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Retirement From page 1 They have hopes of traveling more often and farther afield, but for now they visit their daughter in New York frequently, meet with friends in both Baltimore and Washington, take in as many shows, art exhibits, and events as they can, and revel in the fact that they’re not as “frantic” as they once were. “We’re just as busy now as we were when we were working, but we have more flexibility,” they said.
A new view of retirement If health and finances are not an issue (and they do need to be considered), then retirement today looks a lot different from what it has been in the past. Thanks to less demanding work environments and better healthcare, we’re living longer, healthier lives and are not as “worn out” as previous generations of retirees, according to Dr. Judah Ronch, Dean of the Erickson School at UMBC. “We have more vigor and more energy than our parents and grandparents did,” said Ronch. “As a result, we don’t feel the need — or the desire — to view retirement as a life of total leisure. Many of us still want to contribute, whether it’s using our skills in new ways, or developing new areas of expertise and new careers altogether.”
APRIL 2014 — BALTIMORE BEACON
(If that’s the case, Ronch observed, you also need to be prepared to go from being the one in the know to the new kid on the block.) In the past, retirees often kept busy through volunteering. Ronch sees a shift in that aspect of retirement as well. “Baby boomers are used to being compensated for their time,” he said. “We may still want to work and earn money, but perhaps in a less competitive environment. “At one point, retirement was expected of everyone (indeed, it was often mandatory),” said Ronch. “If you didn’t retire, people wondered what was wrong with you. That’s not the case anymore. Now it’s a matter of what do you want to do versus what is expected of you.” Ronch advised that when considering retirement, do a “risk-benefit analysis.” “What will you gain and what will be lost?” he advised asking yourself. He also recommended that you not wait for inspiration to strike. “After that first joy of liberation (you know, that same feeling you had when school let out for the year), you need to work on your plan, or you can wind up with a lot of time on your hand and no meaning in your life,” he said. “But don’t buy into any one formula,” he continued. “There will be many models of retirement. The story — your story — is still being written.” Ronch suggested coming up with a “portfolio” of things you like to do (a sug-
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gestion offered by Mintzer as well). Like any portfolio, it should be balanced among the things that interest you, be they travel, work, golf, volunteering, babysitting the grandkids, etc. “It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it matters to you and makes your life meaningful,” he said.
Staying busy That’s exactly the approach Gail Lipsitz took when she retired last December after 27 years as public relations coordinator at Jewish Community Services, which followed a career as a high school and college English teacher. Lipsitz made a list of every area of her life she wanted to consider after she retired, from de-cluttering her home, to spending time with her mother and her son, to traveling, hiking, teaching parttime, volunteering, seeing friends, exercising and more. “When I tore the February page off my calendar,” she said, “there wasn’t any white space on it at all (though she admits she hasn’t signed up for that exercise class yet...“but I do walk every day!”). I wasn’t worried that I’d be bored, and I haven’t been,” she said. She was slightly worried — but not for long — that she’d be “undisciplined,” perhaps sleeping too late in the morning or
not getting enough done during the day. Lipsitz admits to sleeping about an hour later than she did when she was working, but added that she sleeps so much better now that she doesn’t feel the need to sleep in. On the other hand, she’s also trying not to overschedule herself either. “It’s good to have some things scheduled every day, but I love the luxury of having time to do what I want, when I want.” All in all, Lipsitz said whatever reservations she might have had about retiring didn’t come to pass. “I feel like my life is very balanced and has a lot of continuity...from meaningful activities to ongoing relationships with friends and former co-workers. The main difference is I have the freedom to do so much more, and that’s what I wanted out of retirement...to do more while I still can. “When I was preparing a few thoughts to give at my retirement party, I looked up the word ‘retire,’” Lipsitz continued. “I didn’t much like the definition, which is ‘to withdraw’ or ‘to remove oneself.’” Former English teacher that she is, Lipsitz broke the word down into its two syllables: “re-tire.” “That’s how I think of myself now,” she said. “Like a car, I’ve put on new tires and am ready for a new ride.”
BEACON BITS SING ALONG TO GREASE
Mar. 29
Caroline Center presents the Baltimore premiere of Sing-a-long-a Grease, a unique audience-participation film experience, for one performance only at the Hippodrome Theatre, Saturday, March 29, at 7 p.m. Enjoy the original film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John with on-screen lyrics that invite you to sing and dance along. This event benefits Caroline Center, a nonprofit workforce development organization that provides tuition-free education and training programs for unemployed and underemployed women in Baltimore City who are seeking to become healthcare professionals. For tickets, go to www.Ticketmaster.com, call (410) 547-SEAT, or visit the Hippodrome Theatre Box Office, 12 N. Eutaw St., Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $65.40.
Don’t Miss Out! Saturday, April 26, 2014 • 10 am - 3 pm Gary J. Arthur Community Center at Glenwood 2400 Route 97, Cooksville, MD 21723
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Featuring over 90 VENDORS and EXHIBITORS, engaging SEMINARS & important free health SCREENINGS! KEYNOTE SPEAKER — Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN, will present “The Dish on Plant-Centered Eating: Enticing Ideas for Creating Healthful Entrees Without Meat” at 1:30 p.m. Her latest cookbook — The With or Without Meat Cookbook — will be available on-site for purchase/author signing. FREE ADMISSION TICKETS available on-site for this feature presentation.
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410-313-5440 • www.howardcountyaging.org/womenfest If you need accommodations to attend this event, contact Maryland Access Point at 410-313-5980 at least one week in advance.