Many people look forward to retirement, expecting joy, but some may experience boredom, loneliness, or a sense of loss.
The importance of “purpose in life” doesn’t stop when we hit retirement. Your degree of fulfillment is directly related to your overall health and well-being in your later years. Losing your sense of purpose may result in depression, anxiety, and overall aimlessness.
At Priority Physicians, we help our retirement-age patients rediscover a clear purpose and find happiness and health on their new path.
Why Is It Important to Have a Purpose in Life?
Medicine is great at adding years to seniors’ lives, but there’s little point in living 100 years if you can’t enjoy life. Some people prefer to have a good quality of life and pass away at 90 rather than endure inadequate mobility or limited independence in their final decade.
Successful, driven professionals in their 40s to early 60s often define their business and livelihood as their purpose. They focus on the difficulty of their work and their dreams of retiring.
But often, when they retire with a lot of time on their hands, they’re neither happy nor satisfied. Some become much less active, so everyday activities overwhelm them. Their inactivity may even spur a heart attack or other health emergency.
What went wrong? Upon retiring, they had no strategy to channel their passions in a new direction, and they lost their sense of purpose.
You may feel overwhelmed if you lack a plan, making even basic tasks difficult.
For example, a 70-year-old may find it anxiety-provoking to go to the post office and grocery store in a single day because that’s all they have to do. However, if they had a greater sense of purpose, they’d realize two simple errands aren’t stress-worthy because they’re focused on achieving other larger goals.
We need activities to keep us busy at all ages, whether caring for a pet or scheduling some physical movement for flexibility and healthy living.
Find Hope on the Horizon
We often tell patients battling illness: You must have hope on the horizon. Your retirement years aren’t different. Numerous opportunities exist to enjoy life, and your Priority Physicians doctor can help you set goals and find a sense of purpose.
As you consider retirement, here are a few words of advice:
There’s no “arrival.”
People may say, “I’ve finally arrived,” when they feel they’ve achieved a long-term goal, like retirement. But in life, there’s no “arrival.” Life’s a journey.
If you think you’ve finally “arrived,” you may rest on your laurels and decline quickly. Always seek a joyful path toward your goals.
Be mindful of age-related health issues.
As we age, various health issues arise. For example:
- You lose muscle mass, limiting your strength and mobility. Maintain and build muscle mass through exercise, gradually gaining endurance.
- Your ability to climb stairs may diminish, and you may be unable to tackle a hill or flight of steps in your 70s. Avoid shortcuts and keep climbing!
- Separately from dementia, you may notice some cognitive decline. Find ways to exercise your mind and resist the decline.
Nurture community.
Women tend to live longer than men because they engage in meaningful conversations and build strong relationships with others. Men often have solid relationships only with their wives. Widowers usually fare poorly, but widows cope better due to their sense of purpose — their extended circle of friends, book club, and so on.
Work on building relationships in your golden years. Realize the worth of your activities with friends and family: It’s real and tangible and spells the difference between struggling in your eighth decade and living it with vigor.
Live Life to the Fullest
Medicine has advanced to the point where we help people live longer lives.
Your doctor should address your quality of life, especially as you enter your 60s. At Priority Physicians, we take a look at your current quality of life and what we project for your senior years:
- How will you make those years enjoyable?
- How will you remain independent as long as possible?
- What do you want to live for?
Discovering activities that nurture these goals and help you cultivate your vital sense of purpose is important. Here are just a few ideas to consider:
- Adopt a pet.
- Find a book club.
- For men, join a supportive men’s group.
- Participate in regular activities at your place of worship.
- Rekindle your relationship with your adult kids.
- Become involved in your grandchildren’s lives and activities, and help to guide them.
- Get full enjoyment from travel — plan a trip, take it, and document it in pictures.
- Volunteer in your community, perhaps at a local food bank or shelter.
- Mentor the next generation — teach classes at a community college or represent your profession at a high school Career Day.
Live Intentionally
Are you preparing for retirement? Are you already retired but not feeling fulfilled?
Your Priority Physicians team encourages you to be intentional: foster your strength and stamina, engage your mind, interact with your community, and maintain caring, empathetic relationships.
And lean on us as a resource. We’ve helped many patients retire with a sense of purpose, leading to healthy and fulfilling golden years.
