Why I am never retiring
How the state pension has changed & the importance of sustaining an active work life-
-Written by Orla Ni Bhriain
Who doesn’t want to spend their later years somewhere in the South of France, sipping on Camparis and living the dream? Retirement has always been the end goal for most of those who have spent their life in gainful employment, the ultimate reward for years of hard graft. But the reality is that our retirement culture is dramatically changing and people are seeking to find alternatives to early retirement for multiple factors that include job fulfilment, life-expectancy, financial reasons and quality of life. Retirement is no longer an accepted reality, or choice for many people.
In comes the concept of 'Ikigai'
Originating in Okinawa, a Japanese Island that has one of the highest rates of centenarians, Ikigai can be interpreted to mean ‘reason for being’ and supports the idea that we continue to work throughout our lives. The Idea relates to the fulfilment we gain from our employment, and how we can thrive if we do the thing that makes us truly happy.
A person’s Ikigai can change throughout their life, so the concept supports the idea of reinvention, or career change. Dan Buettner is a New York Times bestselling author, and National Geographic fellow - he specialises in understanding longevity, and told Forbes magazine ‘On Okinawa, ikigai imbues the culture. In the Okinawan language, there is no word for retirement. For elders there, their ikigai might be minding their grandchildren and great grandchildren, teaching martial arts, or minding their garden and sharing their bounty with their friends’ [1].
Is the pension age changing?
Things are changing so fast in the UK that between 2010 and October 2020 the age that both women and men receive their state pension will increase by 6 years, from 60 to 66 [2]. Between 2026 and 2028 the age to which British citizens are entitled to a state pension is estimated to increase to 67 [3]. The government has also planned a further increase to 68 between 2037 and 2039 [4]. There is also no longer a compulsory retirement age, with the default age of 65 having been phased out. Research by the IMF has suggested that by the 2060’s we will likely be working into our 70’s [5].
Brian Milton is a London based adventurer and former journalist - he was the first person to circumnavigate the world in a microlight aircraft in 1998. His first adventure was between 1968 and 1969, at the age of 26 - when he drove a 1937 Austin 7 Ruby called Alexa from London to the north-east Congo, via the Sahara Desert, to marry his would-be wife at the other end of Africa. Brian is now 78 and whilst working on a book, he’s also planning his next potential adventure, during which he hopes to ‘race by microlight the ghost of the great Jimmy Doolittle coast to coast across America in under 24 hours (Doolittle was the first man to do this after WW1).’
Brian’s determination to keep active and keep planning is what has also kept him going during the Covid -19 pandemic ‘As for having the energy to stay alive during this situation, the only quality you need is hope. There are still so many things to do in the world that I can't possibly die without doing some of them’ he says ‘but without hope, things would be very difficult indeed.’
Brian Milton is a London based adventurer and former journalist - he was the first person to circumnavigate the world in a microlight aircraft in 1998. His first adventure was between 1968 and 1969, at the age of 26 - when he drove a 1937 Austin 7 Ruby called Alexa from London to the north-east Congo, via the Sahara Desert, to marry his would-be wife at the other end of Africa. Brian is now 78 and whilst working on a book, he’s also planning his next potential adventure, during which he hopes to ‘race by microlight the ghost of the great Jimmy Doolittle coast to coast across America in under 24 hours (Doolittle was the first man to do this after WW1).’
Brian’s determination to keep active and keep planning is what has also kept him going during the Covid -19 pandemic ‘As for having the energy to stay alive during this situation, the only quality you need is hope. There are still so many things to do in the world that I can't possibly die without doing some of them’ he says ‘but without hope, things would be very difficult indeed.’
According to the NHS, adults aged 65 and over can spend, on average, 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down, making them the most sedentary age group [6]. This places such groups at a higher risk of developing obesity, heart disease and early death by comparison to the rest of the population. S
taying active is of vital importance. According to the NHS, you should ‘aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity every week. Ideally, you should try to do something every day, preferably in bouts of 10 minutes of activity or more.’ Staying mentally active is equally as important, Care.com suggest simple activities such as reading, playing games and puzzles, sleeping, exercise, a healthy diet and plenty of socialising [7].
Finally, let’s not forget - it’s never too late to reinvent yourself or find your new Ikigai. Blan G decided to re-qualify as a solicitor at the age of 60, after spending the previous four decades working as a lecturer in Biochemistry. Having practiced law in a local firm for several years into her sixties, Blan believes that re-qualifying changed her life and says ‘it was the best thing I ever did - it gave me a new lease of life, I should have done it long ago and got out of the rut I was stuck in!!!’
Blan believes that age is just a number, she explains why she thought 60 was too young for her to retire ‘people of 60 have a life of experience and all the skills to continue working until they are 75, it is really nice to be able to work and play.’ Now in her seventies, Blan’s advice to other people her age is to stay as active as possible ‘I walk, swim, and play golf and depending on my location and weather conditions, there is so much scope for active sports, you can join local golf societies, walking groups and local gyms’ she says ‘I swam 900 meters yesterday and it felt great! Ha! ha!.’
Let's all hope to follow in the inspiring footsteps of Brian and Blan and live a live of fulfilment and purpose right until the end!
Any topics you would like to hear more on?
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References
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/briannawiest/2019/03/19/ikagi-is-the-japanese-method-of-determining-whether-or-not-your-work-will-fulfill-you/#200aaf5433fe
[2] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630065/state-pension-age-review-final-report.pdf
[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630065/state-pension-age-review-final-report.pdf
[4] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/630065/state-pension-age-review-final-report.pdf
[5] https://www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/why-you-could-be-waiting-till-your-70s-state-pension
[6] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-as-you-get-older/
[7] https://www.care.com/c/stories/5448/ways-to-keep-an-aging-brain-smart/
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