Rick MoodyThis past month I turned 71 years old so it’s time for a report from the field. I’ve now taken to introducing myself as “I’m Rick Moody, and I’m retired.” Why do I do that? Because I’m in favor of retirement, even more so since I retired 2 years ago from AARP. Someone jokingly asked me, “How do you retire from AARP?” More seriously, a major national authority on life planning said to me, “You can’t be retired. You have so much to contribute.”
Interesting food for thought. True, I’m working on three books at the moment, I give speeches and do consulting, I spend lots of time, as a volunteer, helping small nonprofits with fund-raising and marketing. I also edit several newsletters. (Do I qualify now for “productive aging”?) More to the point, I’ve taken Tai Chi, ballroom dancing, white water rafting, and gone on wonderful Road Scholar trips. These days I take weekly voice lessons and will soon start training in mime and in contemplative photography. Hmm, too self-centered? Robert Browning said it well: “The last of life for which the first was made…”
There’s a move abroad these days to attack the idea of retirement (“You’re too young to be retired”). Some prominent political voices have a hand in this: for example, proposing to raise the age of eligibility for Social Security. Others attack retirement itself as “bad for your health”– a false claim refuted by 50 years of research on the subject. But urban legends don’t die easily.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favor of elders giving back and taking care of future generations. That’s why I serve as Board Chair of Gray Is Green, the National Senior Conservation Corp, and why I’m proud to have served as a judge for the Purpose Prize from Encore.org. Yes, we need Encore careers and those of us who are elders have not outgrown our obligations.
We also need to appreciate that “It’s not your grandfather’s retirement.” But it’s still retirement, even as its face is changing. At a time when defined benefit programs are vanishing and when entitlements are under attack, we should think long and hard before opposing the idea of retirement.
As a privileged person myself, I want to make sure that more people have this benefit in years to come.
Great retirement blog
hope to hear more!
Great post on retirement!
Retirement is definitely
what you make of it!
All the factors Dr. daily mentioned are true!
Hello! I am student of AGNG200 at the Erickson School of Aging. I am really enjoy your post. I do not know which word can describe my feeling. I think your thoughts about the retirement are really good. I have study many points about aging in my class, and there is one point I think is kind of important for the old people. The point is promoting old people remain activity in society after retirement. It will help them feeling good and useful for the society. I encourage the old people to do something differently when they retirement. For example, they can travel around the world and make new friend or become a volunteer just like you. The news” Learning New Skills Keeps an Aging Mind Sharp”. Benjamin Porter wrote “Older adults are often encouraged to stay active and engaged to keep their minds sharp, that they have to “use it or lose it” But new research indicates that only certain activities-learning a mentally demanding skill like photography, for instance–are likely to improve cognitive functioning” I am really agree with him. In my point of view, new things will motivate the old people enthusiasm, and help them be happier. They can study some new skills to remain their life stay active, make their aging life more meaningful.
Reference
Benjamin Porter.（October 21,2013). Learning New Skills Keeps an Aging Mind Sharp. Retrieved from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/learning-new-skills-keeps-an-aging-mind-sharp.html
great info.
Hi, I’m student of AGNG 200 at the Erickson School of Aging. Your story after retirement is impressive. I sometimes think about my plan or what should I be after the retirement after about 40 or 50 years. The answer always have been nothing because I can’t feel it with all my heart. You say that you do volunteering work like fund-raising and also spend your time on Tai Chi, ballroom dancing. That’s exactly what I learned in class how to spend our lifetime after retirement effectively. I hope my grandfather did it too. From my experience, my grandfather spent a lot of time just in home. People usually think that there’s nothing to do after retirement, but there’s numerous things including making hobby after the retirement.
Hello! 🙂 I am an AGNG 200 student at the Erickson School of Aging. This article relates with with ideas learned in class. As people approach retirement, it is important for people, after their working years, to be able to volunteer and remain active in society. I agree that retirement should be available for all people in order to allow reflection upon working years and all parts of life, for that matter. Retirement is not bad for people’s health because it gives time to write books and volunteer during a meaningful time of life, meant for some leisure and reflection. Thank you for the interesting article!
Senior in this day and age definitely need more options. Seniors need a voice.
Rick, dear friend. You are not retired from life and, please remember that work is what you do for a fee, for free, for the common good…just as you are doing. Retiring from something is quite different than retiring to something. Get it? You are working though let’s not call the work you do a “job.”
With Aloha…Carleen
Shared life experiences, keeping active, and being engaged in our community will help redefine “retirement” I still work part-time, volunteer, and I also enjoy my days off to be with family and friends. Keep the information coming our way to share with other elders.
Today we still need retirement options for those seniors that are not part of the privileged class. I think that this ‘silent majority’ needs leaders like you Rick to give them a voice so they can also participate in this new ‘retirement’ society.