It's not too late!

MANILA, Philippines – So this is it. You’ve packed your boxes, you’ve cleaned up your desk, you’ve signed the resignation letter, and you’ve had the last talk with your boss. You can actually afford retirement. You’ve finally reached that age beyond your golden years and you’re (supposedly) about to reap the fruits of your labor. You’ve finally retired. Our country doesn’t really have widespread retirement homes to go around (think Grandpa Abe Simpson) but most retired Filipino seniors find themselves at home, taking care of the family and the household. We do believe however that retiring can prove to be fruitful and exciting, if you just have a game plan going.

Rest. This may sound like the obvious, but do it because you’ve earned it after decades of work! Don’t be afraid to rest. You can do this in the literal sense, staying at home constantly for weeks or so, by caring for your sleep hygiene, and just by getting a luxurious nine hours of sleep every night. Take a nap during the afternoon, after you’ve had your coffee and before tending the garden. Seize the opportunity to slow down and just to stay at home, at least for the initial period of your retirement.

Get into a business. Another obvious option for the retiree after resting. Pool your funds, your pay from your employer, your savings, as well as what your investments have produced. Think of your passion, and what you think you’re really into: a past passion for creating bead crafts, your flair for lutong bahay—all this can be money makers for you. Have another business as your peg, then conceptualize and concretize your plans. You can also partner up with entrepreneurs who have long been in the business, or those who have just retired as well. 

Reconnect with loved ones. Cherish your moments with your grandchildren. Make their sandwiches before they go to school or do watercolors with them as they finish their school projects. Help your kids with their parental duties, and see how rewarding second parenthood can be.

Have a vacation. Take advantage of the slashed prices of the travel industry due to recession. Airlines like Zest Air and Cebu Pacific have very reasonably-priced promos that can take you to Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and even Asia. 

Revamp your health! We actually know some people in their late years who are afraid of going to a doctor for their check-up, afraid of a lump or abnormal skin cells that the doctor might discover. We believe that it’s better to bite the bullet, rather than procrastinate and wait it out, then possibly end up with more disastrous results. 

Take your bones for instance. There have been cases of 19-year-olds being diagnosed with bones as fragile as that of 70-year-olds. In your senior years, you should be vigilant about your health more than ever. Women over 50 in particular should exercise for an hour, three times a week. Osteoporosis Canada guidelines also recommend getting 1500 mg of calcium, as well as 800 IU of vitamin D. Feast on milk of course (add some to your morning coffee), fortified rice or soy milk, salmon, and everyone’s favorite nowadays - yogurt, which comes in various flavorful forms. And at 50 years old onward, a bone scan is also mandatory.

Of course, the basics still hold: have a diet filled with the good stuff (fruits, veggies, lean meats and fish), lower sodium intake, maintain a healthy weight, and lower alcohol intake. All these help fight the bad guys of old age: high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and heart disease.

Go back to school. You must have missed school at least more than once in all those years you’ve been working. So go ahead, go back to graduate school, and feed your brain once again. It could be that archeology course your parents didn’t let you take, or that culinary course that could allow you to finally have your own restaurant! (See “Get into a business” on K-1.) We should never stop learning so now is a good time to study again.

Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Assuming that you have retirement funds to dip into, this is the time of course to use them. Think of this as the perfect time to complete that bucket list. Jack Nicholson’s character in The Bucket List did it by skydiving and going on an African safari. It can be something as reminiscent of that, and visiting Abbey Road in London if you’ve been the longest Beatles fan or telling a high school sweetheart you never forgot her if you’re single. It’s you and your life dreams this time, and you deserve it, so go and take that chance!