Blog #4 Health and Well-being going into Retirement. March 05, 2018

My dear and gentle classmates, I am taking advantage. What you cry???

I am frequently asked just WHO my target audience is. I too, would like the answer to that burning question. These rants of retirement are taking advantage of your patience while I am and could be coming up with a touchstones for myself. These ramblings could be directed to myself, to friends my age or think of time capsule addressed to you. At any-rate the focus of this installment is health and well being of MOI and yourselves. Buckle up.

“FOLLOW YOUR PASSION.”  One of the more fascinating articles I found on line while researching came with that message, and if you do follow this advice, you will be healthier. It matters not what your passion is either. How cool is that? Remembering the statistic if you age to 65 you could considerably live another 19 years. Might as well do what you enjoy. It does not have to be full time, just a passion and these pursuits can change over a life time.

A CURSORY LIFE REVIEW. I was astonished to find I had followed my passion. In spite of a horrendous health tumble mid life. I stood up to reality. That was working in a cubicle, carrying the first HUGE cell phone, eventually even being one of the first people to telecommute. (I got lonesome) Quit that job in Vancouver which I was well trained for and paid. This was after I took a single, yes one tiny, teeny course on how to run a bed and breakfast. Please note, life is often clear in hindsight. I just happen to forget why I did what I did while in the middle and near the end of this dramatic career change. My goal at that time was to have a home, be at home, have a life, and to take care of my animals etc.

I AM BI-COASTAL and proud of it. This happened when I ran away to follow my passion. Across the country to purchase my first home. “Always start at the top.” I say my first house was 125 years old and outrageous square footage. The thing you followers of passions need to know about following anything is, it may not be lucrative, recalling blog #1 from this series, do save for your retirement anyway. You may work harder than you ever have. You may hang on by your finger tips. It may be difficult, you may have to compromise, but following your passion, may give you a longer, healthier life. Not only that, it might just save your life.

STANDARD OPERATING POLICIES APPLY. An apple a day, eat your vegetables, brush your teeth, eat well, exercise, all have to be kept up. Discipline is not a dirty word, it may be scary, but should be used with the principle of “good enough.” In my home town, the big little city of Moncton, I attend boot camp, three times per week. (what is scary is I have not been to a gym since I arrived in Montreal.) I started with a gentleman, whose name is Bill. He was fat and out of shape, this was seven years ago. I had to go into therapy to get myself there. I went because I needed to be able to keep up with the cleaning of mansion I was on possession of AND I wanted to be out of doors. (Some reasons to be sure become clear in hindsight.)

Fast forward all those years, three times a week. Bill now does ultra marathons. I am still going to boot camp, have not lost one pound, but I can in fact lift up small buildings when the need arises. I also when I get fed up with kettle bells, I break into dance moves. This is my “good enough.”

FIND YOUR “GOOD ENOUGH.” Activity has been shown to prevent falls, the leading cause of injury for seniors, and for the rest of us, diabetes, cancer and decrease cardiac events. WAIT there is more, all that and more! There is some research going on but not proven that is can delay dementia, (Scary for any age group, as hormones go south, memory problems increase with age) 1.4 billion people will be affected by this horrible disease.

ACTIVE TIME CAN BE SOCIAL TIME. My fellow boot campers gave me my goodbye/retirement party, thus proving you can combine both. It is really important to be social, for any age group, almost as important as it is to be active. Join a club. Sleep well, another hygiene aspect of life. If you do regular exercise this won’t be a problem. UNPLUG your electronics. Might be difficult but we can all benefit from at least an hour a day away from the blue lights, your eyes will thank you for it. The research is proving there is not such thing as multi tasking, do one thing at a time.

HOUSING is a topic that strikes fear into the hearts of many, the cost of a minimal seniors tenement is $2000 per month and more if you need extra supports. Outstripping any pension one could save for. That is ridiculous. An interesting concept I fell over for this blog was a co- housing model. Examples of this, a student gets to live at a reduced rent or free with a senior in the elder’s home or in a residence. Both benefit from having a home. They both eat better and neither gets too lonesome. Another is that seniors shack up. Think of it! What would their parents have said. Still another option is the student in the basement and parents and grandparents upstairs. Inter-generational I think my fellow blogger called it. We need to look at innovative affordable housing options for everyone.

The focus is to think, observe and bookmark, while you wander thru your life, just what and where you will be living, currently seniors are probably alone, after a significant other or spouse dies, children and there are less of them around now, and find alternatives. It matters not what your age is with isolation, one can become depressed, develop mental health issues and experience health declines.

CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. BE PROACTIVE. Design your life. Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. When I was in the bed and breakfast biz I called daily battles “the list of life.” Longer term I call them touchstones. Life goes at such a rapid rate, and often is out of your control. So when you do give yourself time to dream, you deserve to give yourself a “gold star” when you achieve a level of accomplishment. I put mine on a calendar on the fridge. Be conscious in your existence. How you can plan it, be active, be unafraid, go forward, tell someone, listen, live well. What can you do to make some touchstones of your own.