How to Cope with the Challeges of Retirement
Recent research points to a highly effective, strategy for staying healthy, happy and mentally fit after you reach retirement age: Keep right on working!
Staying on the job can help postpone the significant mental and emotional challenges that affect many people in retirement—such as lack of stimulation, depression, and low self-esteem. However, most of us will confront retirement issues eventually, and the good news is that there are a number of effective steps you can take to help you successfully negotiate this important transition.
Workplace benefits
The findings on working in later years came from an analysis of Gallup World Poll data published March 4, 2014 in the IZA Journal of European Labor Studies. Researchers found that older adults who chose to continue with fulltime or part-time work reported being happier, more satisfied with their lives and their health, and less likely to experience stress and anger than comparable retirees who did not work. The study authors theorized that late-life work can provide social contacts and interactions, personal growth, autonomy, and a sense of purpose, which may be particularly relevant for older adults, who often have fewer opportunities to engage the world around them.
The study adds to earlier research suggesting that continued employment provides significant cognitive benefits as well. In a paper presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in 2013, researchers reported an analysis of data on more than 429,999 retirees, which found that for each additional year a participant worked, dementia risk dropped by 3.2 percent.
“Active involvement in the workplace, either full-time, part-time, or on a volunteer basis, can certainly be beneficial for mental health, especially if you are working because you want to, and not because you have to,” says Maurizio Fava, MD, Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at MGH. “Working is one among several effective options for dealing with the major challenges related to the changes to daily routines and expectations that come with retirement. For example, research suggests that retirement increases the risk of developing clinical depression by as much as 40 percent.
“Planning ahead for retirement can help you anticipate and avoid many potential problems, and ensure that you get the maximum enjoyment from your later years.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
If you are searching for meaningful ways to fill your time in retirement, these tips may help:
- Look for needs, and fill them.
- Rediscover activities you used to enjoy.
- List your talents and put them to use.
- Ask others for suggestions, support, and help in finding new interests.
Retirement reality
Retirement can present new opportunities for older adults. However, many people who look forward to retirement may find themselves suddenly faced with the need to figure out how to productively fill their time and cope with the stresses of retirement. These reactions are especially likely in people who are forced to leave their jobs, or those who don’t have interests or hobbies outside of work, Dr. Fava says.
Among the personal circumstances that may make adjusting to retirement difficult are: health problems and financial worries that may generate feelings of stress and anxiety; the loss of a career identity that can cause low self-esteem, grief, and depression; lack of day-to-day social interactions in the workplace, which can cause loneliness and feelings of isolation; and the absence of a daily work routine with meaningful tasks that may lead to feelings of boredom and purposelessness. Leaving the mental challenges of the work environment may also lead to reduced intellectual stimulation and negative changes in cognition.
Six suggestions
The following suggestions may help you structure your life to avoid the psychological pitfalls of retirement:
- Plan ahead. Although the best time to plan is while you’re still working, a thoughtful blueprint for the future is helpful anytime. Try to plan out such fundamentals as finances, healthcare, where you want to live, and how you will spend your time.
- Set goals and work to meet them. Accomplishing goals can help provide a sense of achievement that drives out negative emotions.
- Establish a routine and manage time wisely. Replacing the structure of the workplace with your own flexible structure can help you combat depression, and stay focused and disciplined.
- Find new interests. Retirement is a great time to take up new pursuits. Consider taking classes at a local college, or engaging in a new hobby. Interests keep you stimulated and busy, and help you stay mentally sharp.
- Build relationships. Develop new social relationships and strengthen ties with family and friends to help prevent isolation. Don’t forget the internet: A recent study showed that older adults who use the internet to communicate with others have a 33 percent lower risk of depression.
- Be altruistic. Find ways to give back to the community. Good works give meaning to your life, increase self-esteem and win the respect and friendship of others.
The post How to Cope with the Challeges of Retirement appeared first on University Health News.
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