Young at heart

You’re not old until you're 80 . . . that is the new theory and with that comes the belief that old age has been postponed . . . not indefinitely but certainly for longer than before. The age group now deemed as old (those in their 80s) and those that are deemed to be entering the first stage of aging (those in their 50s) leave an age span between them of 30 years. This long period of time will be an important decision making one. Things to consider could be:

- Where will you live, what will you do?
- When you retire will you retire completely?
- Will you sell up, stay put, downsize, move abroad, move nearer the kids?
- Choose a pied-à-terre or a rural retreat?
- What about pensions, allowances, finances?
- Will you want to travel? An interesting fact is that nearly as many ‘oldies’ are taking gap years as are students.
- Or take up a new hobby such as golf, sailing, art?
- And most importantly will you have the health and the money to be able to fulfil your dreams?

GOLDEN OLDIES

Don’t worry you are not alone – everyone is getting older, even young people. But if you feel you are past it then consider Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Twiggy, David Bowie, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Cilla Black, Barbara Streisand, Steven Spielberg, Raquel Welch, Alex Ferguson to name but a few . . . are all past it too. Life begins at 50 and you’d better believe it!

SILVER SURFERS

It is vital to get on the ‘net’, as without it you really will be at a disadvantage when it comes to sourcing holidays, courses and virtually everything. I have tried my best when writing this book to include telephone numbers as well as websites but it has not always been possible. It is reported that ‘Silver Surfers’ in the UK currently spend an average of ten hours a week on the Internet. 70% of them use the Internet to research holidays and make travel arrangements. They are also more likely to use the Internet for shopping than the younger generations. Some of them have even created their own websites and 17% are part of an online community. Other uses that the over 50s ‘surf the net’ for are to research medical conditions and ‘on-line’ learning opportunities. Many ‘silver surfers’ who live alone find the net a companion as they log onto key sites for the over 50s and chat on-line and e-mail each other. So my advice here is if you don’t aim to achieve anything else in retirement then at least ‘get on-line’.

‘GREYS’ AND GADGETS

Far from being afraid of modern technology the over 50s positively embrace it. In a recent survey over half of the over 50s said that they own at least one of the following products: desktop PC, Internet access, satellite TV, DVD player, cordless phone, mobile phone and a digital camera. They also spend the most time (over 20 hours) a week watching television. Innovative technology is a part of their everyday lives and 72% of the over 50s surveyed said they would not be happy if all the digital and computer technology was no longer available.

RETIREMENT DEVELOPMENTS

As the population ages, retirement opportunities are expanding. The ‘grey pound’ has tempted housing developers into finding new exciting ways of catering to the ever growing demands of those entering their ‘third act’. Retirement villages and retirement apartments are now becoming the way of the future. They offer independence, security and 24-hour help, along with many other facilities for the more mature ‘consumer’ to enjoy. These developments embrace the concept that whilst those in their 50s and above may not be at their physical peak, there is no need for them to compromise on their lifestyle. They can still enjoy all the benefits of independent living without the onerous responsibilities of house maintenance, health and security issues.

NOT JUST FOR THE WEALTHY

In fact the opportunities for retirement living are greater now than they have ever been and these opportunities are not limited to the wealthy alone. There are many schemes which now offer mortgage opportunities to those who would previously have been excluded, because of age.

STAYING PUT

You may choose to stay in your own home and have no immediate plans to do anything other than carry on as before, until you may have to make a choice. There are certainly many ways of adapting the home to changing needs and there are several grants available from your local social services to facilitate this, as it is always cheaper and most effective to keep people in their own homes rather than having to re-house them in a care home. There is of course the popular ‘halfway housing’ that is known as sheltered accommodation and this type of accommodation has many advantages both for enjoying an active retirement (peace of mind when you are away) but also for a less active retirement, with help being on hand should you need it.

TRAVELLING OVERSEAS

Your dream may be to travel extensively or you may want to retire abroad. There are many ways of achieving both these ambitions but it is important that you do extensive research to make sure that you are fully prepared for what travel may offer you or whether to settle overseas and abandon the British way of life is actually for you. As with any important decision, retirement choices have to be fully researched and the more you know the better off you will be.

LIVING THE DREAM AND KEEPING FIT

Whether it is your wish to retire overseas, have a cottage in the country, a place by the sea or a pied-à-terre in town, this book intends to explore ways to achieve these dreams and make them into reality. It also plans to look at ways of keeping ‘young at heart’ and other things to consider for a healthy and happy retirement such as:

- Exercise/aerobics/cardiovascular and for just keeping in trim.
- Learning something new to keep you on your toes.
- Eating healthily.
- Having a social life and making the effort to go out and do things.
- Having fun, thinking young and growing old fulfilled.

SEMI-RETIRED/CAREER CHANGES

Maybe your dream retirement is to keep on working until you drop and the thought of being at home all day sends you into a decline. There is no law that says you have to stop working, obviously some occupations stipulate a retirement age, but there may still be job opportunities out there that can make use of your existing skills on a consultancy basis. Or maybe you are still in your 50s and fancy a career change such as running a pub or a B&B either in the UK or overseas. Or alternatively you may want to change your life completely and do something worthwhile to help others, be it working in a charity shop or doing voluntary work overseas. Whatever it is you want to do, as long as you have got health on your side and the necessary finances to follow your choices, then there is no reason why the latter stage of your life shouldn’t be the most rewarding.

FULL TIME RETIREMENT

So you’ve retired . . . that moment you have been looking forward to all your working life has finally arrived. It’s your final day at work and then that’s it: a lifetime of freedom . . . a pension, free bus pass, help with your heating, help with your council tax and nothing to do all day except watch Richard and Judy – perfect!

If that’s how you think then this will not be the book for you. If, however, you feel that you are not ready for the scrap heap just yet and are ready for a challenge, then read on. Retirement is not about giving up, its more about moving onto the next stage of your life. It’s the icing on the cake after a lifetime of hard work . . . so it’s important to make the most of those retirement years!