10 Ways to Improve Retirement Living and Elevate Your Golden Years

For many, retirement may seem far away—until it sneaks up on you. It’s never too early to begin planning for retirement living. 

Retiring doesn’t have to mean slowing down if you don’t want to. It can be a time to pursue your passions, spend time with friends and family, and continue learning new skills. Read on to discover ways you can elevate your lifestyle and set yourself up for relaxing and restorative retirement living.

10 Tips for Elevating Retirement Living

How can you ensure your plans for retirement support the type of lifestyle you want to lead? No one can predict the future, but certain considerations must be made if you want your retirement to be both enjoyable and gratifying.

Your individual retirement goals will determine what specific arrangements you need to make, but the following 10 tips offer a great starting point.

1. Secure Your Finances

Proper financial planning is critical no matter where you are in life, but to truly enjoy this next chapter, you must develop and refine your plan for comfortable retirement living. Through careful planning and investing, you can relax in your retirement and ensure it’s as rewarding as possible.

First, your financial situation likely looks much different than it did years ago, so now is the time to take another look at your budget. Estimate your sources of income, then create a thorough list of all of your expenses. Be sure to include housing, transportation, groceries, utilities, insurance, healthcare, and other recurring expenses.

Unfortunately, financial fraudsters and scammers like to target older adults. Stay informed about common financial scams occurring locally and nationally so you can protect your finances. Part of safeguarding your finances includes keeping personal identification information and financial documents secure. For example, use a shredder for documents you no longer need that have sensitive information on them, and don’t share passwords or PIN numbers with anyone who shouldn’t have access to your online accounts. 

2. Prioritize Your Health and Wellness

Maintain a vibrant and active lifestyle by eating a healthy diet, scheduling routine check-ups, and exercising regularly. Staying active improves balance and strength, combats numerous health conditions, boosts energy levels, and can even improve sleep.

Even small changes in daily habits can promote better overall wellness and help you get a better handle on your health, including:

• Drinking plenty of water: Experts suggest upwards of seven cups per day.
• Eating a nutritious, balanced diet: Include fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains daily.
• Staying active: Regularly head out to the gym, swim in the pool, or go for walks.
• Practicing mindfulness: Try yoga, pilates, or another form of mindful exercise.

3. Stay Social

People who are socially active experience 70 percent less cognitive decline compared to people who are isolated. This means that staying social doesn’t just keep your relationships healthy, it also keeps you healthy! 

Spending time with friends and family offers so much more than just having fun in the moment. An active social life can also:

• Improve mood, cognition, and memory
• Reduce stress
• Diversify support systems
• Promote more physical activity

4. Pursue Your Hobbies

Apart from active skill-building, there are several benefits to participating in hobbies. Regularly participating in activities you enjoy energizes your day and provides relaxation. It can also connect you with others who have similar interests, which expands your social circle. 

Plus, it’s always possible to pick up new hobbies—it’s never too late to explore new interests! Picking up new hobbies can help keep your mind sharp and spirits high.

5. Consider Downsizing

At Cedarhurst, we think of this as “rightsizing” rather than “downsizing.” Rightsizing involves being thoughtful about which possessions you keep by understanding what you need in your current residence and what your lifestyle requires. Rightsizing your living space can reduce upkeep and create a more manageable environment, which can reduce your overall stress.

Is it the right time to downsize? Learn about your options and get personalized results in about 4 minutes.

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6. Travel and Explore New Places

One of the best parts of retirement living is exploring new destinations, both near and far. You can embark on a cruise, take a road trip with friends, or stop by your hometown’s local attractions you haven’t gotten around to visiting before. Now is a great time to fly to some of those locations on your bucket list that you’ve wanted to see for years, or to adventure into unexplored areas close to home. Many people in retirement use their newfound free time to visit long-distance relatives or faraway friends they haven’t seen in a while.

7. Continue Learning

Just because you’re no longer enrolled in school doesn’t mean that education has to stop, and there are plenty of opportunities for those who want to keep learning. Try auditing college courses, signing up for local workshops, or attending lectures you’re interested in. Local classes at community centers also offer skill-building lessons to keep your mind stimulated and help you pick up new crafts or knowledge.

8. Embrace Technology

Getting a grasp on using the latest gadgets or apps can be tricky, but technology is a great tool for staying connected to the world and your loved ones. Not only can you enhance your communication skills and connections, but our devices also provide access to the latest current events, news, and information about the world.

9. Stay Mindful

To manage stress and promote overall well-being, practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, or journaling. Prioritizing your mental health is a huge part of holistic wellness, and regularly practicing these techniques is essential for staying mindful. 

Other relaxing methods for building emotional intelligence, intuition, and self-awareness include:

• Breathing exercises
• Coloring or puzzles
• Walking or hiking
• Connecting with nature

10. Plan for the Future

Organize your estate, and make clear arrangements for the well-being of your loved ones. Review your will and trust (or compose one) to make sure it reflects your wishes and accounts for all of your assets such as personal belongings, investments, and real estate. If needed, update your healthcare directives, including power of attorney, beneficiaries, executors, or trustees. It’s also important to meet with a legal professional to ensure your wishes are honored and all plans are up-to-date. 

Maximizing Your Retirement Living Options

By putting the right plans in place, you’re facilitating a more enjoyable and enriching lifestyle as you start the next chapter of your life. Retirement living doesn’t mean giving up your hobbies or interests. In fact, it should allow you more opportunities for learning, connection, and growth. 

Opting for a senior living retirement community is an excellent way to reduce your burden of everyday house maintenance and cultivate more time to pursue your passions and spend time with loved ones.

It’s never too early to start planning for life in retirement. Consider the type of senior living lifestyle you would prefer, and take a look at your budget if you haven’t recently. To familiarize yourself with the costs of living in retirement and dive deeper into your senior living options, check out A Complete Guide to Financial Planning for Senior Living.