When in one’s senior years it’s fairly easy to keep from being alone too much of the time with unstructured days. Being able to be alone and comfortable with that and even enjoying one’s alone time is as essential as the need for companionship and friendship at times. One needs to find the right balance. In this country we are fortunate enough to have senior centers and Y’s with all kinds of activities that are a great blessing giving retired folks some structure in their days when they no longer go to 9 to 5 jobs. There are physical activities like Tai Chi, chair yoga, dancing, swimming, and activities for the mind like discussion groups, current events classes, language classes. If you enjoy sharing your lunch time with others most senior centers offer a low cost lunch. There is ample choice in the kinds of activities offered by both Y’s and senior centers. And Y’s often give a discount to seniors in the yearly membership fee. One has more time in their senior years to have coffee or lunch with a friend, take walks, go shopping, connecting with a spiritual group if so inclined, or watching films with a group at senior centers, and trips which the senior centers organize. Other ways to put structure in one’s life are: volunteer work, p/t work, watching one’s grandchildren (but there comes a time when that is no longer needed and once again you must figure out how to put meaningful structure in one’s life), working on one’s own projects, entreprenurial ventures, or teaching a class at a senior center (something you enjoy and are experienced at, and want to share).

The difficulty arises when one is not well for a prolonged time and must stay inside your home for a time. This can be a very challenging time. If friends and family live at a distance and can’t visit, then you are alone day in and day out and that is pretty isolating after a couple of months. Texts, emails, calls, zoom can only help somewhat, but nothing takes the place of being near and with people you know and enjoy. This happened to me recently when I developed vestibular vertigo causing dizziness and balance problems. After two months of staying in the house, when it was finally safe to me to go outside by myself, it was so great to see the outside world again and be near or with people again, or go for short walks around the block or go to a nearby cafe, etc. At first I used a walker in case I got dizzy or my balance was compromised, then I was able to go out only using a cane, and now I don’t need either and was even able to travel again and go back to my once a week job teaching a dance class at a senior center. I’m not out of the woods yet and still get dizzy at times when bending down, moving my head and neck certain ways or when getting up from bed – but this vertigo condition has much improved and I am grateful for that, and grateful I’m able to rejoin the world! It was a God-send that I was able to order food online during this time in the house. Also, if one has cats, they are good company during a period of confinement in one’s home; they give one some company and their purring is a comfort.

I have a friend who worked on into her ’70s and when she finally retired she said it was depressing waking up early each day out of habit with nothing planned, nothing to do each day. She did find structure after awhile by taking French lessons, studying Tai Chi, enjoying dance classes, performing with a group of seniors, and helping a family member when she assistance is needed, and taking long visits twice a year with family who live in another country. So she worked it out and created satisfactory structured days for herself.

Being a retired senior is a time to figure out how you’d like to structure your life, where you want to live, how you want to spend your days, and how you’d like to contribute. Also you may want to put a plan in place for such time as you may be confined in the house for a time of illness. There are visiting nurses, Medicare may provide a housekeeper, and/or a cook two or three times a week, and perhaps you can get a family member or friend to visit every so often.

We must all figure out how we want to spend our time, our days, and our lives in our senior years. And they can be very fulfilling and enjoyable times!

Check out my spiritual poetry podcasts on YouTube at:

Part 1: https://youtu.be/Jo1K1w6Y-1w

Part 2: https://youtu.be/8rcDeO26kn4

Check out my dance videos on YouTube (joy christena gordon dance)