Why Managing Mental Health Matters for Retirees

Once you retire, you may not miss the typical stressors of a demanding career. Managing mental health is important leading up to retirement and moving into. Retirement is a time to enjoy hobbies and activities you didn’t have time for during your working life.

Retirement is also a time to focus on what truly makes you happy. However, while retirement can be exciting, it can also have a negative effect on managing mental health. Studies show that depression is prevalent in many retirees. Depression may result from a lack of structure or social support that retirement often brings. Since depression can take a toll on your physical health, it’s essential to take good care of it.

By managing mental health, you may be able to remain in your home longer and delay or even avoid moving to a long-term care facility. You may also reduce the risk of health complications and lower your overall healthcare costs. Fortunately, there are many ways you can improve your mental wellbeing while you’re retired. Here are a few ideas to help you manage your mental health:

Stay busy

In the past, your 8 to 5 job kept you busy. Now that work no longer fills up most of your schedule, it’s crucial to find ways to stay active. It’s up to you to figure out how to spend your time. Maybe you’ll make weekly plans with your friends and family. Or perhaps you’ll get back into a hobby you once loved or try a new one. A busy schedule is vital for your mental health and sanity. Otherwise, you may face boredom and lose your sense of purpose.

Socialize

Social interaction is essential to keep your mental health in check. Make it a priority to spend time with loved ones regularly. You might have dinner with your grandchildren every Sunday or play cards with your neighbors every Wednesday. Ideally, you’d develop and maintain friendships with both older and younger people regularly.

Practice self-care

Self-care is when you set aside time to do things good for your physical and mental wellbeing while alleviating the pressures of everyday life. Some ideas for practicing self-care include taking a warm bath every night, going for a walk around your neighborhood, or listening to music. It all depends on what activities make you feel happy and at ease.

Retirement is an exciting time to fill with activities that make you happy. If you feel overwhelmed or unhappy, seek mental health advice from your medical professional.

SWG2043868-0222e The sources used to prepare this material are believed to be true, accurate and reliable, but are not guaranteed. This information is provided as general information and is not intended to be specific financial or tax guidance. When you access a link you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility for your use of the website you are linking to. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at this website. Nor is the company liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, websites, information and programs made available through this website.

Our family financial services firm, August H. Velten & Associates, has been in business for 12-years in Melbourne, FL.   August Velten (CLU) is a 40-year veteran of the Financial Services industry.  August is a former instructor for the Life Underwriter Training Council and once occupied the legislative seat for the Maine Association of Life Insurers.  In Brevard County, you may have seen him on local access TV or read one of his articles in a local area magazine.   Jessica Waterhouse, August’s daughter, left her own practice to join the firm in 2019.  Jessica is a Florida licensed insurance producer, securities licensed (Series 65), a long term care specialist (CLTC) and holds certification as a National Social Security Advisor.  Both August & Jessica are instructors for financial literacy workshops in both Brevard and Indian River County offering education in Social Security and Financial Planning.  Contact the office today to schedule an introductory meeting or review of your current financial plan.

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