Fall 2021 Active Living: The Retirement Years

Fall 2021

Active Living: The Retirement Years

inside this issue: RetiRement 2… how to set retirement goals 3… 6 tips to help you save for retirement mOVinG 4… selling your home before you move: pros and cons HeALtH 5… 6 tips to reduce fatigue among seniors 6… 3 stress-relieving activities 7… find your passion at any age

A Supplement to the Skagit Valley Herald And the Anacortes American

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Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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Active Living | Retirement

How to set retirement goals

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aving clear retirement objectives can help you save for the future. Here’s how to set achievable goals for this chapter in your life.

Budget for retirement Do you know how you want to spend your retirement? While certain expenses will disappear, others will increase. Having an idea of what you want your lifestyle to look like will help you determine how much money you’ll need to live on each year when you’re retired.

Estimate the length of your retirement Once you know how much you plan to spend annually, you’ll need to estimate the number of years you’ll spend in retirement. This will help you determine when you can retire. The current life expectancy in the United States is approximately 78 years for men and 80 years for women. If you retire at age 65, you can expect to live approximately another 15 years.

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Determine how much you need to save It’s recommended that you set aside at least 10 percent of your net annual income for retirement. This amount will vary depending on your age when you start saving, the rate of return on your investments and your retirement budget.

If you’re struggling to achieve your goals, don’t hesitate to consult a financial adviser. A professional can help you come up with a winning strategy to achieve your objectives.

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Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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6 tips to help you save for retirement

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any Americans struggle to understand the logistics of retirement and how to save. In fact, one in four Americans have no retirement savings and, in many cases, those who are saving aren’t putting away enough. Here are six practical tips to help you get ready for retirement.

1. Understand your current spending. Know how much you currently spend so you can compare it with your projected retirement spending.

Managing your current spending can help you save for the future.

3. Expect inflation. Rising prices are inevitable. Be sure to keep inflation in mind when planning your retirement.

4. Save on auto-pilot. Setting up regular deposits into a savings account can help you build your nest egg without having to lift a finger.

5. Pay off your mortgage.

Home expenses comprise a significant portion of your fixed costs. Paying off your mortgage before retirement can help eliminate this monthly expense.

2. Plan your future lifestyle. Now’s the time to think about how you want to live out your golden years. Many people assume their retirement spending will amount to approximately 70 percent of their current spending (known as the 70 percent rule). This may not be realistic by today’s standards. Consider how you want to spend your retirement, and create a budget to match that lifestyle.

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Active Living | RETIREMENT

6. Work with a financial adviser. Hire a good investment professional and work with them regularly to keep your savings on track. Ask friends and family members for recommendations if you don’t currently work with a financial adviser.

With proper planning and a little help, you can prepare yourself for the realities of retirement.

Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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Active Living | Moving

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Selling your home before you move:

pros and cons

f you’re planning to move into a seniors’ residence, you may be wondering whether you should sell your home before you make the change. Here are a few ad­vantages and disadvantages of doing so that you may want to consider.

Pros If you sell your home before you move, you’ll save yourself the stress and pressure of trying to complete the transaction quickly once you’re settled into your new abode. In addition, you’ll get the money sooner and can use it to decorate your new place.

In addition, you’ll avoid needing to pay the mortgage and maintenance fees on your old Cons home while also covering the cost of rent.

If you sell your home before you move, you may have to live there during any renovations that are needed. In addition, you’ll likely have to adjust your schedule to accommodate showings.

Furthermore, if you find a buyer for your home before the unit in your residence becomes available, you’ll need to either temporarily pay rent to stay in your old place or secure an alternative living arrangement in the interim.

Selling a property involves many steps and a lot of paperwork. To simplify the process, be sure to enlist the help of a real estate agent.

Erik Pedersen Group Do you know how much your home coulD sell for in toDay’s market?

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Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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6 tips to reduce fatigue among seniors

Active Living | Health

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ave you started to feel increasingly tired as you get older? If so, here are six tips to help you boost your energy level.

1. Get enough sleep. Getting the right amount of rest is the best way to 2.

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recharge your batteries. Whether you go to bed early or take a nap during the day, making sure you get enough sleep is important.

Eat well. Both consuming heavy meals and eating too little can make you feel sluggish. Instead, try to eat light meals and small, protein-packed snacks to keep your energy level raised.

Move your body regularly. Doing a bit of light activity every day can help you increase the amount of energy you have available. In addition, if you regularly sit for long periods of time, you should take short, frequent breaks to stretch your muscles.

Take nutritional supplements. You may be feeling fatigued because your diet is lacking certain nutrients. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor to see if taking supplements or vitamins might help combat your low energy level.

Keep busy. Regularly taking on new hobbies and projects can help prevent boredom. Keeping busy can help you increase your energy level.

Use light therapy. Sunlight is a natural mood booster that can help rejuvenate you. In addition, light therapy lamps are beneficial for combating fatigue, especially in the winter.

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If you’ve tried everything and still feel tired, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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Active Living | Staying Active

3 stress-relieving activities

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s you age, the stresses of everyday life can become difficult to manage. For example, planning a move, waiting for medical test results, worrying about the health of a loved one and watching the news can all cause you to worry. To help you cope with the strain, here are some stress-relieving activities you may want to try.

1. Being outdoors A great way to boost your spirits and get a bit of exercise is to garden. You could try planting herbs on your balcony or vegetables in your backyard. In addition, walking, biking and photography are all relaxing hobbies you can do outdoors.

2. Making art Creating works of art can be both comforting and rewarding. Needlework, such as knitting, crocheting, sewing and embroidery, will keep your hands and mind busy.

Alternatively, you may want to draw, color, paint or do crafts. These activities can be done alone or with someone else.

3. Practicing meditation Meditating is a great way to relax and clear your mind. You may want to try a simple breathing exercise or guided meditation. Alternatively, you could listen to melodies accompanied by nature sounds such as running water and singing birds.

Just close your eyes and imagine yourself in a beautiful oasis.

Though stress-relieving activities can be beneficial, if you’re dealing with crippling anxiety, it’s best to consult a health-care professional.

A healthy body is a body in motion.

ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS MEDICINE For more information, visit: skagitregionalhealth.org/orthopedics

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Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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Active Living | Staying Active

Find your passion at any age

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ge isn’t a barrier to learning new things. In fact, once you retire, you’ll have more time to explore your passions. Here are some tips for how to follow your

bliss.

Ask yourself the right questions Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help you identify your interests: • What did you love as a child?

• What do you enjoy talking about with your friends?

• Do you have a secret dream?

• What are you good at?

Now is the time to take up that hobby you’ve always wanted to try.

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Explore the possibilities Do you want to learn something new or increase your knowledge about a particular subject? If so, you may want to take an online course or go back to school. In addition, ta­ king up a hobby such as swim­ming, walking, gar­ de­­ning, coo­­king, painting, wri­ting, pottery or woodworking can allow you to connect with a newfound interest.

Inspiring people Here are three inspiring people who found success later in life: • Colonel Harland Sanders was more than 60 years old when he succeeded in franchising his fried chicken restaurants.

• Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first novel, Little House in the Big Woods, at the age of 65.

• At 77, John Glenn became the oldest person to go into space. goskagit.com

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Keep up with the latest on your heart.

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Active Living: The Retirement Years • Fall 2021

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