Retirement Planning

Now that retirement’s near, can the need for help be far behind?

Some day, you or one of yours may well need to call upon a Caregiver for help staying independent in one’s own home. These things often come as a surprise. You owe it to your elders and to each other, and to your children, to think about that; to plan for it. Just in case.

I recall one particular fellow who didn’t.

It was when I was a reporter for the Worthing Gazette and Herald in England. We had a janitor, handyman, general factotum whom I knew as Mr. Black. One day the paper threw a farewell party for Mr. Black. He was facing mandatory retirement.

I asked him what he was going to do with his retirement. He said, “I’m going to enjoy not having to get up to go to work at five a.m.” Other than that, he seemed to plan only to enjoy himself and his new freedom. Actually I was so surprised that he started work so early that, being young, I pursued that angle more than I did his retirement plan.

It didn’t seem more than days later before I met Mr. Black again, at the newspaper office. He was back to work, part time. I asked him what the heck? He said, “I couldn’t sleep past four a.m. and I had nothing to do.”

He was ripe for deterioration.

I’ve met quite a few people like that over the years. No retirement plan. Oh, sure, they have better financial arrangements than I have, but I have more to do in my retirement years. I write, for one. That’s really a full time job. And it keeps me out from under my wife’s feet, a problem category a lot of retired men seem to fall under. Blessed are those who have mutual interests. Pity those with no plan, for they are likely to wither and need that Caregiver. The Caregiver won’t cheer; she’ll just give care.

And that’s the point here. What are ya going to do when YOU retire?

Lots of “Boomers” are faced with that question now. From what I hear, they have been so busy running the world that they forgot to have hobbies and outside interests, other than good ol’ Rock ’n Roll and its concomitant parts, Still! Or maybe you would like to take up skiing.

So here are a few thoughts.

1) If you are still married, or otherwise “coupled,” you might try what my brother and his wife did. Financials basically covered, they sat down and talked it over to find something they could do together with their newfound free time. They talked of pursuing a mutual interest. Both had lived full working lives and they thought a mutual hobby would make up for a lot of missed time during the working years and the running the kids to hockey and the volunteer coaching and the overtime and all that “living” stuff.

They settled on square dancing. It wasn’t long before they were good at. In fact, they enjoyed it so much they were soon considered “senior” members and became coaches for the newcomers. A bonus was that the square dance groups include people of all ages, not just retired folk. Also not just the pre-teens, who presumably, don’t have a choice about their attendance. I’ve seen many a teenager and young married couple at the jamborees. I must say, they are a happy lot having a ball. Why, they even have a Caregiver or two among them, just shaking off the cares of the world and staying fit for their clients.

If you’re at all musical, outgoing (or even shy as a person but comfortable playing a part), and have a good sense of timing, you might study the art of calling for the square dancing. Some callers sing-song the instructions, some sing them. They’re all loved.

Now my (older) brother and his wife are each other’s Caregiver. And they’re ready in case they ever need to call in professional help.

2) Try volunteering. Countless people find fulfillment in this role. My wife does. She’s a giver. I know it’s a hoary old piece of advice, but remember: the Olympics are on the horizon. You could get in on an exciting fortnight of thrilling events. Guaranteed your memories will live on. And, there are local events you can get involved in. Plus you will meet so many people that one of them may well end up being your Caregiver in your old age.

Maybe you could become a home-care Caregiver. Why not call Jane or Pam at Access Independence Care if you live in the Fraser Valley. They could train you up and guide you to your official certificate.)

Maybe you could become a volunteer Granddaddy or Grandmamma. They say grandkids keep you young. Also that “If I knew grandkids were so much fun I would have had them first.”

Or, if you don’t really like kids, or if you’ve had enough of your own, how about forming a group and visiting at hospitals? Check with the hospitals, of course, but we recently had to spend a day in the emergency waiting room. It was one heck of a busy day there, with both front entrance and back door practically blocked with people in ambulances waiting for the short-staffed, over-worked nurses and doctors to catch up to the tide.

We could have used a candy-striper or some kind of Good Samaritan after three or four hours. I finally found a vending machine and got some juice for my wife. But when I found another machine somewhere in the maze of hallways—I had to ask directions to get back to emergency—the machine ate my dollar fifty (left over, by great good fortune and forward planning— from that greedy parking machine in that super overloaded parking area: Imagine! Pay parking at hospital emergency! What Supercalifragilistic rip-off will they think of next I wonder?

Fortunately, we had the exquisite “Shawna” on duty that day, and she eventually came up with a sandwich and a small juice. That got my wife through. It got me through too, but only because my wife couldn’t stomach the second half of her sandwich.

Another possible place to volunteer is with the government’s Canadian Revenue Service Income Tax volunteer preparation program. It may not fill your entire year, but first, you will get basic training, and second, you will help a lot of fellow seniors and income-deprived people at a critical time of the year. The service is appreciated, believe me. Clinics run from February to April. You can call 1-800-959-8281. AND, you gain the knowledge which you can use on your own tax filing. Save you a lot of money! (For me, these people are Caregivers!)

3) Of course, reading is always a part-time option. This could be part of your hospital volunteer Care Giving: reading to the patients. In our case, we’ve been buying books all our lives. I used to collect them “for my retirement years,” partly because my work life was so busy I couldn’t possibly read them all at the time. Now when we move, unlike people who have furniture and some books, we have books and some furniture. Our moving truck was charged overweight fees. But, man, do we have some reading to do. But you don’t have to do that. There are some very good book shops in our town, new and used. And plenty of places to pass them on if you don’t want them to accumulate.

4) And, naturally, there is the job of keeping more or less fit. It’s our duty, really. And it is part time. Balance is the ticket, of course. Keep the blood flowing, keep the brain alive. Enjoy life more. There are gyms, and plenty of sports facilities. Match that with a smart diet and a keen conscience prodding you not to overload the hospital emergency wards and it will be many years before you need invalid help, if ever. (Sorry, caregivers. It had to be said.) But then, you need to stay healthy to take care or your, really elderly while the Caregiver gets a break. And if you are to be the Caregiver, good health is good policy.

5) Other thoughts include these, borrowed from others, some of whom I knew or met: Learn a language. You’ve always wanted to. Take a college or university course. Get or finish that degree you started or dreamed about. Take up a musical instrument. (This is my really big regret in life.) Join a sport. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous one. And all of these activities are social events as well. It’ll keep you plugged in and alive. And if and when there is a need for home care in your family, you have a whole network to tap into to learn, talk about and refine your Caregiver skills.

So, is there no plan? Take the above few thoughts as a launching pad. Don’t just believe that retirement will take care of itself. Try things. If at first you don’t succeed, try something else. And don’t put off trying a hobby till it’s too late and you’re retired and you face a blank wall with no writing on it.

The trick is to actually do it, now! Procrastination, you know, really isn’t a success tactic.

--Bryce the Third