almost invariable that there will be debilitating illness, divorce, death, job loss and other major life challenges. It is times like this that it is so critical to have a strong friendship circle to surround us - people who can help us to weather the tough times. These friends will rally around you in times of need, intuitively knowing what needs doing and making things more bearable. Good friends will do exactly what you know you would do for them if the roles were reversed. Not only that, but these friends will celebrate your successes too!</p> <p><strong>What are the health impacts of loneliness?</strong></p> <p>The workplace is a hot-bed of human interaction – there is always a morning tea, someone to do the coffee run with and meetings to be held, and so as we step away from the workforce, our social networks tend to decrease. The research shows that loneliness is linked to a number of health issues including poor sleep patterns, increased prevalence of stress hormones, increased risk of heart disease and stroke, and accelerated cognitive decline. In turn, these can contribute to a lowered life expectancy and depression. The lower quality of life associated with these health issues is not what people envisage when they think about a fulfilling and enjoyable retirement.</p> <p><em>Loneliness is not a symptom of failure - that you are no longer relevant. The feeling is simply a reminder to reach other to others.</em></p> <p>The challenge is that life has never been as busy as it is now in the 21<sup>st</sup> century. But stop for a moment. Don't be so busy working hard and saving for retirement that you let the fun things fall by the wayside, such as weekend fishing trips, ladies nights at the theatre, or barefoot bowls. How 'golden' will those years be if you no longer have people to share them with?</p> <p><strong>Do you need to re-connect with friends?</strong></p> <p>Fortunately there are simple things you can do right now to reinvigorate the important friendships in your life.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Make that call!</span></p> <p>Who is that one person that you have been meaning to catch-up with for ages, and what can you do to connect with them today? Go on, nothing beats memory sharing and a deep belly laugh!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Take the lead!</span></p> <p>Rather than wait for catch-ups to be organised, step in and connect with the people you hold near and dear. Just be mindful to set yourself up for success. For example, rather than trying to go out for dinner as a group once a week, make it once a month (or even once a quarter) so that it doesn’t seem like a burden and something that everyone will look forward to.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Let them know</span></p> <p>Don’t be afraid to tell your friends that you care. Let them know how much you appreciate them and why. And do it often!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Choose your friends wisely</span></p> <p>One of the great things that comes with age is caring less what other people think. As such, choose which friendships you cultivate mindfully. Spend time with the people who light you up, not drain your energy or take advantage of you.</p> <p>As the saying goes, you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family. The power of friendship is real. Is your inner circle full of people that you know will be there for you when you need them (and vice versa)?</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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11 things people who live to 100 have in common

<h2>Centenarian similarities</h2> <p>Living to be 100 requires a fair amount of luck, it’s true. But people who make it past the century mark also share some healthy habits that we could all benefit from. Here’s what we know centenarians have in common.</p> <h2>They have good genes</h2> <p>If you have at least one parent who lived to 95 or older, you have a better shot at a healthier (and presumably longer) life yourself, a 2017 study published in <em>The American Journal of Cardiology</em> found. Researchers reported that subjects with at least one parent living past age 95 had 29 per cent lower odds of having hypertension, 65 per cent lower odds of having a stroke, and 35 per cent lower odds of having cardiovascular disease than those whose parents died before age 95. That held true even when – and here’s the surprising thing – there were significant differences in social-economic status, physical activity, diet, and other lifestyle habits. “They were no more likely to eat low fat and only a small number were vegetarians,” says endocrinologist, Dr Sofiya Milman. While only about 25 per cent of longevity is related to genetics, that fraction seems to be the driving force behind how far those lifestyle habits (the remaining 75 per cent) can take you.</p> <h2>But genes aren’t everything</h2> <p>Longevity is complex. “Multiple genes are related to how long we live,” says professor of psychiatry, Dr Dilip Jeste. He’s also part of a team studying residents in Cilento, a region in Italy where the elderly live exceptionally long healthy lives. “In other words, if you have genes for certain types of fatal cancers, then the other genes that promote longevity may have less of an influence.” To hit the centenarian jackpot, an array of genes needs to be working together in your favour, but “there’s a lot more under our control than we think,” he adds. For example, take a set of twins with genes that predisposed them to lung cancer. If one smoked and one didn’t, the smoker would be 5.4 times more likely to develop lung cancer than the other, thus significantly hurting his chances at longevity.</p> <h2>They ‘postpone’ chronic illnesses</h2> <p>Chalk this up to those longevity genes. “Many centenarians get age-related diseases, such as cancer, at a much later age,” says Dr Milman. In a joint study between Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health, she and a team of researchers found that the age at which their centenarian subjects experienced certain diseases were delayed between 18 and 24 years. So could escaping serious illnesses by the time you reach 100 be an indication that you’ve got some more good years ahead of you? Perhaps. In a 2008 issue of <em>The Journals of Gerontology</em>, researchers who examined supercentenarians (age 110 and older) found that most were independent in terms of daily life activities at the age of 100 and few were in nursing homes or other forms of assisted living before the age of 105.</p> <h2>They stay physically active</h2> <p>Physical activity throughout life, including your senior years, is associated not just with good health, but longevity as well. A National Institutes of Health study reports that just 2.5 hours of moderate activity a week could extend your life by 3.4 years. It turns out, some of the regions around the world with standout longevity are close-knit communities in rural areas. For these folks, work is often more physical than a desk job, and they’re probably not spending hours in a car every day. The Okinawa Centenarian Study, which followed residents of the Japanese village that boasts one of the world’s highest centenarian ratios, notes that regular physical activity throughout most of the centenarians’ lives (in conjunction with other healthy habits) allowed them to have “impressively young, clean arteries.” They didn’t lift weights or run 5Ks; they simply made fitness part of their lifestyle, whether it was taking strolls or tending to the garden. And in Villagrande, Sardinia, where men live about as long as the women (which is a rarity – typically, women outlive men), researchers attribute their day-to-day physical activity – most were shepherds in this mountainous region – to the men’s impressive longevity.</p> <h2>They don’t overeat</h2> <p>Places brimming with 100-year-olds have an unspoken custom: eat mindfully. “I’m stuffed” is just not something you’d hear at the table. They also tend not to eat alone and instead share their meals with family and friends, notes Dr Jeste. In Okinawa, for example, elders may even say, before a meal, “Hara hachi bu,” a Confucian concept that means “eat only until your stomach is 80 per cent full.” The upshot? The elderly Okinawans consumed about 7900 kilojoules a day throughout their lives. Australians consume an average of 8700 kilojoules. Why is that a problem? It seems that over-eating over-stresses our metabolic systems, while kilojoule restriction (as long as we get the necessary nutrients) is associated with lower levels of oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin sensitivity, and other conditions that speed up the ageing process. In fact, as authors of a joint Harvard-Salk Institute paper write, “At present, calorie restriction remains the most robust [i.e., evidence based] strategy for extending health and lifespan in most biological models tested.”</p> <h2>They eat healthy foods</h2> <p>The diets of these regions populated with healthy older people are different, but what they do have in common, says Dr Jeste, is what they don’t eat. “You don’t see a lot of high-fat or high-sugar foods.” For example, in Sardinia, the Mediterranean diet prevails; it’s rich in fish, fruits, vegetables, and healthy oils, all typically locally sourced. This is also true in Cilento, which boasts a diet especially rich in olives and rosemary. While Western foods have infiltrated Okinawa in recent years, its diet traditionally consists of only a little fish and pork, and plenty of vegetables, beans, tofu, seaweed, and complex carbohydrates, particularly purple and orange sweet potatoes.</p> <h2>They feel connected</h2> <p>In areas with higher-than-usual concentrations of centenarians, seniors are often an integrated part of their community. For some, church provides that connection. In Loma Linda, California, the only Blue Zone town (locations around the globe known for longevity and good health) in the United States, the seniors are Seventh-day Adventists; in Sardinia, they tend to be devout Roman Catholics. Religion encourages its believers to carve time during the week to go to church, which is not only a chance to strengthen their connection to God but to mingle with family and friends. As centenarian women interviewed in the Sardinia study repeatedly mentioned, it’s their ties to their family and God that’s kept them alive and kicking for so long.</p> <p>Maintaining quality social bonds, whether with fellow parishioners, family, or friends, have been linked to better health, while social isolation has been associated with an increased risk of inflammation in adolescents and worsened hypertension in old age. Studies published in the <em>Journal of the American Heart Association and Cancer</em> have also associated a strong social network (of the real, as opposed to virtual, kind) with better recovery from disease, including breast cancer and heart attack.</p> <h2>They feel respected</h2> <p>It’s probably not a coincidence that in areas with an unusually high number of centenarians, the culture is one that truly respects the elderly. In Sardinia, seniors are part of everyday society, not shuttled off into retirement and nursing homes. As a child of an elder interviewed in Cilento told researchers: “We always come to our father. He is still our point of reference and an example for us, for the way he takes things.”</p> <h2>They enjoy the outdoors</h2> <p>Part of the advantage of living in a rural, close-knit community is that you have open land, perfect for gardening or strolling. You can walk to a neighbour’s house (or even to work or run errands), and the air is fresh and clean. It’s pleasant. And while Loma Linda, California, is hardly a rural village, it’s populated by Seventh-day Adventists, who specifically promote getting outside in their official manual: “…we live intelligently in accordance with health principles of exercise, respiration, sunshine, pure air, use of water, sleep, and rest.”</p> <p>Why is being outside so helpful? “Multiple factors come into play,” says Dr Jeste. While some may partly credit vitamin D from sunshine for lengthening life, he believes that other factors may have more to do with it. “When you’re outdoors, you’re being active,” he says, whether you’re gardening or walking to or from somewhere. “You’re also looking at trees and nature. You’re more apt to interact with other people than feeling isolated. All this can promote happy feelings.” That, in turn, promotes a positive outlook on life.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/11-things-people-who-live-to-100-have-in-common" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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How an inspired moment led to a creative new path after retirement

<p>Seventy-year-old Bruce Blomfield is an inspirational character who decided to pursue his passion for yoga when he retired. Here 54-year-old yoga instructor, Tracy Adshead, interviews Bruce about his story and why he thinks that yoga offers something for everyone.</p> <p><strong>Tracy:</strong> How did it all start?</p> <p><strong>Bruce:</strong> When I decided to retire in 2014, I joined a yoga group on a trip to Nepal, where we assisted with resource development in a remote village and also practiced yoga with the spectacular Himalayas as a backdrop. Our yoga teacher on the trip was very enthusiastic about the success she was having with her chair yoga classes for seniors in her Australian hometown. This got me thinking – maybe this was something I could work toward as a retirement pursuit and offer as a service to other seniors in my community.</p> <p><strong>Tracy: </strong>As someone over 60 were there any particular challenges to completing the teacher training?</p> <p><strong>Bruce:</strong> I had a ‘mid-life crisis’ about 20 years ago and changed career direction, this entailed quite a bit of academic study which I thrived on. However, when I launched into the academic content of the yoga teacher training, along with the physical and emotional challenges, the brain took some ‘serious encouragement’ to take up the challenge; bit of a wake-up call. My brain believed it had been pensioned off!</p> <p>Anything worthwhile requires effort and the teacher-training programme certainly endorsed this! Squatting on the floor for long periods with my old bones was interesting and it quickly forced my brain and body out of retirement mode. Physical, mental/academic and emotional challenges meant I had to dig deep but the rewards have been enriching in every way – new friendships, a renewed personal commitment and confidence.</p> <p>What I experienced was an ongoing ‘tension’ between challenging myself with new mental, emotional and physical tasks whilst at the same time needing to offer myself, and my body forgiveness, along with a lot of self-love, when some parts were out of reach!</p> <p><strong>Tracy: </strong>Have your experiences of teaching or practicing yoga changed your view of ageing at all?</p> <p><strong>Bruce:</strong> I took up yoga about 14 years ago largely due to injuries from a 30+ year farming career – including a hip replacement. As I age and my yoga journey progresses, I gain great confidence and solace from the physical and mental benefits that yoga provides me with. Yoga offers something for everyone – there is no need to vegetate due to restricted mobility, or some form of physical incapacitation. I believe now that ageing does require you to maintain a certain non-judgemental demeanour about yourself as you stumble through.</p> <p><strong>Tracy:</strong> What advice would you offer anyone approaching retirement about pursuing a new venture?</p> <p><strong>Bruce:</strong> Probably for the first time in your life you can really ‘go with the flow’ – if you have a passion for something - give it a shot. Whether it works or not the experience is a huge growth curve – you learn so much about yourself. Maintain self-love it will bring you contentment, as I mentioned - anything worthwhile requires effort! Take a deep breath and give it a go.</p> <p><strong>Tracy:</strong> What are you up to when you're not teaching yoga?</p> <p><strong>Bruce:</strong> My wife and I have three children and six grandchildren who are a big part of our lives. We like to travel each year and spend time with friends. I also read, swim and have a gym routine which I practice on a regular basis. And of course now I’m very involved in my community teaching Chair Yoga at our local retirement village. I’m not sure who motivates who – but we have a blast during these classes!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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The most misused word in the English language

<p>A traffic jam when you’re already late.</p> <p>A free ride when you’ve already paid.</p> <p>The fact that the King James Bible is the most shoplifted book in the United States.</p> <p>One of these three things is an example of irony – the reversal of what is expected or intended.</p> <p>The other two (no offense to Alanis Morissette) are not.</p> <p>The difference between them may be one of the most rage-inducing linguistic misunderstandings you’re likely to read about on the Internet or hear about from the determined grammar nerds in your life.</p> <p>“Ironic” does not, technically, mean “unfortunate,” “interesting” or “coincidental,” despite these terms often being used interchangeably. And that frequent misuse has not escaped linguists.</p> <p>According to the editors at <a href="http://WWW.DICTIONARY.COM">Dictionary.com</a>, “We submit that ironic might be the most abused word in the English language.”</p> <p>That’s a tough claim to prove, but it’s clear that confusion over the definition of irony is persistent and decades old.</p> <p>“Irony” makes Harvard linguist Steven Pinker’s <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-58-most-commonly-misused-words-and-phrases-a6754551.html">list</a> of the 58 most commonly misused words in English, and ranks in the top 1 percent of all word lookups on Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.</p> <p>Even Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald got it wrong, some say, when he claimed in 1939, “It is an ironic thought that the last picture job I took yielded me five thousand dollars five hundred and cost over four thousand in medical attention.” </p> <p>So what does irony mean, really, and where does the confusion come from?</p> <p>Part of the ambiguity probably stems from the fact that there are no fewer than three definitions of irony depending on which dictionary you use.</p> <p>There’s Socratic irony (an ancient rhetorical move), and dramatic irony (an ancient theatrical move), but the definition of irony we care about – and the kind that’s most bitterly debated ­– is situational irony.</p> <p>Situational irony occurs when, as the Oxford English Dictionary defines it, “a state of affairs or an event… seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often wryly amusing as a result”. </p> <p>The trick, according to purists, is the deliberately contrary part – for a situation to be ironic, it must be the opposite of what is expected, not merely an amusing coincidence.</p> <p>A traffic jam when you’re already late may be an undesirable coincidence, but it is not the opposite outcome one would expect when leaving for work late (especially if that person lives in a major city).</p> <p>In an article titled <a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/post/229130/lines-from-alanis-morissettes-ironic-modified-to-actually-make-them-ironic">Lines From Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic,” Modified to Actually Make them Ironic</a>, College Humor writer Patrick Cassels corrects the situation like this: “A traffic jam when you’re already late… to receive an award from the Municipal Planning Board for reducing the city’s automobile congestion 80 per cent.” Now that’s irony.</p> <p>Not every linguist goes by this limited view, though.</p> <p>Ever the champions of fluid language growth, Merriam Webster <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irony">argues</a> that Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Morissette, and anyone else who uses “ironic” to mean “coincidental” isn’t actually wrong, but is actually just trailblazing.</p> <p>“The word irony has come to be applied to events that are merely curious or coincidental,” the editors write, “and while some feel this is an incorrect use of the word, it is merely a new one.”</p> <p>Now isn’t that something.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>Written by Brandon Specktor. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/our-language/most-misused-word-english-language">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Life

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4 tips to ensure a happy and healthy retirement

<p>It’s the “R” word everyone is talking about. Retirement. And we want you to do it the right way! We’ve got wonderful visions of holidays, sleep-ins and taking time to indulge in whatever takes your fancy. Here’s your survival guide for a healthy, happy retirement.</p> <p><strong>1. Active living</strong></p> <p>Regular physical activity brings not just health benefits for your body, but for your mental stability, daily functional abilities and social skills too. Regular physical movement can be a simple treatment for depression, as it enhances your mood and creates positive energy. It also reduces your chances of getting heart disease, certain cancers plus it helps reduce the effects of osteoarthritis. Being active means better balance, agility and strength, and are less prone to falling.</p> <p><strong>2. Healthy eating</strong></p> <p>Healthy eating is a key strategy for healthy ageing. It is also an important factor in handling stressful times in our lives, such as the transition to retirement. Don’t waste time eating fast food, healthy eating is key to more energy and overall better quality of life. Cooking brings with it great satisfaction, so get out your cookbooks and get ready to get your hands, pots and plates dirty. Challenging your brain to try out a new recipe will keep you busy and others fed.</p> <p><strong>3. Social networking</strong></p> <p>Having a strong group of contacts is important when retiring. Be sure not to isolate yourself but instead embrace life and other people that are in it. Your social community may include all kinds of contacts, such as family members, neighbours, friends, colleagues from work, club members, and even religious community members. Boost your networks by joining the gym, volunteering at an animal shelter or helping out at local community events be it with schools or charity fundraisers.</p> <p><strong>4. Wishful thinking</strong></p> <p>Positive thinking and practical methods are key: When you envision yourself achieving your life dreams and set realistic goals the chances of success are high. Imagining a good outcome minimises stress, anxiety, can lower your blood pressure and put you in a good mood.</p> <ul> <li>Formulate dreams you’re truly passionate about</li> <li>Visualise the best possible outcome</li> <li>Tackle the obstacle step by identifying what’s holding you back</li> <li>Make it happen by actively planning what you’re going to do and how you will manage it appropriately, ie: money budgeting, getting out more, trying new things</li> </ul> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life