Keeping Active

One of the best things you can do for your health in retirement is to keep moving. You don’t necessarily need to join a gym or take up an intensive exercise programme. Walking, swimming, cycling, gardening, dancing or simply getting out and about can all help you stay active.

Regular activity can help you:

• Maintain strength, flexibility and mobility
• Support heart and bone health
• Improve balance and coordination
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Improve sleep and energy levels
• Boost your mood and confidence
• Stay independent for longer

The important thing is to find activities you enjoy. If exercise feels like a chore, you’re less likely to keep doing it. Think about what you would genuinely enjoy doing and make it part of your regular routine.

Look After Your Health & Wellbeing

This is a good time to take a fresh look at your overall health. Keeping up with routine health checks and appointments, taking prescribed medication as directed and speaking to your healthcare professional if something doesn’t feel right can all help you stay on top of your health.

It’s also worth looking at the everyday habits that contribute to how you feel. Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, drinking sensibly and staying physically active can all contribute to your overall health. You don’t have to change everything at once. Making one or two realistic changes and building on them over time can be much easier to maintain.

Don’t Forget Your Mental Health

Sometimes retirement can bring changes that you weren’t expecting. Work often provides structure, routine, social interaction and a sense of purpose. When that disappears, some people can find themselves feeling bored, isolated or unsure about what comes next. Health & wellbeing in retirement is very important. 

Looking after your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health. Depression can set in and it’s important to seek medical advice if you’re feeling low. 

Having a daily routine, getting outdoors, learning something new, pursuing hobbies and making plans can all help give your days structure and purpose.

Stay Connected

One of the biggest changes retirement can bring is a change in your social life. You may no longer see the people you worked with every day, and if your partner is also retired, your social routine may change considerably.

Staying connected with family, friends and your wider community can play an important part in your wellbeing.

Make an effort to keep in touch, but also look for opportunities to meet new people. Joining a club, volunteering, taking a class, getting involved in a local group or participating in activities you enjoy can all help you build new connections.

Social connections don’t have to be complicated. A regular coffee with a friend, a walk with a neighbour or a weekly club can give you something to look forward to.

Keep Your Brain Active

Retirement doesn’t mean you have to stop learning. Keeping your mind active can be enjoyable and gives you opportunities to try things you may never have had time for while working.

You could learn a language, take up photography, complete a course, read more, do puzzles, learn to play an instrument or explore technology.

You might even discover a completely new interest. The aim isn’t to become an expert. It’s about staying curious and giving yourself opportunities to learn, create and challenge yourself.

Find Things That Give You Purpose

For many people, work provides a sense of purpose and achievement. Retirement gives you the freedom to decide where that sense of purpose comes from instead.

Perhaps you want to spend more time with family, volunteer, travel, work on a project, develop a hobby or finally get around to something you’ve always wanted to do.

Purpose doesn’t have to mean doing something impressive. It could simply be having things in your life that matter to you. Having something to get up for can make a big difference to how you experience retirement.

Your Health, Your Retirement

There is no single formula for staying healthy in retirement. For some people, it might mean walking every day and joining a local club. For others, it could be gardening, swimming, spending time with grandchildren, volunteering or simply getting out of the house more often.

The key is to think about health as more than just physical fitness.

Stay active. Stay healthy. Stay connected.

Look after your body, give your mind things to enjoy, maintain your relationships and continue finding reasons to get out and participate in life.

Retirement can give you something that working life often didn’t – time. How you use that time can have a big impact on how you feel and enjoy the years ahead.

Health in Retirement – Resources:

Home Support Service – https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health-services/health-services-for-older-people/home-support-service/​

Fair Deal Scheme Ireland – https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health-services/health-services-for-older-people/fair-deal-scheme/

Moving from home to long term care – https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/health-services/health-services-for-older-people/moving-from-home-to-long-term-care/