To ask if anyone else over 50 isn't desperate to retire

[LornaDuh]

I'm 61 now so have taken a look at the retirement board on here and various threads about pensions.

People stating that life is too short. They want to retire to spend time on their hobbies, and to travel and volunteer.

Anyone else not keen on the thought of retiring? I like my job, my colleagues, the structure work brings. Work makes me appreciate weekends, holidays. If I had endless leisure time I'd probably waste it on Mumsnet and napping rather than crafting and hiking in the Alps.

If I had endless leisure time I'd probably waste it on Mumsnet and napping rather than crafting and hiking in the Alps.

I have zero interest in crafting and arthritis in my foot has put paid to any extensive hiking.

It's the thought of having fewer things to do in the cold and dark months that puts me off retiring. I like outdoor things and work from home most of the time. If I retired I would have to go out more in inclement weather to do more purposeful things - volunteering, U3A etc.

Just as well you don't want to do anything other than work, because chances are you won't have any healthy leisure years

Why would you make such an unpleasant comment @coldia? I do plenty of things other than work and have a fulfilling life. Dont you? The majority of women over 62 that I know aren't plagued with ill health which makes me want to understand the data.

When they say chronic condition do they mean something like underactive thyroid or high blood pressure or other health issues which can be controlled with medication?

A chronic condition is one which makes you ill to a varying degree for a long time, can get worse over time. The opposite is an acute condition which comes on very quickly. So appendicitis is acute, a stroke is acute, heart attack is acute. Kidney disease can be chronic or acute, cancer can be chronic or acute. Generally acute conditions need faster treatment because they go very quickly from apparently healthy to badly disabled or dead.

Some chronic conditions are controlled by meds, diet, exercise. But it depends on the condition. Some get progressively worse over time, limiting what you can do, because of chronic pain, mobility issues, breathlessness, that sort of thing. If you like travelling, some conditions could make travel insurance prohibitive.

Sorry, but you don’t understand this properly. It’s been explained above, but healthy life expectancy is much higher for an older person than somebody born now, partly as some individuals with previous health conditions will have already dropped out of the stats, for example with cancer or heart conditions.

In my area, a girl born now can expect to be healthy until age 63, whereas a woman age 65 can expect to have another healthy 11 years – so a healthy life expectancy of age 76.

Of course these are only the self reported averages and half are expected to have a higher healthy life expectancy, half lower.

@Coldia no it's the opposite, your expected age of death / ill health actually increases over time because you have managed to avoid the earlier occurrences of death / health problems.

Eg think of a group of 100 women born in the same year. Say that at birth their average life expectancy is 80. Then imagine that 80 years later, half of them have died (i.e. the prediction has proved to be correct). The remaining 50 now have a life expectancy of older than 80, because life expectancy for the unlucky 50 was lower than 80, so the life expectancy for the remaining 50 must be over 80 (to preserve the average of 80 for the whole group). I hope that makes sense!

Chronic health conditions vary so much and reactions to some treatments. My sister and a close friend both have arthritis and have both had cortisol injections. Really helped my sister whereas it was not really effective for my friend.

My volunteering has encompassed being on a fundraising committee and also cooking at a lunch club and working in a charity shop.

Same here, 53 just starred new job.

I'm 51 and stressed. I have had two different careers in my life and I think I have one more in me. Currently looking to see what is about. Pension contributions are now very important to me..I would love to be able to retire early even if it is just 65

I’ve been retired 5 years (went at 58 on a voluntary early exit scheme) and no, leisure time has not lost its appeal. It’s still utterly blissful.

I do wonder whether having had multiple maternity breaks (for want of a better word) has a bearing on how much people want to retire. I never had any over a 40 year working life and it did start to feel a bit relentless.

My very fit & retired PIL fill their days with allotment and Ramblers Association, crochet club (MIL), lunchtime pint (FIL). Volunteering. Matinées at the theatre and cinema. Frequent holidays.

DH would hate all of that, except maybe the holidays. He doesn't like mixing with other people. He likes walking on his own and has no hobbies as nothing really appeals to him other than walking or enjoying a beer or a glass of wine.

Multiple maternity breaks in a country where the birth rate is plunging? And yes its not a break. Pretty relentless actually.

That’s why I said “for want of a better word”. It is a chance to do something different though.

Very sorry to read life has has different plans @billyt. Fair play to keeping yourself occupied and at work.
Also wishing you the best.

I'm a bit frightened of retiring but my approach has been to think about it in stages.
I'm 62 and in a demanding job. I've dropped 1 day a week, took my DB pension at 60 and am saving it, not spending it (there was no reason not to do this - NHS rules).
Having contemplated the next 5 years or so I've got a plan of slowly reducing responsibilities (by changing jobs), then reducing hours again and 'feeling' my way into it.
Hopefully when the time comes to retire I'll be ready and have done the processing that any big life stage needs.

I'd love to retire. I turned 60 this year and started working at 15 years and 9 months old. I had 9 months off with DD. I'm 'tired' of working, tired of the daily grind, the ever increasing wokeness in the workplace, the ever increasing greed of my employer, the 'faux' customer care etc.

I'd have flippin loads to fill my time with and see loads of friends.

Unfortunately, the way things are financially I'll be working until at least 70.

I’m 51 and I love my job! Not sure how I’ll feel in 10 years but right now I’m happy!

I am planning to retire at end of March 2025, when I will be just 58 years old. Until a just a year or so ago I thought I would retire around 63 (certainly not 67 when I am eligible for state pension, that would be too depressing!), however my job has changed and diminished drastically due to new technology removing most of my role, and I am being fobbed off with various unsatisfactory tasks, so I will leave earlier than planned.

I have contemplated doing this for the past year and am now thoroughly looking forward to my retirement, as I have a few activities and interests I can then expand on and pursue to my heart's content. A few people have suggested to me that I can get a 'little part-time' job in time, but I doubt I will, as it's difficult finding good part-time jobs, and almost impossible to find any 'stress-free' jobs full stop, and I am relishing the prospect of planning each day according to the weather, my energy levels, my mood etc....... My husband is encouraging me to quit too, as he knows I will be much better off physically (more exercise time) and mentally (spending more time with our dog, friends (who are not working on certain days or not at all) and valuable time to myself.

It all depends on a few factors such as; How much do you enjoy/hate your job/work environment/colleagues? Are you financially secure enough to support your retirement lifestyle on your pension or no pension? Do you have activities you want to do which will give you enjoyment/satisfaction? .

It sounds as if OP has a good working environment so is content to continue, which is fair enough, but bear in mind work dynamics/environment can change over time or even suddenly, so you might want to start thinking about activities you would like to do when you eventually retire, and that way it won't seem like such an undesirable prospect for you - there's a lot of fun to be had out there - don't wait until you are too old and decrepit to take advantage of it! 😀