Back to school during retirement to maintain mental health

How many of us dread the approach of retirement? Retirement is the milestone that serves as a transition from a working life of routines to a phase that most of us are ill-prepared. Retirement can either turn out to be good or bad in our mental and physical functions, and social, financial or spiritual well-being. This article will briefly discuss the effects of retirement and look into the option of going back to school during retirement to keep mentally healthy.

Dr. Sing Lin, PhD, in his 2002 study on “Optimum Strategies for Creativity and Longevity” highlighted the conclusion from various studies of major American pension funds’ payout to pensioners that for every year one works beyond age 55, one loses 2 years of life span on average. The study also states that a person retiring at 55 years of age can look forward to living another 25 to 30 years after being able to put into place a retirement plan to retire early and live comfortably. However, it is important to note that such a plan would necessarily include elements to maintain physical and mental health.

Whilst we can seek advice on diet and exercises and act on whatever is required to maintain physical health, the issue of maintaining mental health is not one that can be easily addressed.  One of the ways is to be engaged in some form of work done at a non-stressful leisurely pace during retirement. Why work? Assuming we have a measure of financial freedom in retirement, work then will be mainly to continue keeping our mind active and maintain mental health to prevent the onset of dreaded diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia after having actively exercised the brain for the majority of the past 55 years.

So, what can we do that will not put us in unnecessary stress and yet afford us the opportunity to actively exercise the brain in doing things we like? Well, going back to school will be high on the list of possibilities. Objectives in education in retirement are different from that to gain a certificate for a well-placed position at the start of our careers. Many are ‘forced” by circumstances to undertake courses of studies to get the right jobs to earn a living and not courses of choice. In retirement, we can take a course in whatever subject that takes our fancy, whether they are short courses or challenging doctoral studies and research, to satisfy a burning desire or for self-actualization. Key is the choice to do what we like and when we like without having the need to complete the journey as an option.

In retirement, we can continue to enjoy and do whatever we like such as taking holidays to discover new places or to be with loved ones, move to a new home, or be engaged in charitable work without detriment to our ability to be go back to school as and when we like. The availability of online learning (for those seniors who can master the use of the internet) and ease of communication facilitates our doing so. In addition, most institutions of higher learning encourage seniors to enroll with them with many providing relaxed entry requirements and discounted entry fees, whilst local authorities and other organizations often provide free entries to short courses in various subjects of interest.

In conclusion, going back to school in retirement, as in school days during our formative years, also affords us the opportunity to make new friends and acquaintances and expand our knowledge, worldviews and horizons from peoples all over the world. In doing so, we can continue to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others whilst keeping us mentally healthy. The words of Alvin Toffler sums up the importance of lifelong learning – “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”.