What do seniors want most beyond retirement?
To help you find different things to do beyond retirement, we asked business leaders this question for their best post-retirement plans. From installing mobility solutions to giving back to the community, there are several different things you can do and paths you can take after retiring.
Here are seven things seniors want most beyond retirement:
- Have Your Finances Planned
- Organize Essential Documents
- Install Mobility Solutions
- Find Joy in a Hobby
- Give Back to the Community
- Gain Access to the World
- Contribute to Your Retirement
Have Your Finances Planned
Many aging Americans want to make sure they can leave an inheritance to their family. They want to make sure they can be helpful in hopes it helps their family pay for such things, like a grandchild’s education or maybe a first home for their children. Having financial goals and a plan to carry through on them is a good reason why so many seniors do estate planning over other generations. Having a will, creating a trust, or even having the proper health care documents so loved ones don’t lose money to courts and lawyers is critical. By planning, seniors are protecting all they have worked so hard for and helping secure their loved ones’ futures.
Renee Fry, Gentreo
Organize Essential Documents
Peace of mind knowing that this stage of their life can be enjoyed with the everyday stresses eliminated as much as possible. Many seniors have expressed that they want to make sure that their children and grandchildren are left behind thriving and happy without creating a burden on them — getting their affairs in order once they pass. For this reason, many seniors are seeking ways to get organized in a non-complex way. For my retired mother, doing this gave her a project which is something she seeks and desires in these retirement years to continue to feel a sense of worth and purpose. She very much enjoyed her experience writing her own memoir through my company as it didn’t require her to upload documents to the cloud but allowed her to freely type where all of her important documents could be found.
Jaclyn Strauss, My Macro Memoir
Install Mobility Solutions
The most important thing for any senior after retirement is to maintain a high quality of life and a sense of fulfillment in their senior years. Their health, food security, and financial stability rank at the top of what they want most. Some seniors value their independence, and the best way to do so is to help them be more comfortable at home. Doing a few safety modifications to their home will assist them in completing everyday tasks freely and help win back their sense of independence.
Meg Marrs, Safer Senior Care
Find Joy in a Hobby
As a senior of 69 years old, what I want beyond my retirement is to have a fulfilling hobby that will keep me in line with new trends and technology. My main hobby is blogging in the area of fashion for women over 50. I have been doing this for almost a decade now and currently have 20,000 followers on Facebook and almost 8000 followers on Instagram. The fashion industry has been neglecting women of my age and mostly presenting trends for a younger audience, and with my hobby, I am managing to influence this part of the industry and showcase styles that suit any woman of a similar age as mine. Retirement is a great time in life, but only if you have fulfilling days and feel energized by something that keeps your juices flowing and keeps you happy.
Vanda Jirasek, Olivia Style
Give Back to the Community
Many seniors have larger disposable incomes than younger generations, alongside a lack of dependents and a desire to impact the world around them. They want to leave a positive legacy for the next generation and see elements missed by younger generations, for example, gaps in aged care. To this extent, according to CAF, those over 65 in the UK are the most likely to give and have the highest donation amounts for both mean and median giving — figures that are roughly replicated across the Western world. This makes them the most engaged givers in our society. For those wishing to give, the focus should be on locating causes that meet their values and interests, considering giving in their lifetime versus as a legacy, and ultimately being able to feel passionate and engaged by what they do. Giving should fundamentally bring joy, and we all want more joy in our lives, irrespective of our age!
Antonia Mitchell, Aurelia Philanthropy
Gain Access to the World
Beyond retirement, seniors want to experience a full life, be involved in their community, travel, and experience the world. Of course, many seniors have some health issues and some additional accessibility requirements when traveling or experiencing their community. All businesses should create an accessibility statement and provide more help and information to seniors. My company offers a toolkit and resources to help businesses create this statement and tap into this large and growing sector.
Dale Reardon, Travel For All
Contribute to Your Retirement
Worries are the last thing seniors want to take with them into retirement. Financial security and stability are paramount for retirees. A reliable retirement fund or pension system helps a lot to ease long-term stress.
Adam Garcia, The Stock Dork
Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.