While they make great pets, Border Collies are, first and foremost, workers. They’ll look for jobs to do around the house. Bred to herd sheep, they’ll herd children and other pets. They love solving problems. In other words, they’re happiest when they have a purpose. Sound like someone you know? According to psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, purpose is essential for all of us. During...
When it comes to longevity, genetics, diet and exercise are the factors we usually think of. But according to a recent study by Boston University School of Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, our attitude about all of that—and life in general—can have an even greater impact. Researchers found that the most optimistic participants, who were tracked for up to 30 years...
According to a recent study by the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, yoga injuries are on the rise, especially among older adults. Over the past 13 years or so, the rate of yoga injuries among adults 65+ has increased more than eightfold. But isn’t yoga supposed to be good for you? Yes. But you have to be informed. Thousands of yoga teachers are being certified each year, and...
Three years ago, Dahti Blanchard retired from teaching at Swan School in Port Townsend, WA. Today, at 67, she’s the oldest resident Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with East Jefferson Fire Rescue. It all started when she saw a sign calling for volunteer EMTs and acted on a dream she’d had for 30 years. “I was curious as to whether I’d be able to physically do the test, and went for...
We all know that exercise and diet are important contributors to a long and healthy life. But there’s another factor, as or more important: the quality of our relationships. “Good, close relationships appear to buffer us from the problems of getting old,” says Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Waldinger directs the Harvard Study of Adult...
What if we spent all of our days Improving our minds, learning new ways to be lazy —Mary Chapin Carpenter, “What If We Went to Italy” Retirees are often advised to stay busy. We’re expected to volunteer, take classes or travel. And, for the most part, it is a good idea to stay active. However, for many Type A personalities, it can be challenging to slow down enough to actually...
Anna Mary Robertson Moses didn’t pick up a brush until she was well into her 70s. While she’s known as the quintessential late bloomer, fame and fortune isn’t the point. Here are a few quotes from her and how they relate to a fulfilling retirement, regardless of whether you end up in Wikipedia: “If I hadn’t started painting, I would have raised chickens.” How...
Once a teacher… After years of serving in a public school, retirement can be bittersweet. There are things you probably won’t miss: lack of supplies, weekends spent grading, the 1952 coffee maker in the teacher’s lounge…the list goes on. Maybe you were able to find some comic relief by doing your best Rodney Dangerfield: “I don’t get no respect!” But then...
If retirement is a challenging transition for you, you’re not alone. Volunteering is a great way to maintain a sense of purpose and belonging. You’ll meet new people, learn new skills, and perhaps uncover talents and interests you never knew you had. Who knows, it could be the most rewarding work of your life. Plus, you get to set your own schedule, participating as much or as little...
Recently, after 34 years of delivering mail in Marietta, Georgia, Floyd Martin decided to retire. At the end of his last day, the neighborhood surprised him with a block party of more than 300 people. This included kids he gave lollipops, dogs he gave biscuits, and everyone for whom he always had a smile and a wave. “When we met Floyd,” recalls one neighbor, “it was like he was an old...
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