Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
– Dylan Thomas
To truly mangle young Hamlet’s famous words: To be retired or not to be, that is the question! Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of beaching in Florida with millions of other seniors or to pursue something different and challenging.
If Hamlet had not died so young, he may have pursued a career suited for a Danish prince, retired in style, and then asked himself—“Now what do I do?” We will never know what Hamlet’s path would have been, but millions of people are retiring as we speak and asking that question. According to recent Washington Post statistics, 76 million baby boomers will retire over a 19-year period—divide 76 by 19 and you get 4 million a year, or almost 11,000 people a day!
So, what are those 11,000 people doing the day after they retire? Gardening? Grandchildren? Hobbies? Sleeping? Some go gently into that good night of retirement—happily doing what they want or nothing at all. However, some retirees suffer from depression and other health issues due to a sudden lack of purpose in their day, as well as isolation from human interactions that they had at work. According to the Institute of Economic Affairs (UK), 40% of retirees suffer from clinical depression.
To retire and start a new career, volunteer, or just lounge about? These are questions that Baby Boomers slog through every day. So, let’s take a look at retirement options and some folks who have found the answer—well, the answer for their particular retirement hereafter.
Today, the World Health Organization states that the average life expectancy in the U.S. for a man is 76 years old and 81 for a woman. In addition to quantity, quality of life also looks brighter for the Golden Years as documented by University of Illinois researchers who found that nearly 30 percent of folks over the age of 85 remain in excellent health, and an impressive 56 percent said their health didn’t stop them from working.
Anecdotally, we have all seen seniors who can out run (sometimes literally) a person half their age. You’ll see them at the store or at the gym and you say to yourself, “Wow, I want to be like that when I get old!” Well known examples of retiree-age folks who do not let the grass grow under their senior toes include Jimmy Carter (91), still travelling and working on humanitarian projects, Al Pacino (77), still acting on stage and movies, and comedian Betty White (95), continuing to make people laugh as well as fight for animal rights.
Are these famous folks unique? Apparently not. According to a Merrill Lynch study, 50 percent of retirees want to work or do “something” after retirement—about one-third continue to work because they need the money. However, a whopping two-thirds say they want to work or do “something” to remain connected, mentally active, and keep the skills they acquired over the years.
So, what is the magic formula for figuring out what to do after retirement? You can ask yourself what you do best or what you want to try, and see if that leads to a purposeful solution. Many people did not have the luxury to have asked themselves questions like that during their first career because of children, mortgages, and other obligations. However, making a difference to yourself and others in your encore career is something that you can carefully plan.
There are many groups and organizations (profit and non-profit) to help you find your niche. For example, Encore.Org believes in leveraging the skills and talents of experienced adults (from doctors to plumbers) to improve local communities and the world by “hiring” retirees who meet specific needs/skill sets for existing projects. In addition to making significant contributions using their experience and knowledge, retirees may earn stipends ($20,000 to $25,000) for completing a 1,000 hour assignment with a flexible work schedule.
Whether you seek help through an organization or it miraculously falls into your retired lap, encore “jobs” give purpose to many. For example, Hollis Fleischer decided to retire in her early 50s after working for the federal government as a senior trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice and as an Assistant United States Attorney for Maryland and the District of Columbia for almost 23 years. Although she was devoted to and enjoyed her career, something else called her. She did not know exactly what she would “do” next, except spend winters in New Mexico and summers at the shore at her childhood home in Ventnor, NJ. That was about all she had “pre-planned” for her retirement—at that point.
While in New Mexico, Fleischer discovered that her community—Grants, in Cibolà County—did not recycle. A neighbor asked if she would be interested in forming a group to start a recycling program and in 2010, Recycle Cibolà was hatched.
Although Fleischer knew little about recycling, her experience with law, and navigating through government forms and legalese, really helped the group of volunteers write several proposals for federal and state grants to fund a recycling program. Today, thanks to Fleischer and her merry band of recycling men and women, Grants, New Mexico not only benefits from a successful recycling program, but they also promote community outreach and environmental projects for and about recycling.
Although her volunteerism has made a difference to her community and her own sense of accomplishment, Fleischer feels it is not like “work” at all except that it takes up time—precious retirement time. Fleischer explains, “During some of the busier months, it takes a lot of my time. It is like work, in the sense that I have made a commitment to the community; have many responsibilities; and perform various tasks to accomplish the goals of our recycling group. Like work, it has been rewarding, challenging, frustrating, and fun. And, like the work I used to do, our work is never done.”
Once you find a purpose, you need a dose of passion. If you do not love it, it will not work—pun intended. So most people deciding on their “encore” career (paid or volunteer) use their heart as opposed to their wallets to pursue something that is personally fulfilling. Just ask lifelong Atlantic City resident, Bob Pantalena. He put in “his time” as a State Parole Officer for the NJ Department of Corrections and then decided to retire. Pantalena explains, “Thirty years was enough. Retired at 56. Burned out. Working in a negative environment for 30 years wounds your psyche, bruises your soul.”
Healing for Pantalena meant positive activities like jogging and walking by the ocean. During one of his Boardwalk excursions, Pantalena met Victor Saracini in August 2001. Saracini, another life-long resident of Atlantic City, was the United Airlines pilot flying whose plane would be hijacked by terrorists and crashed into the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001.
After the tragedy, the Saracini Family placed a bench and flagpole on the Boardwalk in his memory. Concurrently, John O’Neill’s family placed a bench on the Boardwalk as well. O’Neil, another Atlantic City native, was Director of Security at the World Trade Center on 9/11 who died saving others.
During his Boardwalk strolls, Pantalena was bothered by the fact that these two local heroes had their benches placed blocks away from each other. Something tugged at Pantalena and he just decided to have the benches moved to create an official memorial for the two men—a passion and purpose called him.
Pantalena explains his accomplishment with a bit of understatement and modesty, “I once did a favor for a government employee and it was payback time. The only Latin that I know is “quid pro quo.” O’Neill’s bench was moved next to Victor Saracini’s. I added two flower planters, and I change the flowers with the season.”
After much publicity and hundreds of visitors, Pantalena then “inspired” Atlantic City Mayor, Don Guardian, to build an official memorial including an I-beam from the World Trade Center ruins and memorial plaques. Today, thousands of visitors stop to observe the 9/11 memorial on Jackson Avenue and the Boardwalk—thanks to Pantalena who started the process and continues to maintain the site and the flowers daily—rain or shine.
Retirement is not always as easy as it seems. But remember—you are not alone! We all say we want to retire many times during our career(s), but when that day actually comes, many questions and issues arise.
In addition to a financial planner to guide you through money matters, make sure you have your emotional needs covered as well. If you Google “retirement what’s next” over 27,500,000 hits display. Yes, you are not alone! From AARP to How To sites—all available to ferry you happily into your retirement afterlife.
Wishing you a safe and happy journey!