Maureen Kavanagh
CEO, Active Retirement Ireland
By making it a priority to stay socially connected, active and engaged with life and opportunities around us after retirement, we can ensure we embrace this wonderful life stage and age well.
It is no secret that maintaining strong social connections as we get older is key to good health and positive ageing. With more time to spend with friends and family, meet new people and be active in the community, staying social in retirement may seem like it should be effortless. However, the reality is not always so simple.
Maintaining social connections
For many people, core social relationships formed through work or other commitments can be difficult to sustain after retirement. These relationships often rely on the environment or context in which they initially developed, making it harder to sustain them away from that setting. Social circles get smaller and, for some, a sense of lost identity or purpose can lead to lower confidence, isolation and loneliness.
As we get older, it is so important to
stay curious and seek out things that
will fascinate, excite and delight us.
Community support
One excellent solution to this challenge is offered by community groups where like-minded individuals can come together to support each other. Active Retirement Ireland is one such community organisation that began more than 45 years ago with a mission to support older people to get out and have fun, make friends and stay connected.
Today, the charity comprises a network of around 21,000 older people across some 500 local groups around the country. Each local group is independently run by the members themselves who organise activities, excursions, holidays, information sessions and courses to do together.
Exploring new opportunities never gets old
As we get older, it is so important to stay curious and seek out things that will fascinate, excite and delight us. In Ireland, we are spoiled for choice. Year-round, Active Retirement Ireland members can be found enjoying tours and trips together, whether locally, in faraway counties or even abroad.
They spend time taking in cultural sites and theatre shows or exploring places they have always wanted to learn more about. Whatever your interest, making the effort to prioritise connection with other people in your community will open up a world of possibilities in retirement.
Visit activeirl.ie to learn more.
