‘Youth is a gift of nature, but old age is a work of art’, quoted a famous polish poet.
By the time you reach 50, you have amassed half a century worth of experience, skill, maturity and wisdom. With a mind rife with agility, a body not old yet, intelligence that has only sharpened with the blade of experience and pressing responsibilities, now a thing of the past; you have a perfect brew for starting afresh.
There are about a 100 million elderly in India but only 10% have a steady pension or are well off in their own right, the other 90% have to survive on their savings or have to depend on their children for survival. This makes a great case for “retirement planning” or rather “plan for life after retirement”.
Fuelled by increased life expectancy, health consciousness and the prospect of greater financial security, the elderly are now embracing what they call, their second innings. And the world is now seeing them as a resource that can be tapped. But we need more of this knowledgeable expert resource to help build long-term prosperity. Most don’t know where to start though; here is a quick guide to kick off your second innings:
Start seeing yourself as useful
The elderly, particularly in India seem to hastily surrender to age; ‘psychological hurdle’ being one of the biggest miscreants. The only way to overcome it is to start small if you have to, experiment and most of all, ignore what the world has to say. Believe in yourself.
Indulge
Life never is a bed of roses; nobody knows that better than you. But now that those pressures are off your chest, its time that you pursue what your heart desires. A dance form, a foreign language, origami, pottery, music, travel - the list is endless and so are the possibilities. Indulge, because you deserve it.
Initiatives and programmes
Enrol with NGOs and private companies that promote different types of learning programmes for the elderly. ‘Nightingales+’ is one such organization that provides computer education and helps the elderly get placed in the job market.
Volunteer
If you are financially secure and still wish to see yourself as relevant, there is no better way than to volunteer for social causes, for instance, working with NGOs, teaching children in the vicinity and so forth.
Click on the link to find out about some volunteering opportunities near you.
https://www.volunteeringindia.com/
Fitness: Having a fitness routine is a must, no matter the age.
Yoga, walking, swimming, Pilates; the options are plenty. Try something new and different. And if passion drives you, build a second career out of your new passion!
Because it's never too late!
