For many, the thought of retirement is so distant and futuristic that it is shelved in a dark, recondite recess of the mind, perhaps even to exorcise the arrival of very adulthood. For others, that milestone is coming or has just come, and this has repercussions for the no longer worker but also, and perhaps most importantly, all those who, in cascade, will be affected by the former worker's new life.
How then to approach the new retired status of one or more parents? There are decalogues dedicated precisely to them, to the newly retired, to whom it is apparently advisable to give guidance and suggestions on how to deal with this new phase of their lives, in order to prevent the new way of using time from having too negative repercussions.
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It will then be up to the next of kin, even the children, to strive to make this transition painless and perhaps even positive. Indeed, the abundance of free time must be managed, directed, and made to be perceived as a resource to be put to good use and not as a boulder to be carried every morning, perhaps shortly after dawn, during working hours.
New rhythms will therefore have to be set for the time of day, and in this even the most absent-minded and disinterested children in the line of succession will have to play a role, if only so that they do not face worse effects in the future. Out of pure self-preservation instinct more than altruism, in short.
Here, then, it might come in handy to take a trip around the Internet to find out what might be the most constructive ways to spend the days profitably to which to direct the newly retired. From the simpler and more traditional ones, such as the vegetable garden on the balcony, taking care of a new pet, stamp collecting and crossword puzzles, to the less conventional ones, such as yoga, some oriental meditative disciplines or the study of computer science or foreign languages, with a view to that trip around the world that has been talked about at the dinner table for decades.
Studying, thanks in part to third-age universities, can be another constructive outlet, perhaps to catch up or supplement an academic career left undone. And even volunteer activities, in the many areas they cover, can be a stimulus and a positive way to spend time, generating sociability and perhaps good humor.
So the possibilities are varied, and it will be up to Gen Z and Millennials on the other side of the kitchen table to make them concrete, prompting the new retiree to explore them. Especially to avoid finding him or her at home all day, checking return times, credit card balances, and the true number of exams on the college transcript.
Illustration by Gloria Dozio - Acrimònia Studios
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