Embracing a Healthy and Active Retirement
Retirement can be an exciting time filled with opportunities for growth, exploration, and personal development. However, it’s also a period that requires careful planning to maintain both physical and mental well-being. As you transition into this new chapter of life, establishing healthy habits becomes essential to support your longevity and quality of life.
Get Your Feet Measured and Buy New Walking Shoes
Maintaining routines in retirement is key to staying active and engaged. Walking is one of the best low-impact exercises you can do for overall health. “Introducing a daily walk into your newly gained time is a great way to establish some structure to your day,” says Dr Milica McDowell, a physiotherapist and author of the book Walk: Your Life Depends On It. “Set a walking time, similar to scheduling a meeting, whether you’re an early bird, a midday walker, or someone who prefers to walk after a meal, such as supper. Walking after a meal can be a great strategy for weight management and managing blood sugars, as it helps your body process sugars that are given off from meals.”
Many adults have been wearing the same size shoes throughout their working lives, but foot size can increase and decrease more than you might expect, according to McDowell. “Have a foot measurement in a proper shoe shop – it may surprise you that your current shoes might be off by a half to a full size,” she says. “I’d suggest investing in a fresh pair of walking shoes for your walks during retirement.”
Set Boundaries with Loved Ones
When planning how you’ll spend your days in retirement, psychologist Gary Fitzgibbon recommends managing expectations of loved ones and acquaintances and setting boundaries. “Life prior to retirement was bound by contractual agreements,” he says. Now it’s down to you to figure out the flow of life for yourself.
“Tell people your availability so they don’t assume you are always available because you are retired,” he advises. If you are planning to help look after grandchildren, for example, think about what is manageable and communicate it. The same goes for being roped into your child’s DIY projects; think about how much time you actually want to devote to each cause. “If you take this step seriously and persist in managing these expectations, others will eventually accept it.”
Avoid Describing Yourself as ‘Retired’
We know that maintaining social connections and continuing to challenge and engage your mind intellectually helps protect against cognitive decline, particularly once you’ve left the workplace. “As human beings, we thrive on social engagement. One research paper suggested that in terms of prognosis, social isolation is the equivalent of having 15 cigarettes a day,” Adams says. “The quality of these connections influences how we age. Becoming socially isolated and not having purpose can lead to poorer health and brain function, and affect your mood. There’s a lot to be said for embracing this phase of life with a positive attitude.”
Psychologist Fitzgibbon advises avoiding the word ‘retired’. “Identify yourself by what you are doing now and avoid the trap of defining yourself by what you did in the past.” See it as an opportunity to rebrand yourself, he suggests. “If you are involved in astronomy, tell people you are researching black holes—it is more relevant than saying you are a retired sales executive.”
Stave Off Frailty with Gardening, Carrying the Shopping and At Home Workouts
It is never too late to start exercising, stresses Dr James Adams, consultant geriatrician at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and frailty lead for the British Geriatrics Society. “Someone living with frailty won’t have the same physiological reserve in response to an infection, operation or fall,” he explains. “For example, getting flu could be a big insult to their system and they could experience quite a rapid deterioration in their function as a result.”
Regular physical activity is important at any age, but it is key to preventing frailty and protecting brain health in older age. “Lifting weights and incorporating balance training are key for maintaining muscle strength and stability,” he says. “I’ve seen patients post-retirement who haven’t been particularly active and lived very sedentary lives, but have heavily focused on this and significantly improved their health.” One study found that just 20 minutes of strength and balance exercises a day helps reverse frailty and build resilience in the over-65s. Along with lifting weights and doing moves such as lunges and squats, everyday chores and hobbies such as gardening can all help improve your strength and balance.
Strengthen Your Toes
“Toe weakness is one of the biggest predictors of falls as we age,” says foot and gait specialist and Walk co-author Dr Courtney Conley. “Sarcopenia also occurs in our feet. We lose strength and power at a very rapid rate, particularly once we turn 50. We also lose sensation in our feet. This combination of strength and sensation loss contributes to fall risk. The good news is that the feet can be exercised just like any other part of the human body. Simple drills, such as toe presses, single leg balances and calf raises can have a very profound impact on getting stronger from the ground up, keeping you balanced and walking into future years.”
Eat Chicken and Eggs Every Week
As we age, getting adequate nutrition is crucial, particularly as appetites tend to decrease. Protein intake, alongside exercise, helps slow the loss of muscle mass that naturally happens with age (known as sarcopenia), which typically progresses more quickly among women around menopause. “But we know that for a lot of older people, their protein intake isn’t good enough,” says Adams. “Studies estimate about a third of older women don’t consume the recommended minimum of 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight per day.”
One study from the University of Sheffield published in Geriatrics found that more than half of older adults surveyed didn’t meet this recommendation. Yet many experts argue the protein requirements for older adults should sit higher. Some research suggests older adults may need to consume 25-30g of protein at each of their three daily meals to build or preserve muscle. (For reference, there’s just over 30g of protein in a chicken breast and around 6-7g in one egg.)
Buddy Up if You Can
Walking with a friend is a great way to stay connected, avoid loneliness and boost your physical and mental health in retirement, McDowell adds. “Whether that’s a furry friend, a neighbour, a partner, a fellow retiree, former coworker, child or a new acquaintance, research studies have shown that walking with others can provide numerous health benefits beyond walking solo,” she says. “Having a walking buddy improves your likelihood of not skipping a walk because they are counting on you at your agreed-upon time. This can help you stay motivated even when the weather is foul, or you’re not feeling up to it.”
