LIFESPAN: What’s the plan after retirement?
“Every day is Saturday!” said a good friend of mine after they retired.
A retiree’s point of view after employment could make a difference in their cognitive health if there’s no plan. Plans often are ‘doing what I want to do when I want to do it,’ which is valid, but what are you going to do?
Anyone can retire, but what you retire to does make a difference says Patricia Heyn, founding director of the Center for Optimal Aging at Marymount University and Forbes Health Advisory Board member, who believes that if you don’t use it, you may lose it and quickly.
You may sit back and think you have it all from the last day you punched in, but you may be sorry to hear you don’t. Natural mental decline is always a factor in aging, but the sudden stop of using that brain allows cognitive prowess to wither. Once you walk away from built-in stimulations of work, meetings, schedules and waking up for a reason, new retirees have a risk of expedited cognitive decline no matter how smart you are.
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A 2017 study tracked several cognitive functions of almost 3,500 participants before and after retirement and found declines in cognition. Additionally, verbal memory declined 38% faster after retirement than before retirement says Heyn.
“It’s essential to keep an open mind and try new things after retirement, according to Linda Keilman, a gerontological nurse, associate professor and Forbes Health Advisory Board member. “Being flexible and willing to try new activities or adventures presents a sense of wonder in seeing or doing things not tried before,” she says. A new hobby or activity can help keep your mind sharp, she adds. The important thing is to keep trying new things until you find something that makes you happy—and when that passion fades, move on to a new hobby.”
Ideally, you need to retire with a schedule to keep the brain at its best, not anything like your peak at 30, but maintaining something is better than nothing. Working on a home project is great with other social activities. It’s the social aspect that hits our brain the hardest. The social context of hellos and goodbyes and all the in-between stuff during a work shift do make a difference even if you go home to solitude as a single person. We are social animals and becoming a troglodyte will only make you lonelier and less cognitive without you realizing it.
Stay on some sort of schedule by getting up at a regular time, showering, exercising, putting on real clothes and making a plan to go and do something. Sleeping in, sitting on your porch and watching the world go by is a formula of expedited dementia and cognitive decline. Keep your A game or maybe it’s a B+ now, but regardless don’t give up living at a higher self-expectation. Since you have only yourself to answer to now, do what you want, but with drive and goals.
Need somewhere to start, go to any institution you are interested in and volunteer. Consider being a substitute. Those kids will keep you alive in more ways than you can count. The hospital and LifeSpan are other good places. And if you like the outdoors, Douglas Hart is super for getting fresh air and if you want to share your newfound hobbies, try teaching a class with EIU’s Lifelong Learning program. Don’t give up on your 20-30 years left of living at your fullest. Have a reason to wake up and do something!
A recent success story with healthy aging and retiring is with a friend of mine that used to play the tenor saxophone. For some reason he stopped, but with some gentle poking, I got him to join the Eastern Symphonic Band directed by David Boggs. Denny did three rehearsals and then a concert in a very short time. He continues to play and I’m hoping he’ll join the Charleston Community band this summer. He still has it, good for you Denny Booker.
THROWBACK MACHINE’s Best of 2023!
Enjoy this all-killer-no-filler 2023 collection of the best of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Take an exhaustive trip though some of the more colorful bands who once played Ted’s Warehouse in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Ooo-Ooh, I bet you wonder how I knew…about your collection of California Raisin merchandise in this week’s edition of THE THROWBACK MACHINE!
Darlin’ don’t you go and cut your hair, do you think it’s gonna make him change? Well, find out anyway in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
For those of you honest enough to admit you had “Some Gave All” on cassette, find a kindred spirit in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
If you’re still that person who says “eww” every time someone offers you a Pepsi, get over yourself, in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
The summer movie showcase winds down with a look at an actor who got one chance to make it in the movies, as well as in Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Time to raise those antennas and tune your receivers to the low end of the dial in this week’s pirate-radio edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Let’s take a trip back to some of Mattoon’s more esoteric eateries now long gone in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
For all those who took their very unhealthy smoking habit seriously, enjoy this week’s Surgeon General un-approved edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
The dream that was Woodstock finally ended, almost to the week, 14 years ago, in one of rock’s uglier episodes, examined in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Take a journey across state lines for a very first trip to White Castle in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Take a trip back into the world of local bands featured on old coupons for Ted’s Warehouse in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Read the true story of a Charleston man’s encounter with a black widow spider in this week’s edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Some people claim that there’s a woman to blame, but I know that you know the rest in this week’s Key West-bound edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
A visit to CIL-Con began with a payphone, ended with some voodoo dolls, and featured comic books in the middle. Read more in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
The Ninth Annual Spooky Movie Showcase begins with a sequel that’s almost worthy of cult classic status in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Feel free to hide from the holiday rush to come with an afternoon of classic PBS home improvement TV in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
The holidays haven’t really arrived until you start hearing Mariah Carey on the radio, and in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Read how one column about the California Raisins led to a really bad Christmas special and a really awesome sweatshirt in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
Yes, Virginia, push aside that veil covering that unseen world and view the beauty and glory beyond in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
It’s the “Space Santa vs. The Devil” Christmas movie you never knew about, but always hoped existed, in this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!
It’s time to pretend you’re not just on the couch this New Year’s with the help of Dick Clark and this edition of Clint Walker’s THROWBACK MACHINE!