No time to retire: 10 lessons for an ageing world
— by Antonia Cunliffe

Antonia Cunliffe photo: Claire Pepper Hair and make-up: Anna Durston
Populations are ageing across the globe and to help work out what we are all doing with our mid-to-late lives, we’re launching a new That’s Not My Age series called No Time To Retire. The plan is to feature personal stories, information and expert advice for anyone approaching retirement age, or thinking about but not planning enough for the future. There is a large spectrum here and the whole question is complex. Sometimes we make choices and plan accordingly, whereas in other cases this is not possible. If a person has health problems or is caring for dependent relatives, there is narrower range of options and far greater challenges.
In her recently published, helpful book the former government advisor Camilla Cavendish, advocates Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World. Chapter Four entitled ‘No Desire to Retire,’ makes the point that there is now a new trend of Un-retirement, which means the ability to keep working in a chosen field or a different one post retirement age. This tends to apply narrowly to the highly educated or professionals with transferable skills. Some choose to work as advisors as paid consultants or pro bono or to volunteer their time. Although it can also apply to those who don’t have a choice, are not able to survive on a state pension and have to keep working – possibly on a part-time basis – in order to boost an inadequate income. Lifestyle has to be adjusted accordingly. For freelancers and part-time workers, cashflow is variable and planning for a secure future becomes more challenging.
Overall, there is a spread of ages at which one is eligible for a state pension, and in many instances there is a gender gap between the female and male retirement age – pension equality is something WASPI is campaigning for. In demographic terminology, apparently, ‘elderly’ is defined as the age of retirement. In the UK this is moving progressively from age 60 for women, 65 for men, to parity i.e. now 65 for both, but with the intention to shift this upwards, 66, 67 and finally 68 by 2037. In the USA the number is moving from 65 to 66/67 for both sexes. In Canada, Australia and New Zealand, 65 is the norm. In contrast, France has the very low age for 60, which the government wishes to adjust to 62. The figures are lower still for Russia: 55 for women and 60 for men, moving towards 60 and 65 by the mid-2020s.
The real question here is whether one has the choice of continuing to work, and the good enough health to do so. Is it a case of ‘Hands Off My Job?’ or ‘Please Let Me Retire Because I Have Had Enough.’ Naturally, this comes down to personal circumstances and is very much driven by socio-economic considerations.

Photo: Claire Pepper Hair and make-up: Anna Durston
We would very much like to hear from readers of That’s Not My Age about your stories and experiences surrounding retirement and continuing to work. Please send an email to [email protected] and start a discussion. Upcoming posts in this series will also deal with how to keep healthy, busy and how to engage with life as fully as possible in later years.
Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World by Camilla Cavendish is out now
Discussion (81 Comments)
Evelyn Rubia says:
I retired April 8th and I am falling into a depression
IEvelyn Rubia says:
I didn’t get to finish my sentence
I was going to say I will be fine
I will find work
Not ready to give up yetMaria says:
Hi Evelyn – I hope things get better for you, good luck. I am dreading having to retire, for me it would be a fast route to loneliness, depression, money worries, boredom. My job offers so much – lovely offices, great colleagues, interesting ideas every day, interest, money, independence, a little status.
Saba says:
Wow! Perfect! I am so glad you are doing this. I am age 76 and just started a new job for a variety of reasons. I am so glad that you did not sugar-coat this choice by adding that some may face challenges, such as caring for others or poor health. At the same time, I love my new work and would not choose to do otherwise. Keep it coming!
Kym Kilpatrick says:
I retired relatively early at 61, not because of physical health, but because of burnout and the fear that I was beginning to lose the empathy and attentive abilities that are essential to the work that I did. I am still in a period of mourning for the loss of a career that had taken several years to build and that I had become proficient in and given me high status in my community. But I have thrown myself into volunteer work including becoming an active member of the RFS that I have found both challenging in terms of learning new skills and enormously rewarding in connecting with a new community and giving me a sense of purpose. I feel busy and useful and my physical health has improvement from a more active lifestyle.
Ali Davis says:
I retired from my job, but I didn’t retire from life, I am as busy as ever…on my terms , we live in a very active semi retirement community, where the majority have no intention of stopping…I have often said I’m going through “old age” kicking and screaming…so if you hear a distant scream it would be me…I’m extremely happy doing volunteer work in the profession I retired from…
Praxis says:
This is very timely Alison, and a question I and my similar aged friends (I’m 59) often discuss is how do we continue to remain employed until 67 . Here in Australia the pension age for us is 67. Why is there an assumption by the government that employers will gladly continue to employ us until pension age? Many of us have been experiencing age discrimination in the workforce since our early 50’s. What options are there to remain employed, and continue to work towards self funded retirement ? And how do we fund ourselves in the period between not being wanted by employers but too young for a pension?
Pyrites says:
I’m not far behind you Praxis at 55. I’m also in Australia and witnessing age discrimination all around me in the large corporation that I work for. I need to keep working having worked part time for many years whilst raising a family, I don’t have enough funds in my super for retirement.
Maria says:
Hi Praxis – its the same here in the UK, I find it harder and harder to find jobs and age discrimination is rife. I dread a forced early retirement, for economic and personal reasons
Same in Switzerland. If you loose your job/career because of age discrimination, or if you are burnt out before you are eligible for the AHV, the state pension, that starts for women at 64, the consequences are hard.
Longdenlife says:
Since starting work, the retirement age has moved three times for me. Every time I get a bit nearer, it moves a bit further away! I work in a very stressful education environment and I know even now, at the current age of 47, that mentally I will not be able to do the job I do now when I am in my 60’s. Its simply not sustainable. If I do continue full time to retirement age I will retire with what, at the moment, seems to be a decent pension, but if I go part time or leave/retire earlier this will have a significant impact.
Claire says:
Longdenlife. I’m in the same boat as you. 48 and in Education. There’s no way I can continue until I’m 68, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to work. It’s that balance of a decent pension and quality of life.
Longdenlife says:
Definitely Claire. I don’t intend to twiddle my thumbs when I retire from work, I have plans (hopefully) to complete a degree in either Art and Design or some kind of horticultural degree, volunteer and generally do the things that I want to!
Saba says:
God bless and good luck with working everything out. I do think that sleeping late and lolling by the swimming pool all day, if that is what you need, should be included in this discussion. We are all individuals whose needs should be honored.
Mrs Joan McIvor says:
I concur with your sentiment. Having worked in education until I was 60, I couldn’t mentally carry on anymore. I finished at 60 but I can’t retire until I’m 66. I have a small private pension which doesn’t go very far between two of us. The volunteer route has saved my sanity. I became involved with the Bethany Family Project and actually went to visit them in Tanzania. As a result of this I compiled a book, telling the stories of the orphans and how they came to be abandoned. (www.bethanyfamily.net) I’m also involved with the local church and I help to run a food bank twice a week. I join in with the ‘school run’ picking grandchildren up a couple of afternoons. My life is busy, I meet new friends through the groups and it’s very supportive. I might not get paid but I do receive great joy from being involved with others.
maudie says:
Very sore point! I have a heart condition and fibromyalgia but I am a ‘baby’ of 61 who cannot get my retirement pension until I am 66 and a half. Failed to get any disability allowance – don’t get me started on that one! The total and complete humiliation of the process is enough to make an intelligent, educated woman completely suicidal. Universal Credit seems to want to send me for loads of interviews for jobs that I am unable to manage. Looking at the idea of working from home but not having much success at the moment. I appreciate that 61 is the new 41 etc. but for me, my 61 is about 81! If I were fit and well I would have continued to work until I was put in a box as I loved the ‘structure’ and satisfaction of being a working person and functioning in the workplace and had no intention of ‘retiring’ on a certain date. I worked in the special needs education environment with some amazing kids and staff. My husband is 68 and on a state pension but has to continue working to support the two of us plus a recently graduated son. To say that the system is not fair sounds horribly whingy but I do know that it is not working for us as a family and I do fear the future.
Isobel says:
Not whingy at all, Maudie. The system is CRUEL, in Australia also. And if anyone tells me that 64 is the new 44, I swear I’ll poke them in the eye!
John murray says:
Retirement doesn’t appeal to me lm 72 still doing 40hr weeks, doing the same job, freelance but keep getting repeats with employers must be doing something right. Winters are getting harder. Too old to retrain, construction management still gives me a reason to get up in the morning. Achievement, something to see!!!
Gaye says:
Hi all..this caught my eye. I retired in January and have been free falling ever since. I don’t like retirement..I’m lost!! Most of my friends still work as they are younger. I have volunteered along with my working years. There is a feeling of not being wanted or needed.
Juanita Wilkerson says:
Just awesome! I retired from NYC Correction
Department twenty years ago at the age of 49.
I was a volunteer at a food pantry for a couple of years. When I decided to return to the work force doing security in 2005. At the beautiful age of 66 I am thinking about retiring again in
2020. With God strength I may just keep going.Nicole K says:
I am 63 and would love to be working. My husband was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s 16 years ago. He had to leave work 6 years ago due to cognitive issues and the last 3 years has required more care and management making it difficult to accept the project work I was doing with non profit organizations. I didn’t expect to be in this situation at this age. Life can throw a lot of surprises your way!
Jane says:
What a great focus Alyson. After a cancer diagnosis many friends suggested I give up the stress of work and retire. I was then 52. Despite many health issues during and post cancer I have always wanted to continue working and will do so for as long as I choose to and my health allows. I moved to a part time role in a different organisation within my field ( education) specifically so that I could continue to work on. Work gives me a huge sense of satisfaction, a team to work with and a reason to dress up. Plus I am still contributing to society and all our futures. Long may it continue!
Gail says:
Two years ago at the age of 57 I left my job of 17 years. My husband fully retired. I was mostly ready for a break as opposed to full blown retirement and figured I would likely work full or part time again after taking some time off to decompress. Ironically, despite moving to another state, I was hired back in my old position after about 18 months of “retirement”, but this time on a part time basis and I am telecommuting. It has worked out well – no learning curve of a new job and not near the stress level that I had when I did the same job full time in an academic setting. Maybe in 3-5 years I will be ready to call it quits once and for all. I also think you need to have a clear idea of what you are retiring to and definitely have a plan. I actually don’t care for the term “retirement “and much prefer to think of it as “transitioning”.
Susan Caddy says:
I appreciate some people “want” to keep working into old age, and some “need” to keep working for financial reasons. The problem with having an older workforce is it is depriving our young people of jobs they so need. It just seems all wrong to me. I am 59 and retired to care for my husband who has Huntingtons disease. Sadly my husband will no longer be here in a few years. If and when I feel the need to fill my days, I will opt for fulfilling voluntary work, rather than deprive someone of a job who needs it more than me.
Plumbuddle says:
A larger and more fulfilled workforce does not deprive youngsters from entering workforce, far from it! Work makes more work, as any housekeeper knows. With paid work, the opportunities are infinite. In my profession, the law, there is a huge respect for old age and judges and barristers are seen, if not in court then attending functions and training settings, influencing the professional community until they drop. Youngsters need to see this so they benefit from their history and become part of the passing on of expertise through the generations. I’m only 60 and tired of meeting people in social settings who ask me if I have retired yet. Perhaps that’s more about the triteness of the “what is your occupation?” type social gambit than about discrimination, but I’m not liking that. In particular in my part of the profession (family law), older women are very visible and highly respected. How about that for good news?
Jean says:
With all due respect, Susan, that excuse was used in the past to keep women out of the workforce. “We can’t allow a woman in that position, she will be taking a job away from a man.” I think there are enough jobs to go around and our younger workers will be employed regardless of us older folks keeping our jobs a little longer.
Karen Rennie says:
We have no idea how ‘lucky’ in the western world, we are, compared to the next generation. We still have a NHS and some chance of a pension. What the future holds for the young is very worrying. If we are able, we can choose to work voluntarily. For example, our numerous charity shops for example, throughout the UK, would not function without the amazing team of volunteers. As someone, who is now 63, I am aware I am now an ‘oldie’, but amazingly, younger folk still seek me out for advice or company. Running a small vintage shop was a lifestyle choice for me and my husband. Not sure we shall ever truly retire, but an EU passport is certainly a goal at the present.
Still Alive in North America says:
Hello Susan. My continuing to work does not deprive anyone of anything. Nor do I owe the young my job. As yet another family lawyer practising 35 years, like Plumbuddle, I have every intention of keeping at it and expect to remain a guilt-free active contributor to my profession for so long as I can find the courthouse.
Harriet says:
Very pertinent to me as I am about to turn 60. I work full time and intent to carry on for several years yet. I may choose to go parttime at some stage but have no immediate plans to do so.
My job is demanding and fast-paced. It requires me to stay up to date and can be incredibly stressful.
I can’t say that every day is a joy, though almost every shift I come home feeling I have made a positive difference to someone’s life.
At a time when many of my friends have already retired, I feel a bit of a freak for choosing to continue to work.
Yet I have never had a better work-life balance, more energy or free time.
I no longer have to juggle work with childcare and elderly parent care.
Let’s celebrate ordinary women of age, working or not, let’s hear their voices and see their faces.Goddessinthedetails says:
I’m a WASPI woman. I never had the luxury of equal pay or equal opportunity but carved myself a fab career. That disappeared when I turned 60 because of long-distance caring for a father with dementia. (He moved to the Med and refused to come back to make my life easier). I didn’t want to retire but found myself without a job thanks to these circumstances. The ‘equal’ retirement age is, in fact, deeply unequal for those of us who have never enjoyed equality, are still expected to take on ‘traditional’ female caring roles and cannot find a new job due to ageism when the caring ends.
Saba says:
Amen! And, United States Social Security that will not keep a flea alive.
Carmen Abrego says:
I live in Chicago… I’m 65… but do not have plans of retirement… til I’m 75! I have a good job…. rental property… no kids… a partner.. she loves me and my dog!
I’m in good health… no meds. I like working… being active… I’m happy about who I am and where I am in my life! It’s about passion to be happy!Well I’m 62 and I have to wait untill I’m 66 for my pension, I only found out about the pension age change 4 years before my 60th. After separating from my husband at 52 I thought crikey I’m sort of on my own now, but felt quite confident about the future. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with cancer, went through the treatment and into remission.
Since then I have had a business, but it was not enough to live on, so tried to find work in the retail sector as I did before my children and while they were growing up. I worked in an art gallery, it was hard standing all day. So at 57 I decided to do a degree, in the coming months before starting I was diagnosed with ITP an autoimmune disease. I had treatment in the first month of my degree, it made me well again, but I have fatigue issues because of the ITP. I finished my degree last year. I have been looking for work ever since, the plan was to work part-time and supplement that with workshops, selling my art and fairs. I have found it impossible to find work, I am now on Universal Credit and selling my house as I can’t afford the bills, the equity won’t even buy me a small one bedroom flat. So I’m in dire straights now and not looking forward to the future.Isobel says:
Oh, Karen, you’ve had such a rough trot… I really feel for you. I hope you might possibly be able to get a studio flat, perhaps, because all we really need is a roof over our heads, no matter how small. Wishing you a stroke of good luck… you’re overdue for some!
Karen Belarouci says:
Thanks Isobel, a small roof would be fine, fingers, legs and everything crossed that hings will work out.x
Thank God I reached 62 years & on SSDI-a working disability- because of a deteriorating lower backbone disc in the Sacroilliac area but it didn’t stop me me from doing volunteering work for disable seniors called – Senior Companions. The position is for seniors who have mobility challenges & can’t or don’t leave there home independently. We are a step away from the nursing home or hospice. It’s rewarding to be assistant to the forgotten senior who rarely make contact with any human being. There is a increase of seniors who are in need for this service & it is rewarding!
Vasu says:
Very useful article – I did not really think about retirement – I brushed it aside, thinking it will take care of itself. But this year I will be 60, and I think ‘”what??? When did that happen?”.
I am working full-time, and the thought of slowing down is really attractive, but I would still like to work part-time. I can’t imagine “retiring” as such.Tom says:
Glad to hear this as I have lost seven friends from different backgrounds who never reached pension age
Little Brown Bird says:
At 50, I’m working freelance in one career and in parallel, part-time training to do something different with the rest of my working life. It’s given me a new focus and hopefully a more engaging and fulfilling role in life. I’ve always embraced life-long learning , so this is a new and exciting direction for me. I probably don’t need to work beyond traditional retirement age (and who knows what carer responsibilities I may have in the future) but I figure I’ll be able to deal with whatever life throws at me.
Anna K. says:
I retired from a demanding professional career to enjoy retirement years of travel and companionship with my husband which we did for a few years. Unfortunately, his health broke down and he spent his last six years wheelchair-bound, with me as his 24/7 carer until his death last year. I find myself, at 76, not only widowed, but redundant, care having absorbed nearly all my time and energies. I was warned that grief takes its toll on the body as well as the emotions. I want to make myself useful, but feel too exhausted physically and mentally, to commit to a job at the moment. I do however, volunteer at a local arts centre and a support group for the disabled, and am looking into the prospect of teaching literacy to prisoners.
I hope this doesn’t sound too self-pitying. I count my blessings – financially secure, with a comfortable home in a lovely, friendly village and grandchildren nearby. I do feel for those who are compelled to keep working even when exhausted because of the changes in iniquitous pension rules which seem to have hit women particularly hard; It’s just rather a shock to be trapped in an ageing body that isn’t working when I feel 17 inside!
Mystykyn says:
I cannot afford to retire and don’t want to. I will be ageing alone with no family and therefore do not want to progress into Shakespeare’s 7th age. of mankind.
I believe they said as far back as the ‘60s that old age was a medical success story that was becoming a social problem which is sadly all too true, and I’ve noted a lot of people in my age group saying that they would like to choose the time and manner of their passing which for me would be on retirement- I don’t want a lonely and impecunious old age.
In our post Christian society many people no longer want to continue with an impaired life and that impairment can be as a result of socio economic factors as well as medical ones.
In all honesty I see no reason why a person of full capacity should not be permitted legal access to the means of ending their life should they so wish. I am not afraid of death but I am terrified of disability and decrepitude, and in particular cognitive decline, and I’m certain I’m not the only one.A Beacon says:
Ouch, some of these stories resonate. I was a successful freelance writer in the days when companies spent big bucks on print materials. Now, they don’t; the Internet, great boon though it is, depth-charged freelance earnings because errors can be corrected and materials changed so cheaply. The day rate is less today than it was 30 years ago. So I retrained as a teacher and qualified at 50, only for a government to remove citizenship from the mandatory curriculum subjects and to find out the hard way that school leadership teams prefer young biddable recruits. So now, I have ’employment’ (in a family enterprise) to maintain my entitlement to a full state pension when I hit my date, which has been delayed.
The silver lining is that much of my career has been about marketing pensions and investment decision-making, so plans have been made. I had hoped to teach financial literacy as part of my subject; it is so vital.
Jennie Banfield says:
A very pertinent discussion. I retired at 60, 12 years ago, as my job offered no more challenges. But it took me a while to find out what I wanted to do and eventually I was able to use transferable skills to work in the voluntary sector where I like the challenges they offer. I continue to learn through courses, study days and trips particular interests. I do provide childcare two afternoons a week and holiday cover for young grandchildren which I like but feel very tied by it at times. If I was on my own I would happily work if needed. I’m a big fan of Camilla Cavendish as well as TNMA!
Jill Davis says:
I left a job in PR that made me very miserable at 63. The first couple of months of not working were just a huge relief after all the stress. I don’t get my state pension until January next year when I will be 65 (another WASPI woman), but I have two small ‘side hustles’ which bring in a little money. I cat sit, and now have a number of regular clients, and I do support work with elderley people in my local community.
It is very important to have some structure to your week, as it is easy to lose the sense of self that a full time job brings, and spending more time at home with your partner can be challenging!Krys says:
I am 56 and was diagnosed with MS after turning 50. I have worked for the same electric company for over twenty years and I love my job! I also play in a steel band and we gig about once a week. My husband is retired and working as a consultant. I intend to keep working as long as I can to help cover the cost of my care should my health deteriorate from my illness. For now though I am loving life and enjoy getting dressed up nicely for my day job and having a routine.
Anne Murphy says:
I’m single and retired from working as a Probation Officer in a prison almost 3 years ago…..Not for a millisecond have I regretted my decision, not that I hated my job, it was very interesting but the time had come for ME! I’ve kept in touch with only one work colleague, as talking about work is not on my radar!! Luckily, financially, I am in a fairly good place. My life now revolves around, in no order of preference, painting, stitching, children, grandchildren, my garden, Theatre, meals out, trips out, involvement with the local university, my home, my dog & generally doing what I want to do when I want to do it!
Sue says:
Really interesting discussion. I retired from a teaching job after 20 years as I wanted more flexibility in my working life and more control of what I do. I am now in the process of reinventing myself as a freelance florist. I definitely feel the need to work. I think it was Paul Dolan in his book Happiness by design that talked about needing purpose for mental wellbeing and that applies to how I feel. I still have days where I feel adrift and not sure of what I am doing but I think these are decreasing and as my business develops I hope that I will feel more confident about my decision to leave my teaching job.
Bliss says:
Excellent subject & so needed. We are in challenging times. Thank you Alison !!! Companies should not throw away the wisdom, values of loyalty, work ethic, and more to those the push out who would enjoy working. I find it despicable. So many bring and can offer a lot of knowledge.
I’m going strong at nearly 69, and have no desire to quit the work that I love – a panorama of businesses that my husband and I started around 16 years ago, and which we can operate from anywhere. I DO look forward to when my husband ends his consulting career, which keeps him mostly in the DC area, and we can move to our home in France – we’re counting the months! But we’ll still keep our Music and Markets Tours going, and our rental properties.
I am a 48-year-old freelance professional translator who will receive her licence to practice osteopathy next year. Diversifying my self-employment activities is MY retirement plan: since my 30s, I decided that the only way for me to live is at a sustainable pace with control over my day-to-day. Given my complete autonomy, there is no need to leave a job that is sucking me dry or an environment that is sapping my energy. I plan to work 20-25 hours a week for as long as I can, to reap to rewards of relationship, contact, mentoring, teaching the younger generation, etc., until, I hope, I am 85! And beyond if I can. I see too many sad, lonely elderly people who have isolated themselves through the concept of retirement while their children lead busy lives… I admit, though, that mine is the privilege of the educated and the driven.
Sally says:
I retired as a Nurse Practitioner one month after turning 66. I was in fact getting too weary to do my job well. I had experience but the case load and charting were just too much for me. I have no other vocation. Reinventing myself at 66/67 simply was not in my world view so I’ve remained retired.
Alipally says:
I was made redundant from my retail banking job at 55, three years ago. The job was stressful & had no future. I was mentally worn out with it and various family traumas and didn’t feel capable of working even part time. We had downsized a few years previously, moved into town; public transport, shops, library, doctors etc on our doorstep in anticipation of losing our jobs. I cashed in my pensions, got a puppy & a bicycle, helped with the new granddaughter & gradually got involved in voluntary work locally. I now work part time for agencies & choose my own hours, have an allotment & and spend as much time as possible out of doors seeing the seasons after spending my working life stuck in front of a computer. Money is tight, but I have my health and I’m happy. I’ve had the privilege of seeing my granddaughter grow up. I knit like fury, read a lot, practice Yoga. I don’t miss my job & I’m not bored. Life is short.
With all due respect, I am not loving the title of this feature. While I understand there are plenty of women who can’t or don’t want to leave the workforce, I love retirement and am so glad I didn’t listen to all the people who said we’ve got to keep working. I reject the idea work is more important or more gratifying than leisure or that we have no identity without some sort of job. It’s all about personal choice, but I’ve never been happier.
Mrs Tonia says:
Choice certainly and personal circumstances.
The idea was to stimulate discussion of a serious life stage decision. But never to be prescriptive in my analysis for this post.
There are a huge range of situations, family and financial situations at play.
Everyone has to create their own path at this point in life.
There are choices at the same time as necessities.
Keep the discourse active. All can benefit from reading different points of view. That’s my opinion of this broad and complex topic.
Antoniaann says:
Hi there, I totally agree its about allowing a space for a sharing of opinions each one appropriate for that person. I have really enjoyed reading the differing opinions, I’m in my 50’s so a while off retirement but I have from observing retired family members seen the results of different types of retirement, for them having daily structure has been key to their retirement but the content of that structure has varied between them. a really thought provoking topic.
Hilary says:
I am 71 and retired when I was 60 from a very stressful lowpaid job which I had to do as a single mother.
Amazingly I remarried and my husband is 72 and retired from academia six years ago; he found it very hard to adjust to retirement whereas I love having the time and opportunity to get involved with local societies and voluntary work.
He now has Parkinsons so I try to make his life easier and I will be reducing my other commitments in the future.
I read somewhere that to grow old well you need red wine,vegetables and a purpose in life – I agree with that!
Marcie says:
“Don’t retire FROM something. Retire TO something.” Education, volunteer work in a field you love, travel, hobbies, etc. etc. At age 85 I’m still doing the volunteer work I feel I was born to do, and I’m still loving it. Old age is a privilege that not everyone gets to have, so make the most of it.
Boadicea says:
Well said, Marcie! I’m a tad behind you in age but agree with all you say. Long live us!
Norma Garayua says:
I am 48 and know how difficult it is to retire if there was no plan. Some people listen to all my preparations as if is too soon to prepare, I think the sooner the better. I plan to retire at 60, have enough savings to compensate for my government pension and retirement pension, I also save in a 401K. I plan to stop working, but I have many plans such as living abroad for a couple of years and perfect 2 of 4 languages I currently study. Then I plan to volunteer with an organization where I can use my skills, but on my own terms. Ah, can’t wait!
Frances Ramsden says:
I retired from teaching at 62 (now 69) having phased my retirement doing a 4-day week then a 3-day week at the end–I would recommend this as I could not envisage retirement at all as I approached my sixties as I loved my job. For the last 3 years, I have worked one day a week teaching one-to-one which is really enjoyable. I love the professionalism and working atmosphere. I took on rather too much in the way of volunteering and new interests when first retired but have a much better balance now. Although I love teaching I did not have sufficient energy to continue full-time so I feel very lucky the way things have worked out. I also really enjoy the days when I have no fixed plans. I recognise that I am fortunate in having excellent health and financial security.
On the cusp of 60 I started my blog taostyle.net which has turned into my full time job! I’m not complaining and on the cusp of 66, needless to say, I’m not retiring! Age is a number!
I agree with you. I feel really sorry for the young today. When I left school and went into Nursing I had the pick of places to train at N=and although the pay was a pittance, especially as it was London we did get paid.
Nowadays the young are expected to do internships without pay and Student Nurses have to pay to go to University.
Houses prices are ridiculous for them as well.
I am 57 and have decided to set up my own business. I was working as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in a GP surgery but was finding it very stressful as I wasn’t a Nurse but an underpaid GP.
My Mum retired at 72 but continues to work in a charity shop at 80 and my Dad still works at 78.
Having made the decision to leave primary care I feel re-energised and don’t want to retire at 60 but I’m lucky I have the option I have.
I’m setting up a Private Menopause clinic as I think women that are peri and menopausal suddenly find their confidence gone and anxiety sets in. They don’t know what’s going on and then due to this drop out of the workplace, so I hope to help women keep fit and healthy as long as possible.Isobel says:
I wasn’t sure when to chime in but I’m glad I waited, because I know now I’m not alone in my thoughts and feelings about work, unemployment, retirement and pensions. However, I seem to be in the minority here, of those who’ve had less than satisfying, rather tedious work lives.
I’ll be eligible for the pension at 66 (in 18 months time), here in Australia and I can hardly wait. In the meantime I’m on Newstart/Unemployment benefits (far less money than the pension) and the indignity that goes hand in hand with being ‘managed’ by youngsters at the Job Services Provider, where I have fortnightly appointments. I’m counting down the weeks and crossing off the months! I joke about it with friends in the same position, one of whom pretends to cry on my shoulder at the thought of having to get through another 5 years ’til she’s 67!! We’re not lazy, just tired… tired of standing on our feet all day for years on end, while coping with family issues and diminishing health and strength. Nothing unusual here.
Just peace and quiet and freedom, plus a few hours each week volunteering in the op-shop with like-minded people, chatting to all sorts of customers for short bursts of time and having LOTS of time to myself at home, is my idea of the good life in retirement! Of course, the fact that I’m an introvert explains a lot… a lifetime spent pushing oneself to participate in a predominantly extrovert world is EXHAUSTING!!!Karen Belarouci says:
Sounds like Australia has a very similar situation to the UK Isobel, hiking up the pension age. The job centre is full of young and people over 60, there are 300, 000 women in their 60s on Universal Credit, 3.8 million women affected by the 5/6 year hike, what the UK government didn’t do was inform us, so we are fighting it. We have to fight the media, they don’t give us a voice, they also perpetrate the myth that pensioners are well off, the UK pension is one of the lowest in Europe. I have 3.6 years untill I’m 66. You don’t have too long to go, hang on in there. I hope you can do what makes you happy.x
We started our own business in our 50s and I can’t see us ever retiring for two reasons: money and motivation. Not having enough of the former and having lots of the latter! But a big shout out to my Mum who is 80 and still working in the horse racing stable she runs with my stepdad – and working means mucking out & humping bales of hay about. She’s a remarkable woman – breast cancer twice, osteoporosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia – but despite all that as fit as a flea and so positive. Working is keeping her young, not only physically but mentally too. I wish I had her energy!
Robin Bolner says:
I am 66. I work full time as a Sales Coach in a large call center. It gives me an opportunity to teach the technical aspects of our products but more importantly the art of sales. I sneak in positive psychology to help people take the “inner critic”: self doubt, negative self talk, and rewire their brain with more positive thoughts. There are many magical moments. When they happen I feel like I am drinking a sip of timeless elixir. I get to experience the “timeless now” .
I am approaching 68. I retired at 62 as my husband had already been retired for 2 years and he wanted to travel. I was happy to so as I would be leaving at high point in my career after a good with outstanding bits inspection. I was so tired I think I slept for a month and have tried very hard never to become sleep deprived again.
I set myself some goals: to look after my health, to keep up with technology, to have a strong family, to become a expert in a craft, to read good books.
I measure everything I do against my list so 6 years after I “retired” what do I do? I work part time as a bid writer raising money for a charity and supporting voluntary and community sector forums. I also write bids for a charity as a volunteer. (Keeping up with technology and being useful) I lead Walks for Health once or twice a week. (looking after my health and being useful). I swim most days – but I have always done this. I visit my son and his family in NZ every year and have an adventure on the way home, this year it is the World Cup Rugby in Japan. In my evenings I knit for myself and others in the family, I have learnt many new techniques and this year my daughter has a new poncho, I have some new cardigans and the grandchildren have personalised Christmas stockings. As for the reading, my goal was 12 books this year and with long flights I hope to reach it.
Life has settled down and there is time to meet friends and family and grab any interesting experience as it crops up. I’ve never been busier or happier.
Saba says:
So many respondents are knitting . . . seems to be a metaphor . . .
Carol says:
Wow, so many responses and points of view. Just retired at 64 after 40 years teaching. Interesting how some of the early comments were from educators who could not take it anymore. Count me in on that. Husband & I chose not to take many big vacations when younger but to save & invest money for now. We are now taking a 3 week vacation in Atlantic Canada. However, I did find that in the few months after school ended, I needed to keep a planner/journal similar to my school plan book. In it I color code my to do list like I did when teaching. It has helped me structure my day so that I don’t discover I’ve had too many cups of tea watching too many cooking shows. It is clear from all the comments above that retirement, especially for women, has its challenges on many fronts.
Tiffany says:
Fantastic initiative. I’m 51 and work at a superannuation fund (in Australia) where we are especially focused on the gender gap in retirement income. Interestingly, I was told by many people (mostly women) that there was no way I’d get another full-time job at the age of 50 after years of freelancing – I’ve actually found (fortunately for me) that people are finally appreciating the experience that comes with age. I’ve also been lucky enough to earn well and am planning to leave office life for good in a couple of years – I’m not retiring early, I’m rewiring – heading down to a block of land to build a house and garden and resume freelancing. I will probably also casual teach a day or two a week, and volunteer when I find somewhere that needs me …
Rose Mary G. says:
As I inch closer to 59 these types of articles are dear to me. Love to read the comments to get an idea what everyone is feeling. Overall it’s a wide variety. As I type this my mother in law is in Ill health and in hospice. One thing she has always told me was that she regretted retirement. She felt going to work kept her mind going and busy. Sadly retirement was not what she expected (long story). While my mom on the other hand is 82 and still working today!!! She said as long as she can move she can work. When she does retire she plans to volunteer.
Be good to chat. At Advantages of Age, we’re very much about supporting those who want to continue working (or, more likely, need to work) with discovering new pathways to employment. We’ve been funded by the National Lottery to run a course with the snappy title of ‘Reset Mindset and Get Ready to Earn’ . It starts on 1st October, runs for three months (2x a month) in London and aimed at rebuilding confidence and resilience which is necessary for many who are thinking about self-employment as a possible next step. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/reset-mindset-get-ready-to-earn-for-over-50s-tickets-71216894649
SuryB says:
I am a 56 yr old fashion designer who, like so many others in this thread have been struggling with the idea of retirement. I have just finished reading “Age is just a number “ by Charles Eugster . A retired dental surgeon who rekindled a love of competitive rowing he’d neglected for most of his adult life at the age of 63.
He took up bodybuilding at the age of 87. And at the age of 95 he started sprinting for the first time in his life, becoming World Champion at 200m indoor and 400m outdoor. He is a world record holder for his age group in a number of sports, and has 40 Gold Medals for World Masters Rowing.
He tells his life story and explains what you can do to live a long and healthy life. He believes that if you can continue to work past retirement age it gives you a sense of purpose and has many obvious benefits that many others have mentioned in this thread.He is an extreme case and I realise that some of us won’t have his energy. Some of my freinds who work in the NHS are taking early retirement at 58 and loving life !
For me – arriving in my 50’s was a shake up – recognising my vulnerabilities, and realising that I am not in a financial position to even think about retiring any time soon.I am still working out what I am going to do, but I am grateful that I have a rewarding career that enables me to support my adult family and that my health has been ok which is a worry I never thought about in my pre – 50’s.Thankyou Alyson for opening up this conversation and letting so many people express so many feelings which are often a bit of a taboo.
I would recommend Eugsters book or Ted talk . I look forward to other recommendations to help us all look forward positively to a long and healthy life.Pauline Middleton says:
What a wonderfully inspiring and thought provoking dis mission. I retired at 65 from the NHS, having cut down to part time from the age of 60. That definitely helped pave the way. I’ve never e looked back, I’m now 70. My husband of 71 is retiring in November, having worked part time since 65, he says he has finally had enough of getting up at 5/6 am, but I am trying to plan interests and purpose for him, as I know he will struggle after working since he was 15.
Sharon says:
Hello, I am 73 and still teaching part-time. I love the classroom and the camaraderie with other (younger!) teachers. If I were not teaching I’d be volunteering and figure I might as well do something I love and make a little money at the same time.
Retired at 50, my Husband retired the year before me, so my first year slept a lot and felt spaced out being so tired. Came through that and the last twenty years of retirement has been the happiest time of my life. I’m my own boss, do what I want, when I want.
We travel a lot, see friends, look after our house and garden and each other. I have no need to work to validate who I am, never get bored, haven’t worked a day in the last twenty years – I recommend it!
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What a fantastic idea! As I approach retirement, these questions are definitely on my mind.