Retirement living is about more than money.
Financial planners tell us to start thinking about retirement living decades before we're ready to retire, and it's good to make a retirement planning checklist about five years before your retirement date.
While you're thinking about how much money you'll need in retirement, think about what you want your life to look like, and how you want to feel.
Make life plans. It's important to plan for the non-financial aspect of retirement living by considering what will make you happy. Maybe you’ll climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, go dog sledding in Alaska, make time to write that novel you've been thinking about, or even continue to work part-time. Make a life plan and tick off your experiences as you move ahead.
Find a purpose. When making your retirement living plan, look for things you can do on an on-going basis that bring you joy and add structure to your life. This can include travel, hobbies or even training for a new career.
Keep your mind sharp. "Use it or lose it" applies to your brain. If you feel the need to replace the intellectual stimulation you found at work, try learning a foreign language or a musical instrument, or join a book club. Lifelong learning offers many opportunities to keep your mind sharp. How about checking out the lifelong learning classes offered by your local community centre or college?
Volunteer. Getting involved in your community is a great way to give back, and it's a wonderful opportunity to interact with people and make new friends.
Develop new friendships. A measurement of whether people are successful at retirement living is the strength of their social network - that includes family and friends. Check out groups that help you meet new people or join community or religious organisations that have members who share your interests. It's possible to meet people and make new friends even if it's difficult to get around. Did you know that friendship helps to increase longevity?
Ask your spouse or partner. If you live with someone or have a close partner, retirement living becomes a shared experience. It's important to make time for you and your partner to both share your dreams—you might be pleasantly surprised to learn that your partner wants to join you on that Mt. Kilimanjaro climb, and he or she may have ideas you'll enjoy.
Increase your financial stability. If you can’t afford to retire yet, what about partial retirement? This can include working part-time in your current job or finding a retirement job that's new and interesting—and will also help you earn money.
Keep your spirits up. The life changes that come with retirement living can be challenging, but your attitude plays a big part in whether you'll find happiness in retirement living or not. Check in with yourself to assess your mood; if you feel sad or hopeless it's important to see your doctor or a professional. Learn the signs of senior depression (or ask a friend or family member to assess your mood) and don't be afraid to ask for help.
Remain healthy. With increasing life spans, retirement living can be a long race, so get yourself in shape. That means eating well, watching your weight and staying active. When you feel good, it's easier to stay positive and open to new experiences.
Tips courtesy of Joan Carter, co-founder of Life Options Institute, USA
A funeral ceremony is a significant occasion where family and friends come together to express their grief and to celebrate the life of their loved one. It is at the funeral where people can share memories, from joyful moments to humorous stories, and honour their unique contributions.
A funeral service that is personalised ensures the farewell is meaningful and reflects the life and beliefs of your loved one.
Personalisation Options
Below are some choices to give you ideas and to help tailor the service to your loved one’s wishes and personality:
Pre-Funeral Location
Where would you like your loved one to rest before the funeral?
They can remain in the care of your funeral home, but many families choose to have them at home or on a marae. This option is especially popular among Māori and Pacific Island communities but is embraced by people of all backgrounds. If loved ones are travelling from overseas, embalming may be recommended to preserve the body and provide a more natural appearance.
Burial or Cremation
If you are not aware of your loved one’s preferences, the family will need to decide. Forrest Funeral Services can arrange either option for you:
Casket Movement
Decide how the casket will be brought into and carried from the service. Will you use family members or friends to act as pallbearers, or would you prefer this to be done by the funeral home contacts? Keep in mind the weight of the coffin and also the height of the people if you are choosing your own pallbearers.
Consider whether special music, dancing, or a guard of honour would enhance the farewell.
Symbols of Life
Incorporate personal items that reflect your loved one’s life, such as flowers from their garden, photographs, toys, books, candles, religious symbols, or other meaningful objects.
Music
Music can set the tone for the service. Choose songs/hymns that your loved one enjoyed, whether classical, rock, country, opera, hymns, or pop music, select their most appropriate favourites. You might also consider creating an audio-visual tribute featuring photos and videos accompanied by their favourite music.
Eulogy
A eulogy honours the life and character of your loved one. It can be brief or more detailed, typically lasting around 10 minutes. Key topics to consider include:
If children or family members find it difficult to speak, encourage them to contribute stories or messages that can be read on their behalf.
Creating a personalised service helps to celebrate a life well-lived, leaving lasting memories for all who attend, and Forrest Funeral Services can help you create a funeral that will reflect the love and care you, and others, had for your loved one.
Adapted from an article by Forrest Funeral Services.
Picture this: It's late, you're exhausted after a long day at work. The boss has been relentless with deadlines, and the stress has been building up. Suddenly, you feel a sharp pain in your chest that radiates down your arm. You're alone, about 8 km away from the nearest hospital or emergency room, and unsure if you can make it that far.
You know a bit about CPR, but no one ever told you how to apply it to yourself. Unfortunately, many people face heart attacks alone, and when the heart starts beating irregularly, you may only have about 10 seconds before losing consciousness. So, what can you do?
If you find yourself in this situation, start coughing vigorously and repeatedly. Before each cough, take a deep breath, and ensure that both the breaths and coughs are deep and forceful, like you're trying to clear your chest.
Repeat this cycle—deep breath, then deep cough—every two seconds without stopping, until help arrives or until you feel your heart return to a normal rhythm.
Why does this work? The deep breaths help oxygenate your lungs, and the forceful coughing compresses the heart, keeping blood circulating. This pressure may also help the heart reset its rhythm. In doing this, you might buy yourself enough time to get to help or for emergency services to arrive.
Hearing losses usually develop very slowly, so it is easy to not notice them creeping up on you. If you are concerned about your own hearing, or that of a loved one, you can run a self check to give you some ideas. Hear Again, in Whangaparaoa, have an online self-check test, you are welcome to run through.
If you determin that perhaps hearing is affected but it may not actually be hearing loss it may be a case of blocked ears. Did you know approximately 5% of adults and 10% of children deal with blocked ears at any one time! If you’re uncertain whether ear wax is causing your hearing issue or whether an ear wax removal service can help, drop into Hear Again and their experienced staff will take a quick look free of charge. Ear wax removal is quite a simple and painless procedure and you can read more about what causes it and ear wax removal online with Hear Again.
Another frustration you, or a loved one, may experience is that annoying ringing in your ears! So what is it?
Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing sounds that aren't present in the external environment. It can manifest as ringing, buzzing, hissing, whistling, throbbing, booming, clicking, roaring, or a cicada-like noise. Tinnitus may consist of a single sound or multiple different sounds, and it can develop gradually or suddenly.
This condition is quite common, with most people experiencing it at some point, especially in quiet surroundings. About 20% of the population experiences persistent tinnitus, and for 4%, it significantly affects their quality of life.
Read more on what tinnitus is and how it can be combatted.
If you need support or hear advice remember Hear Again offer free hearing tests and also operate an in-home service if it's hard to get to their Whangaparaoa premises. The team are always happy to advise and help so you can "Rejoin the Conversation"!
Hear Again, Coast Whangaparaoa, 6 Main Road, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparaoa
0508-432-724 - info@hearagain.co.nz - https://hearagain.co.nz
