Are you a retired, single woman?

[TeachMeSomething]

If you're retired (or soon to be) and single, what steps are you taking to try to remain healthy, strong and living independently for as long as is humanly possible?

For example, have you downsized to somewhere you could continue to live as you get older? Have you moved to a walkable town or city? Are you a bit fanatical about your diet?

Would love to hear your ideas!

Thank you. That certainly goes to show that having children is no guarantee of support. It's good that you were able to step in where needed, and I am sure it made a huge difference to those resident's lives.

I am hoping that technology will make old age easier for us. Who knows how AI might develop. If those who are in their 80s now had tried to imagine at say 40 how their old age might look, they could never have imagined how the internet and delivery services would make things like shopping so much easier.

We may be worrying unnecessarily - we might all have our own in-home, robotic carer/companion who will see to our every need.

Same in my friendship group .

I was widowed a couple of yearsago, so single, retired now.
I moved from 'everyone's dream', house in the country, chickens in the huge garden, no neighbours for half a mile, to a nice semi, semi rural, but with a small shopping area a 4 minute walk away, with a mini Sainsburys, chippy, wine bar and pub.
Fabulous walks for me and pooches straight from the door, and an amazing friendship group made through sea swimming every morning (admittedly a 10 minute drive away)!

I was always adamant I was a country girl, but my lifestyle has improved by 300% by moving into a community.

This sounds lovely. Pleased to hear you have found happiness. 😊

@Strawberriesandpears it's making me sad to see someone so young - and you are young 😊- worrying about something that is a long way off and might never happen. I think it's only 10% of people go into a care home.

I'm 62 and never give it a thought! Try to concentrate on leading a fulfilling life and building a community. You might meet a man, have a child (I had my gorgeous DD at 41) but, as @TeachMeSomething and other women on this thread prove, you can have a great life without a partner or children.

I keep seeing ads for weighted vests/ruksaks. I’m a cheapskate but also someone who wastes money on items and doesn’t use them long term. Is a weighted vest or ruksak any better than just putting some weights in a backpack while walking? I’ve got some sand filled wrist and ankle weights I can put in a backpack that would surely achieve the same result. Do you think that would achieve the same outcome or is there some specific reason why a specially built weighted vest or ruksak would be more suitable?

Seeing @MrsEdithOrme on here has reminded me that I haven't mentioned that I try to apply the Japanese concept of Kaizen - continuous improvement - to my life.

Apologies to anyone who's read this before but, to save time, I've copied and pasted a comment I made on @MrsEdithOrme 's inspiring thread on being contented in retirement. (I'll put a link to it in another post underneath this one because this already links to something else.)

I love Kaizen! It feels really satisfying. It doesn't have to be extreme or anything. Just things like looking at the ingredients on the packets in your fridge or cupboards and trying to find something 'cleaner' to replace them with. At the moment, I'm trying to replace all my chemical-laden shampoos and stuff with cleaner alternatives. I usually change one thing per shop if possible.

Another thing I 'kaizened' was the NHS markers of frailty .https://www.bgs.org.uk/recognising-frailty So that included regularly standing on one leg whenever I remember to, standing up from sitting on a chair without using hands (worked up to a set of 30 at a time), 50 wall press ups whenever I go into the bathroom, using grip strengtheners. etc. All of which may do me no good whatsoever, but at least I tried!

Here's the link to @MrsEdithOrme 's thread, as promised:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5366316-to-ask-for-examples-of-living-contently-in-retirement?page=1

Not retired yet but maybe not too far off. I bought this book recently and it’s full of good suggestions like making sure you sit on the floor every day. If you sit on the floor, you can get up off the floor…use it or lose it for sure. I do Pilates at the gym, I do some Pilates at home using YouTube video. I also do some general movement videos which are actually aimed at runners to keep them mobile and injury free. I don’t run. Friend of mine does though and has joined a running club and some of the women are in their 80s, and good runners!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Built-Move-Essential-Durable-Infinite/dp/1398708690/ref=sr_1_4?crid=20PYH8G1ST4OX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.puISZnlkFUrsWVQqhMJaDl9tk3zHYPNsJI2OsWk45yMptSj4GAwxof1A3dQDOfUkINspa0lMq7A8fTGBXvd2_tRc3aNFzKyn_rjqVxowqkDtZ-JX-50gBn_GXONKV47gTwZMk0Vx2gmOJBwqHtHph9dHst18Lyb2prLYkYvhuRZaoZgd_XvHqdDgEPLxd3zxKNBcZu8hEdMJEtcVGVB2lK4hAZIUv83nyLifhIjVynE.Za1K5hwv6rJ-sxXcvkJLddsZnn3c6bZs9RXES5u1-bg&dib_tag=se&keywords=Move+for+life&qid=1751693449&sprefix=move+for+life%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-4

Oh and I see you’ve mentioned standing on one leg, do it while tooth brushing. One min either leg twice a day. Sorted. 😁. I do it and it’s helped my ankle pain.

Just something to be aware of if any of you feel that you're not very good at standing on one leg without wobbling...

I can stand on one leg now for quite substantial periods of time but it can still take some effort not to wobble.

I discovered that this was because I have high arches on my feet. I've always had them but, because I've always done a lot of walking, my arches haven't dropped as I've aged (they tend to). So there's much less of my foot that's in contact with the floor. This can be exacerbated by the kind of surface I'm standing on (carpeting provides a bit more support) or whether I'm wearing shoes or not.

@MoominUnderWater Will check that book out - thanks!

Oh I have really flat feet which is probably why I’m so good at it then 😁. I now do it with my eyes closed for an extra challenge. The wobbling is good though, helps strengthen ankle muscles according to my physio.

Good news indeed re the wobbling!

I plan to retire next year. Was going to be march 2027 but am hating work now.
reading with interest

Once you get to the 'hating' point, I don't think there's any turning back.

Wrong post! Was meant to aimed at @March2027

I use a backpack to do my twice weekly shopping and thought that the 15-20 minute walk back from the shops was enough. Then I bought a weighted vest and found it’s an entirely different kettle of fish.

mine is 5 kg and the weight is evenly distributed across my shoulders. It just feels more ergonomic. There is a lot of information on YouTube from peeps who road tested different vests - check them out.

I chose not to go for an adjustable vest because (1) they seemed less ergonomic, and (2) because I couldn’t see myself progressing from a 5kg to a 10kg, which seem to be the standard sizes.

Postscript…… I have been doing this every single day for the past 6 years or so. It takes 3 - THREE - minutes but it has changed my fitness level to the nth degree:

I'm on the point of retiring (62). I focus on maintaining good health, I cook from scratch including making my own bread. Drink very little alcohol. Eat 30 different fruit & veg a week. I run, swim, cycle and practice martial arts. Keep my BMI between 22 & 23. Get plenty of fresh air.

I still have a teen ds at home so I'll think about down-sizing when he has launched & is working..

I remember how much my mother worried about getting prescriptions and shopping when she was in her 80s about 20 yrs ago. She hated anyone else doing things for her but just had to accept it.

technology has made life much easier with online pharmacies and home grocery deliveries. There are more elderly people able to use to internet now.

We have longevity in my family on both sides, oldest died at 103 and last one to die was 94. Still have a 97, 94 and 89 year old left.

I retired six years ago and downsized slightly in order to clear the very small mortgage I had left and am pretty healthy, especially when I look around at people up to 20 years younger who are on mobility scooters, walking sticks or pretty much housebound.

Hopefully, I will keep healthy for many years to come, so far arthritis in my hands seems to be the one thing that's a bit of a nuisance and a brush with skin cancer which wasn't very nice.

I don't have any kids, am financially very comfortable, have friends, family and a lovely garden that I lavish money and time on.

Like previous poster, neither me nor any of my single women friends have any interest in having another man in our lives. We all seem to be doing pretty damn good on our own.

Semi retired. Working less hours but like the social aspect of going to work, plus the extra money. I am 61 BTW.

I rent (long story, hideous divorce, lost everything) and moved to a bungalow to future proof. I can do stairs with ease though.

I ride my bike as often as practical and my front bedroom has no bed. It has a desk for working from home, if I choose, plus dumbbells, a bench, yoga mats, etc. This way I can lift, dance, do yoga, and HIIT. Sometimes barre.

We have a WI group here, full of interesting people. Also, for the future as it clashes with my hours, bowls club, hiking club, cycling club, gardening club. Loads of stuff. I live in a village. Nearest town is 6 miles with usual supermarkets and a really good cinema. I do need a car here though, busses are shocking.

I am enjoying slowing down a bit and not worrying about being in a relationship, in fact I broke up with a long term chap just last month as I was fed up with being so far down his list of priorities. Not worrying about a career, in fact, I might go back to studying.

So, happy, quite fit and have no real health issues, can find lots to do if I choose, or not if I don’t. Balance is good.

My life would definitely be worse without my fortnightly Tesco deliveries @trailmx

Also, amazon - love 'em or loathe 'em - if you feel like you've 'got something coming on' but it's not quite not quite bad enough for a doctor's visit or a pharmacy prescription. The next day delivery can be a blessing when a trek into town feels a bit too much to handle.

Oh my god! I will remember this one. Not using the stairlift but general not using muscles! I remember staying in a really mountainous part of Italy as a child and seeing some very elderly residents going around on foot uphill and I was even as a wiry kid struggling keep up.