Keep Moving Every Day
My retirement was not a choice, but a sudden halt forced by illness. I had been working and staying physically fit, but everything changed in an instant. I found myself, a few weeks later, grappling with the simplest tasks, even getting out of bed became a challenge.
My retirement was not just a change in lifestyle, but a complete physical retraining. The brisk walks along the coastal path, the stationary rowing machine, and the static bicycle I had bought in anticipation of retirement were all out of reach. Instead, I found myself grappling with the basic task of standing upright. This was a challenging and unexpected journey, one that I'm sure many of you can relate to, and it's this personal struggle that I want to share with you.
Retirement is a unique journey for each of us, arriving at different times and under different circumstances. One thing is clear: regardless of where we are at the start of our journey on the fitness spectrum, we all need to strive for and maintain our physical fitness to fully enjoy the long and healthy retirement we've worked for all our lives. This is not just a suggestion but a necessity for a fulfilling retirement. Our health must come first, and physical fitness is the key to that.
If you have read my book Unretire Now, you will know about the origins of retirement in the modern era; however, if not, I have written a sentence or two here to put things in perspective.
The Evolution of Retirement: Is It Time for a Change?
Let’s look at the historical context of retirement. In 1881, the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck mooted a national retirement benefit to appease the rising socialist ideology. The retirement age was set at 70, which seemed reasonable. However, the average life expectancy at that time was a mere 40 years, putting the retirement age into a different perspective. This historical context is crucial for understanding the evolution of retirement in the modern-day world and its impact on our lives today.
Bismarck soon resigned, but his policy stuck around. Fast-forward to 1916, and Germany lowered the retirement age to 65, creating a model that many nations followed. When President Roosevelt introduced the Social Security Act in 1935, the U.S. set the retirement age at 65, even though fewer than 60 percent of Americans lived that long.
This all started as political smoke and mirrors—a symbolic offering only accessible to those lucky enough to reach old age. Today, however, we’re living much longer. In the U.S., the average life expectancy is now 76, and in many European countries, it’s even higher. Yet, the national retirement age in the U.S. has only gradually increased to 67 for people born after 1960.
Modern Debates: Raising the Retirement Age
As people live longer, pressure on national retirement benefits grows. Some countries, including France, currently with a minimum retirement age of 62 and a life expectancy of 82, are debating whether to raise the retirement age to balance the economic impact of an aging population. From a financial standpoint, later retirement could benefit everyone’s finances. But what about the mental and physical implications?
Health-Span vs. Life Span
To understand the impact of raising the retirement age and just how vital our health is as we age, we need to look at health span—the number of years people remain healthy and disability-free. Gal Wettstein of the Centre for Retirement Research at Boston College found that Americans healthy at age 50 can expect about 23 more years free of disability. This suggests that people could potentially work until around age 73.
The dean of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at USC, Dr. Pinchas Cohen, points out that retiring before 65 makes little sense for people in knowledge-based jobs. Our cognitive faculties, he says, remain strong well into our 70s, supporting the idea that many can and should work longer if they choose to.
Cognitive Benefits of Working Longer
The director of the Institute of Gerontology at the University of Georgia, Lisa Renzi-Hammond1, notes that our cognitive abilities, particularly those involved in executive functioning and social interactions, can continue to improve for decades. Staying in the workforce helps maintain these cognitive processes, and some studies even show that delaying retirement can delay the risk of death, likely due to the positive continued physical activity and health benefits that social interactions at work provide.
The Equity Issue
However, not everyone’s situation is the same. While some can work well into their 70s, others, especially those in physically demanding jobs, may be unable to. Dr. Cohen emphasizes respecting those who can’t continue physically challenging work past a certain age. Reducing stress and physical strain on these individuals can improve their health outcomes.
There’s also a significant disparity in working life expectancy across different demographics. Dr. Wettstein’s research shows that Black men at age 50 have a working life expectancy of about 17 years, while white women can expect around 24 years. Chronic stress from discrimination and the nature of specific jobs contribute to these differences.
Dr. Lisa Cooper from the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity underscores that raising the retirement age must consider these inequities. Black Americans, lower-income individuals, and those in physically intense jobs often face more health challenges earlier in life, meaning they might not benefit as much from Social Security if the retirement age is raised.
What Do We Deserve?
Initially, Social Security aimed to support those who could no longer work. However, perhaps federally funded retirement should reward people with a few leisure years. Dr. Cohen asks a crucial question: Do people deserve a few wonderful years while still healthy enough to enjoy them? For many, the answer is a resounding yes.
So, as we consider the future of retirement, let’s ensure we balance economic needs with the well-being and fairness of all individuals. After all, everyone deserves to enjoy their golden years in good health and happiness.
When retaining fitness in retirement, the person in charge is you, the individual concerned. Do you remember my favorite mantra? You are your best asset. If you want to sit on a couch and eat too many high-carb meals each day, it’s more than possible you won’t be enjoying a long and healthy retirement. Me? I like life. Read my book, Unretire Now!
Happy reading, and here’s to a healthier, more thoughtful approach to retirement!
Now for the active part
If you have doubts about your fitness path or have any health problems that a fitness regime might exacerbate, then you will need to seek medical advice before starting any change in your physical activity.
Consider your fitness level by reading through the exercises presented in the four categories below, and if you are not presently active, select just one or perhaps two to get started on. If you don’t enjoy the exercise you choose, you are likely to stop, and that’s of no help to you. Just select another and carry on. This is important. So, take your time to choose something of interest and try it for a week or even two before knowing if you can incorporate it into a regular, beneficial exercise routine. Twenty-one days would be fairer, as that’s how long it’s supposed to take to create a new habit, and wouldn’t that be great? Once you’ve mastered one or two different exercises, try a few more and ring the changes. Just keep moving.
Tips for Success
Start Slow: Begin with a few repetitions of each movement or a short time, and gradually increase repetitions or time as your strength and confidence improve.
Use Support: Always use a sturdy support to prevent falls.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Listen to Your Body: Stop and consult a healthcare professional if you feel pain or extreme discomfort.
These movements can help rebuild strength and mobility, providing a foundation for more advanced exercises as you continue to recover, at least some of, your former glory. And it will give your confidence such a boost as you detect your strength returning.
Remember, it’s never too late to start moving and improving your fitness. Choose one exercise that matches your current level, and gradually build up your strength and stamina by increasing the repetitions and number of exercises you include in your routine.
Here’s to staying active and feeling great at any age!
Happy exercising, everyone!
SJG
1. Reference: Miles, T. P. (2013). Medicaid Expansion, Long-Term Care Financing in Retirement States and the Post World War II Birth Cohort. https://core.ac.uk/download/387554344.pdf
2. What Is the Ideal Retirement Age for Your Health? | Global Financial Trust. https://www.globalfinancialtrust.com/what-is-the-ideal-retirement-age-for-your-health/
Have you limited mobility? Then start here!
This is where I started again. After six weeks of being bedridden, I knew I’d lost all my fitness and needed to start over. These movements can help rebuild strength and mobility, providing a foundation for more advanced exercises as you continue to recover.
After being bedbound, it’s crucial to start with gentle movements to rebuild strength, balance, and mobility. You will undoubtedly be given a regime to follow by someone on your medical team, but to help remind you, here are six initial movements to get the body moving again:
1. Ankle Pumps
Description: While lying on your back or sitting up, point your toes away from you, then pull them back towards your head. As a small child in ballet lessons, we called these good toes bad toes, that’s right, with good pointed toes being encouraged.
Benefits: This helps improve circulation and gently engages the muscles in your lower legs.
2. Knee Extensions
Description: Sit on a chair or the edge of the bed. Slowly straighten one leg, hold it for a few seconds, then lower it back down. Repeat with the other leg.
Benefits: Strengthens the quadriceps and improves knee mobility.
3. Seated Marching
Description: Sit up straight in a chair. Lift one knee towards your chest, then lower it. Repeat with the other leg in a marching motion.
Benefits: Engages the hip flexors and promotes circulation.
4. Seated Torso Twists
Description: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Twist your torso to the right, using your left hand to hold onto the right armrest for support. Repeat on the other side.
Benefits: Improves spinal mobility and engages the core muscles.
5. Heel-to-Toe Standing
Description: Stand up with support from a substantial furniture or railing. Place one foot directly in front of the other, heel to toe, and try to maintain your balance. Switch feet and repeat. Have a hand ready to steady you. I was amazed at how difficult I found this initially.
Benefits: Enhances balance and coordination.
6. Single-Leg Stand
Description: Stand up straight while holding onto a sturdy support (a countertop or bulky chest of drawers). Lift one foot off the ground and hold for a few seconds, then switch legs. Hover your hand over the support so as to be ready To steady yourself. I started at less than a second and ended up with 30 seconds on each leg easily. Now, do it with your eyes closed! But be sure to be near that substantial piece of furniture to support when needed – a chair won’t do as it might topple over.
Benefits: Improves balance and strengthens the stabilizing muscles in the legs. And it’s fun.
For the Exercise Beginners: Let’s start moving!
If you’re new to exercising or haven’t been active in a while, these gentle exercises will help you start moving and gradually improve your fitness. I can’t recall when or where, but I recently saw a clip of a young care worker assisting a 94-year-old lady, totally bedbound, with a literal daily haul to her feet. This improved her strength to the extent that she could raise herself, unaided, from a chair within a few weeks. Now that’s impressive.
1. Gentle Stretching
Description: A 10-15 minute gentle stretching routine focusing on all major muscle groups. This helps improve flexibility and range of motion. I have been known to complete this while still in bed before getting up.
2. Seated Leg Lifts
Description: Sit in a sturdy chair and lift one leg at a time, holding for a few seconds. Repeat 10-15 times per leg. This strengthens leg muscles and improves circulation. I added circular ankle movements to this exercise for completeness. It can hurt initially, but this localized pain and stiffness left me in a matter of days and helped strengthen my legs very quickly.
3. Seated Arm Raises
Description: Sit comfortably, raise your arms above your head, then slowly lower them. Repeat 10-15 times. This helps strengthen shoulder muscles and improve range of motion. My husband had a reverse shoulder joint operation and went through all of these exercises. We say that the only movement he can’t do is to put his hand in his back pocket (to retrieve his wallet).
4. Ankle Circles
Description: While seated, lift one foot off the ground and rotate your ankle in circles ten times in each direction. Repeat with the other foot. This improves ankle flexibility and blood flow. As I mentioned above, I added these to the seated leg lifts, but if that is one step too far, here’s where you can do them alone.
5. Wall Push-Ups
Description: Stand facing a wall, place your hands on the wall at shoulder height, and perform push-ups. Aim for 10-15 repetitions. This strengthens the upper body with minimal strain. This I can cope with. Sadly, I doubt I will ever revert to floor push-ups again. Still, there’s a lot I can do and will.
6. Heel-to-Toe Walk
Description: Place the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot and walk in a straight line. This exercise improves balance and coordination. I must admit that I started by standing on one foot and then the other. Once I could manage 30 seconds, I did the same with my eyes closed. I made sure this exercise was completed beside a very sturdy kitchen island, and only once I had my balance did I progress onto the heel-to-toe walk.
Exercise For the Moderately Fit - Keep Up Your Fitness!
Perhaps there was an activity that you used to enjoy and thought you would never depart from? For me, two such activities were horse riding and skiing. I rode all through my time in school, university, and early marriage until my non-riding husband mentioned he was terrified each time I went out to ride. He doesn’t like horses! I skied long after, taking my daughters all over the snowfields in the European Alps until they determined that holidaying with mother was no longer cool. If your fit days are behind you, and the love of your earlier life (strictly in terms of activity) no longer works for you, this may be the place to start. Perhaps you are not super fit but not sedentary either? These exercises are just right to help you stay active and even improve your fitness.
1. Walking
Description: A 20-30 minute walk at a comfortably brisk pace. Walking enhances cardiovascular health, aids in weight management, and improves mood. You must be able to talk without huffing and puffing, and music with something like 105 to 120 beats per minute would help. As always, brisk is better than gentle, and it's even better to break it up if you can.
2. Chair Exercises
Description: A 20-30 minute session of chair-based exercises like leg lifts, arm circles, and seated marches. These exercises help improve strength and flexibility without putting too much strain on the body. I note that 15 to 20 minutes is usually enough in one go for me. However, I have been known to complete two and even three times 10 minute sessions daily.
3. Stretching
Description: A 15-20 minute stretching routine focusing on major muscle groups. Stretching improves flexibility, reduces muscle tension, and enhances blood flow. Generally, dynamic stretches are used to warm up muscles, such as squats and lunges, to prepare knees before a run. Static stretches may be used after a workout to warm down muscles with a prolonged stretch following a run. I always have a good old stretch for a minute or two before getting out of bed in the morning, another at midday, and again after my work is finished, and yes, I can touch my toes without bending my knees – well, almost.
4. Tai Chi
Description: A 30-minute Tai Chi session focusing on slow, controlled movements and deep breathing. Tai Chi improves balance, flexibility, and mental relaxation. I have never taken part in Tai Chi, but doesn’t it look splendid! It is on my horizon, perhaps in a few years.
5. Water Walking
Description: A 30-minute water walking session in a pool. This low-impact cardiovascular workout strengthens muscles and improves heart health while minimizing joint stress. I love this exercise because I lived in the Middle East and Africa as a child and spent most of my days swimming and playing in the sea.
Exercise For the Fitness Buffs: Stay Strong and Energized!
Remember, once you’ve mastered one or two exercises, try a few more and ring the changes. Just keep moving.
If you’re already quite active, these exercises will help you maintain your fitness and feel great daily. Take a long, hard look at these, fall in love with at least one, and keep your activity as long as possible.
1. Brisk Walking or Jogging
Description: A 30-45 minute walk or jog in a park or neighborhood. This exercise improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, enhances mental well-being, and gets you outdoors, which is a huge plus. Thirty minutes may prove too long for you, but lucky you, brisk walking is a cumulative exercise. Breaking it down into two or even three shorter daily walks will gain more benefits. By increasing your metabolism twice or three times daily, you will benefit from the beneficial influences of exercise for longer each day. And remember, brisk is better than slow.
2. Strength Training
Description: Engage in weightlifting or resistance band exercises for 30 minutes. Engage major muscle groups like legs, back, and arms to maintain muscle mass and bone density. If you enjoy strength training, isometric exercises, where muscles contract and straighten (the Concentric and Excentric phases), are the best-known exercises for strengthening joints.
3. Yoga
Description: A 45-minute yoga session to improve flexibility, balance, heart health, and mental clarity. Yoga is also credited with alleviating pain in the lower back and general joint pain caused by arthritis. Poses like the downward dog, cat-cow, warrior, and tree pose are particularly beneficial.
4. Cycling
Description: If you are a cyclist, that's good for you; you’ll be so fit you won’t need this advice! I haven’t been on a bike outdoors since I did a paper round in my early teens. It’s a perfect way to keep fit. However, if not, a 30-minute cycling session on a stationary bike is also known to support fitness in older adults. It boosts cardiovascular health, strengthens the lower body, and is easy on the joints.
5. Swimming
Description: A 30-minute swim or water aerobics session. Swimming is an excellent full-body workout that is gentle on the joints while providing cardiovascular benefits. I am very aware that it does not stress my arthritic joint. I also find it peaceful and particularly relaxing once in a rhythm.
6. Pilates
Description: A 30-minute Pilates session focusing on the all-important core strength, flexibility, and overall body conditioning. Pilates also helps improve posture and balance. Older people enjoy Pilates, with many reporting increased confidence, decreased aches and pains, and the enormous benefit of more energy.
Remember, whatever your level of fitness, keep moving.
