Retirement

[Zzzptm]

I got a letter today that let me know how I'm eligible for some senior stuff. OK, great, I'm old.

But am I going to retire? I don't know... I don't think I will. Some of the happiest and healthiest people I know that are also over 70 are people who take care of their health and also *keep working*. I see that and then think of people I know who retired and either deteriorated in health or who just went out suddenly or who developed mental issues. I suspect their inactivity had a lot to do with those things.

I know I'll die one day. But I'd like to be doing *something* up until I'm done with breathing.

[Vyn]

I often retire to the drawing room...

But yeah, being engaged in something is as important when you're "old" as any other time in your life. I think the industrial revolution really setup "retirement" as we know it today, but it's an artificial construct.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

I was made redundant in 2016 when I was 51... but it was with a pension/lump sum and I haven't really felt the urge or the need to go back to work. I did some contractoring here and there for a year or two but it sort of got in the way, and now I'm too busy with my hobbies to do anything full time!

[Typhon]

I cut my work back to part time a year ago.  Taking care of my house and property is like a second part time job.  Add hobbies to that and I stay pretty busy.

[Zzzptm]

Definitely keeping busy and occupied is the thing. My grandfather pretty much just watched teevee when he retired and went pretty quickly after that with Alzheimer's, which seems to accelerate for people not doing a whole lot with their brains. While it's nice to be able to rest from cares and all, one can't rest *too* much if you don't want to be taking a nap in the dirt!