Tips For a Healthy Retirement
Many people think about their finances as they approach retirement, but it is important to take steps to make sure your health is good as well. Increasingly, retirement means many different things to different people. For some, it may still resemble the more traditional idea of retirement where people take it easy and spend time with their family, but for others, it can mean traveling, going back to school, or starting a business. Whatever your plans are, you need to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health, and the tips below can help you.
Consider Your Insurance Needs
It’s important to make sure that you have the insurance that you need to cover your health care. As a senior, you will be eligible for Medicare, but some older adults prefer to have additional coverage as well. In addition, you might want to consider long-term care insurance.
Be sure that you understand Medicaid spend-down rules, whether they may affect you and if you need to take steps to protect your assets. You may also want to reconsider whether you still need your life insurance policy. You can find out more about the meaning of the cash surrender value as it relates to your policy, review a FAQ, and learn how to calculate the value of your policy. The money that you get for this can be a good addition to your retirement savings.
Choose the Right Activities
Physical activity and health considerations for aging adults remains important, but what that means will vary widely based on your own situation. If you are in a wheelchair or have other physical limitations, your approach will be very different from a senior who is running marathons or climbing mountains. You might do gardening, take a daily walk, or attend an exercise class for seniors. Your physician might be able to offer suggestions about what would be best for you.
Stay Engaged
Staying engaged with others and with the world is an important component of health as you age. It can be easy for older adults to become isolated if they are not careful since they are no longer going into work every day, but there are many different ways you can maintain friendships and keep up your social ties. Some may be informal, such as having standing plans to meet a friend for coffee or lunch each week. Others may be more formal, such as doing volunteer work. Your spiritual practice or hobbies can also provide social outlets.
Consider Your Family Dynamics
Another important thing to think about is your family dynamics. If you have a spouse or a partner that you live with, how will your lives change after retirement and what will having a successful relationship in retirement look like for each of you? It’s important to have this conversation. You should also consider what kind of care, if any, you may both need. In addition, think about how much time you might spend with other family members, including adult children and any grandchildren. You may start to participate more in the care of your grandchildren.