As Americans are living longer, hopes and plans for retired life are changing. Today, many see retirement not as an end, but a beginning of a new chapter in an already fruitful life. A recent Transamerica Center survey shows that 86% of workers associate retirement with a socially active lifestyle. But what does socially active mean for you?
The answer lies somewhere between your temperament and your personal preference. Maybe you’ll find volunteering as a story time reader at a local library a fun and fulfilling way to serve your community. Or perhaps you’ll become a youth mentor, imparting your hard won wisdom and knowledge to younger generations.
Volunteering can have health benefits too. Adults who volunteer with children tend to burn more calories, have better mobility and even perform better on memory tests. If you have fond memories of youthful summers spent canoeing or at an archery range, you may wind up back at summer camp later in life. At a summer camp for adults you might relive the best of childhood, enjoying s’mores and campfire songs with your peers. Whatever your future may hold, the world is wide open to you.
When you retire, how will you treat your next chapter?