In a previous blog, we discussed Sudden Retirement Syndrome, a term for the mixed emotions that some individuals feel when their reality of retirement doesn’t immediately live up to their expectations. In order to keep SRS at bay or to help banish it if you find yourself experiencing it, part of your retirement plan should be seeking new opportunities to engage your mind and participate in meaningful activities.

The beautiful thing about retirement is that you finally have time to pursue options and interests that you may not have been able to in the past due to work, family or other commitments. We’ve put together a list of 17 different pursuits to pique your interest, focus on what matters to you, and make your golden years the most interesting, vibrant ones yet.

17 Ways to Spend Time in Retirement

3. Improve Your Health

Regular physical activity is essential for helping older adults age well and stay healthy. Now that you aren’t working full time, you have additional opportunities to take exercise classes, pick up a new sport, and spend time getting your blood pumping while having fun, too. Consider joining a club to try new activities and meet new people while staying active.

4. Become a Mentor

Mentoring others, whether you enjoy working with kids, young adults, or professionals, is an excellent way to share your knowledge and make the world a better place. Mentoring can be formal, informal or a mix of both. A few great organizations that offer mentorship opportunities are AmeriCorps and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Other places to look include local schools, community organizations, and places of worship.

5. Go Back to School

School isn’t just for  young kids anymore. Many retirees use their free time to take classes to learn new skills like acting, cooking, music, history, gardening, and more. Some seniors choose to earn a degree and start a secondary career doing something that has always interested them. Various community colleges and universities offer specialized programs for seniors that are either low- or no-cost. Other organizations, like Alison, offer free online classes with certifications.

8. Volunteer

Volunteering is a very popular activity for retirees who wish to use their free time to donate to causes that are meaningful to them. Volunteering connects you to like-minded people, helps you stay social, and gives you a sense of purpose. There are countless opportunities for volunteering at both the local and national levels. A good place to start and find opportunities in your area is through Senior Corps, which is focused on connecting people 55+ with worthwhile causes.

9. Join a Book Club

Book clubs are a great opportunity for older adults to make new friends, socialize, think critically, gain new perspectives, or simply read a book that they might not otherwise have selected . Check out your local library to see if there are any clubs that interest you, or ask friends and family if they have a group that would be interested in having a new member.

10. Spend Time with Friends and Family

Many retirees plan on spending more time with family and friends during their golden years. Not only does this give you a chance to build and strengthen those relationships, but social connections also help seniors avoid depression, isolation and loneliness. Find ways to meet up with friends and family on a regular basis, whether it’s for a weekly phone call, family dinner on Sundays or a monthly trip to see your grandkids. You’ll make memories that can be cherished for years to come.

11. Trace Your Family Tree

Learning your family history can be enlightening, interesting and even surprising. Genealogy is easier than ever to trace these days, thanks to sites like Ancestry. You can also document family stories for future generations with online services that allow you to create a family book or by doing an interview for the national StoryCorps project.

12. Become a Tour Guide

Are you interested in sharing your passion about the local area? Becoming a tour guide or docent can be an excellent opportunity  to get out into the community and share your love and knowledge. Maybe you live near a local historic site and can volunteer at the visitor’s center. Or perhaps you’d like to create a walking tour of some offbeat history that occurred in a nearby neighborhood. Check with your local historic buildings and monuments to see how you can play a role.

13. Declutter Your Home

Refresh your home and free up your retirement lifestyle by finally taking the time to go through your house and get rid of things that you don’t want or need. (This can be an excellent jump-start toward  eventually downsizing to a smaller home or a senior living community.) Go through those dusty boxes in the attic and look through the family pieces that you don’t really use but haven’t been able to get rid of yet. You can also gift heirlooms and treasured pieces to your family members so they can enjoy them while you’re around to see it.

14. Play Brain Games

Keeping your brain sharp through Sudoku, logic puzzles, or other brain-teaser games can help stave off memory loss, improve your mood, and potentially even help you avoid cognitive diseases like dementia. Don’t feel like cluttering  your home with hard-copy puzzle books? Download apps to your smartphone or tablet to get endless games that you don’t have to physically store.

15. Find a New Group Activity

Joining a group, whether it’s a crafting group, movie club, pickleball league or tennis group, gets you out of the house, out of your comfort zone, and into the company of others from different generations and backgrounds. Your local Parks and Recreation department is a great place to look for affordable classes and activities that may be of interest to you.

16. Find a New Solo Activity

Being in the company of others has many benefits, but it’s also rewarding to have time all to yourself that you can use to work on a project, activity or interest. Create a must-read list, or set up a studio in your home where you can paint or do woodworking. Bake goodies and donate them to nearby hospitals or hospice homes. Creating something with your own two hands can be incredibly rewarding.

17. Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

Retirement is a great time to visit all the local sites, attractions and festivals taking place in your area that you’ve always heard about but have never visited. Head out to your town’s First Fridays or Third Thursdays to take in live music and local foods, and visit local farmer’s markets to source some homegrown produce. Check out your town’s Chamber of Commerce and calendar of events to learn about activities and events that can be fun for the whole family.

Reinvent Your Retirement at Waterstone on High Ridge

At our elegant senior living community in Stamford, CT, our active and vibrant lifestyle provides so many ways for you to fill your retirement years with meaning, fun and fellowship. Our residents enjoy their own private, maintenance-free apartments that free up their time so they can fill their days how they wish. We invite you to contact us at 203.541.0868 to learn more about our beautiful community and to see how we can help you make the most of your senior living experience.

This year’s awards celebrate the industry’s top people, projects, and programs.

In a time of economic uncertainty, multifamily owners, developers, architects, and builders continue to raise the bar for creating innovative and thoughtful communities that cater to residents’ needs. Our 2023 MFE Awards winners exemplify the tenacity and perseverance happening across the nation.

Out of nearly 240 nominations, the jurors selected 12 grand winners and 11 merit winners. In addition, the jurors selected Atlas at Park & Paseo, the grand winner in the mid-rise category, as the Multifamily Project of the Year. Developed by Alliance Residential and designed by AO, Atlas is the third and final phase of Park & Paseo, a mixed-use development that has transformed an 18-acre industrial site in Santa Ana, California.

As part of the MFE Awards, we also honor indusry leaders who are helping move the industry forward:Executive of the Year Lili Dunn, president and CEO of Bell Partners; and Hall of Fame inductee Harry Bookey, founder of BH.

Read more about what these multifamily leaders are bringing to their companies, their communities, and the industry as a whole as well as what makes our grand winners shine.

Last month, we shared the best healthy foods for your heart. As an active older adult, you may find yourself wondering about the best foods that will provide you with an extra boost of energy.

Maintaining your energy levels as you age will help you keep your physical and mental health in peak condition. So if you’re an older adult finding yourself nodding off while you watch TV or feeling a lot more tired than you did several years ago, you may need to start looking at what you’re putting into your body.

Eating the right types of food will help increase your energy levels, build your endurance, and allow you to continue doing the things you enjoy. As a bonus, most of the energy-boosting foods found below also are excellent at keeping your heart healthy, maintaining your blood sugar levels, increasing muscle and bone strength, and boosting your immune systems.

We’ve put together a list of seven foods that provide seniors with a much-needed energy boost, along with a variety of additional health benefits. You’ll notice that the list includes lean proteins, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and other foods that provide vitamins and minerals while helping maintain energy throughout the day.

1. Nuts

Nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews and pecans are chock-full of healthy fats, proteins and amino acids that strengthen and rebuild muscles. The fiber and carbohydrates found in nuts are digested more slowly than what you find in refined grains, which helps provide a steady supply of energy throughout the day.

            Add more nuts to your diet by topping your salad with nuts instead of croutons, adding a handful to your morning oatmeal, and choosing roasted nuts over potato chips or other empty-calorie snacks.

2. Whole Grains

Skip the white bread and all-purpose flour and choose whole grains like quinoa, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal and barley for a high-fiber hit that provides energy throughout the day, helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar, and keeps you regular. Some grains are also filled with protein, which is instrumental in maintaining muscle mass (which helps with balance, bone health and overall mobility).

            Add more whole grains to your diet by choosing whole-grain bread over white, eating oatmeal for breakfast, and trying new side dishes like quinoa salad instead of a regular lettuce salad or coleslaw.

4. Low-fat dairy

Low-fat dairy options provide protein, healthy fats, and essential vitamins like B12, without the added calories that come from full-fat versions. Unsweetened and Greek yogurt can add oomph to your salad dressing, soups and side dishes without sacrificing taste, and cheese makes pretty much any dish sing!

            Add more low-fat dairy to your diet by using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise, shred some cheese onto a salad or in your soup, and sip a glass of milk for a midday pick-me-up.

5. Fruits and vegetables

We’ve already mentioned berries, but fruits and vegetables overall are excellent choices for filling your plate (and your stomach) with delicious tastes and energy boosters. Even “sugary” fruits like bananas and grapes provide nutritional boosts such as potassium, vitamin C and fiber. While there are some “smarter” choices such as sweet potatoes; lower sugar fruits; and dark, leafy greens, you really can’t go wrong by choosing these foods as a snack.

            Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet by snacking on an apple or banana, adding a vegetable side dish to dinner, or enjoying a whole orange instead of drinking a glass of orange juice.

6. Beans and lentils

Bean, lentils and legumes are a great source of non-animal protein as well as vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc and fiber. They provide a steady boost of energy as your body digests the complex carbohydrates, keeping you energized longer.

            Add more beans and legumes to your diet by adding them to your salads and soups, tossing them into an egg dish for breakfast, and serving them as a side with fish or chicken.