The prevailing stereotype of aging is that getting old comes a cluster of obnoxious behaviors: crankiness, complaining, depression, irritability and overall negativity. The reality: With old age comes greater contentment. That’s the unexpected (and, frankly, delightful) findings of psychologist Timothy Salthouse, a professor at the University of Virginia, as well as several other prominent academics, whose research is nicely summarized…
(Just because you can doesn’t mean you should…) The Wall St. Journal ran an article this week called “Why You Should Think Twice About Early Retirement”. Four pundits weighed in. Two talked about finances. The other two talked about the psychological and spiritual issues for people retiring before 55. It was the latter’s remarks which of course piqued my interest.…
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There’s something about connecting with the people I care about, and feeling the collective spirit of gratitude, that warms my heart. On a superficial level, Thanksgiving is about a feast, and I do admit to really enjoying turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing. But the essence of the holiday is really about how appreciation is in…
The number of people 50 and older who are starting or buying their own businesses is growing steadily. There are a lot of reasons why. For some people, age discrimination has either made it difficult (or impossible) to find meaningful employment at a 9-to-5 job at acceptable pay levels. For others, it’s the fulfillment of a lifetime dream. Or it’s…
Another birthday is on approach. It will hit the landing strip of my life early next week. I’m of two minds about it. My wife never knows which one of my bimodal selves is going to pop up next: the 8-year-old imp who will ring the doorbell just as she’s getting out of the shower (late again!) 12 minutes before…
There was a time, not so long ago, when retirement meant the same thing to everyone. This is how it went: 1. You and your long-time employer had made mutual investments in your retirement fund and provided lifelong health insurance. 2. You were around 65. 3. You collected your retirement gift at a celebratory lunch or dinner thrown by…
How many places will you call home in retirement? That’s the intriguing title of an article I just read by Joseph Coughlin, PhD, director of the MIT AgeLab. Coughlin came up with five, a number that really jumped out at me. Here’s how he breaks it down: Move #1: Downsizing from the home where you raised a family to a…
As those of us over 50 were building our careers and maintaining our employment, we knew how to dress the part. Whether suit and tie, apron and toque, overalls or coveralls, our clothes were part of a uniform, whether we thought of them that way or not. Sometimes our workplace apparel was emblazoned with our employer’s name, or our own.…
By now you have heard—probably not for the first time—about the staggering percentage of adults age 50 and older who haven’t saved enough (or anything at all) for retirement. For most of those non-savers, that means that they’ll be working well past 65, just to make ends meet. If you’re part of a couple, you at least have the possibility…
Scams are supposed to be something that happen to other people. Right? We read about them, know people who know people who have been scammed, and heartily disapprove. Then scamming calls us at home. On Wednesday, my wife was in a traffic accident. The airbag deployed. She is fine, although a bit bruised and sore. It wasn’t her fault. The…
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