Retirement Workshop

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Retirement Workshop Opening Presentation

    

1)  Emotional and Psychological adjustment    

      a. Lifestyle planning        

      b. Emotional and Logical challenges        

2) Why lifestyle planning is important

      a.  Increasing life expectancy (current figures)

              i.         Males               84 years +

             ii.          Females           86 years +

     

      b. Three questions:  After Retirement:

               I.     What will I look like?

              ii.      What will I be?

             iii.      What will I feel like?

      c. If negative, what would you need to change to                                           it to positive?

 

3)  Stereotypes about retirement:   

    

 a)  Positive: Make a note if you agree

     ___ Most people over 65 are ‘Very friendly and warm.”

     ___ Greater years of experience bring greater wisdom

      ___ Elder people are more dependable.

    ___ The aged are well off financially

     ___ The political power of seniors makes them a                 political force

     ___ Most elders are free to do what they want, when they    want, any way they want.

 b)   Negative: make a note if you agree

      ____ Most seniors no longer have sexual acivity or sexual desire.

      ____ Most old people are ugly.

      ____ You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

      ____ Most older persons are “senile”. Mental illness is         common.

      ____Older people are incapable of working effectively and          those who continue are unproductive.

     _____Most elders are poor

     _____Most older people are “grouchy”, “touchy,” “cranky”         and  “feel sorry for themselves”

4)  Realities

      a) Most retired persons are as busy as they were before          retirement

       b) Life satisfaction continues to increase if you have modest             finances, reasonable health and contacts with others.

       c) A positive view of aging can create a positive self-fulfilling     prophecy.

5) Leisure Time Factors:

       a) Is there a conflict with your work ethic?

       b) Learning new interests and finding old ways of    pursuing old favorites is an important way of keeping an    active mind and imagination.

       c) Planning for future leisure

       d) Practical limitations health, age, transportation, finances

       e) Needs for beauty solitude, companionship, helping others,              recognition, physical exercise, leadership & learning.

Leisure Inventory: How are These Needs being met?

6) Needs we seek to satisfy

      Self esteem____

      Socializing____

      Creative expression____

      Mental stimulation____

 7)  Activity

        While still working  _______

        Retirement Activity _______

To Move or Not to Move

   8) New versus known area _____________

        1. Factors to be considered:      

               Spouse’s health ___________

               Social connections __________

               Talking to other retirees in the area  ________

    9) Housing Inventory:

a.What past housing have you liked best  _______

b.What did different houses have in common? _______

         c.Housing factors you prefer____

   10) How well do your preferences match those of your spouse

Relationship with Spouse

    11)  Spending time together _______

    12)  Both Employed?  ______

    13)  If so have you coordinated retirement schedules____

Stress Management

Changing from being outer directed toward family, job, organization and community, to making own plans, an schedules to being inner directed.  Being accepted for yourself rather than a title or place in an organization. Stress may arise by unfamiliarity of the new game.

   14) How do you fight stress:

     Exercise_____

     Relaxation techniques ______

     Good Nutrition _____

Post Retirement Goals

      

       A major point is that our sense of well-being depends on how we experience and evaluate our lives as we develop.        

Development works in both positive and negative ways. As we will have both gains (growth) and losses (decline) in areas of how we function.

       One of the key factors for for maintaining health and well being is how much control we have over our lives and the opportunities we have for social engagement, community participation and social support

       As we grow older we can slow down the process of mental decline by engaging in cognitively demanding activities that exercise the mind. Here are some suggestions:

       1. Examine your personal goals for your life and arrange        them goals in order of importance

       2. Be prepared to reorganize your goals to some degree        during retirement.

       3. Being active in a reorganizing your life-style will help you        looked forward to retirement, and increase your satisfaction       

         4. You will also need to establish a new set of community          activities criteria. For example, do you feel that retired          persons have a responsibility to improve our          neighborhood? Much of our success in postretirement          volunteering is connected with how we see ourselves and          what we feel we can contribute:

·      What can you bring to the table after years of work

·      Experience?

·      What kinds of unique experiences can you share with the          wider community?

·      How can we help make things better?

        

There are many opportunities listed on the Internet for

successful adjustment to Retirement is connected with:

ü   Good health

ü   A successful marriage

ü   Solid social network

ü   Good Coping skills  and yes while it’s not just about the money

ü   Level of income and

ü   Occupational status

In summary, Our ability to successfully age is determined to a great extent by our attitudes toward aging and growing old. These attitudes both negative and positive will be a result of how effectively we are able to adapt to the physical, psychological and social changes that take place throughout adulthood.

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