By CYN LoPINTO
Editor-in-chief, gerontologist

The face of retirement is quickly changing. The old image portrayed a 65-year old male happily leaving a job he had worked at for more than forty years. His office threw him a party on a Friday afternoon, gave him a watch, thanked him for “doing his part” and sent him on his merry way. How lucky! His future would now consist of sleeping-in, playing golf, traveling and finally relaxing. What nobody talked about was that a lot of these new retirees found the transition devastating. The change in lifestyle was drastic and for many, retirement was a major letdown.

Nowadays, people realize that the choices surrounding retirement are numerous. For those who have reached the age at which they are thinking about embarking on a new phase in their life, there are many different paths to consider. Because of financial reasons, a lot of those who leave their present full time employment, have to get another full-time job for that much needed paycheck. Early retirement trends coupled with a longer life expectancy, place issues regarding money on the top of the concern list for most seniors. Some may celebrate this opportunity by making a complete career change and trying something new.

With the growing popularity of home-based businesses out there, alot of Americans are joining the entrepreneur crowd by setting up shop in their home. Part-time work is another choice for those retiring. Older adults enjoy the flexibility of hours and in many instances, the relaxed atmosphere of a job that doesn’t require a whole lot of responsibility. Volunteering can be a wonderful way to spend this new life phase as well. There is a surge of interest in people “giving back” to their community. The rewards from this type of work are far greater than any monetary ones.