When I get old... but when is that?
How do you prepare for the fourth age, and what do you do with all the extra time? We have talked about this with Georg Julin.
You may have heard of the third age – but what about the fourth?
Our average life expectancy is increasing year by year, and this trend seems to continue. We have previously thought of the third age as the last stage of life, but now we and the younger generations might live up to 10-20-30 years longer than before, and thereby we move into the "fourth age". The question is: How do we prepare for it, and what do we do with all the extra time? We have talked about this with Georg Julin.
Georg Julin is the author of the book "Den fjerde alder" (The fourth age) and has since 2016 made it his mission – also through a series of lectures – to highlight, that we in Denmark have to take responsibility for planning the last many years of our lives. Too many people in Denmark have not really understood what the last part of life can be and, not least, what it should contain. It is a shame, because planning gives the individual the opportunity to influence their quality of life.
We have asked Georg Julin about how we can help ourselves to improve the quality of life in the fourth age. And you might already start thinking about things – even if there may be several years until your retirement, or you only just have begun your third age.
Three questions you must ask yourself before you retire
Most people have gradually gained an understanding that healthy diet and exercise are important elements to promote quality of life. Many people also realise that you need to sort out your financial situation when you retire. But according to Georg Julin, too many people have not decided what their day-to-day life will look after retirement.
Here we have compiled some of the recommendations that Georg Julin has on the time after retirement.
1. How are you going to spend the time you previously spent on work?
Many people answer that question that they need more time playing golf or spending time with their grandchildren. But you should remember that the 30-40 hours a week you spent working now is free time when you retire. Do you want to play golf for that many hours a day, five days a week – and aren't the grandchildren going to school at some point?
While working you are usually good at setting goals and have focus areas, you have projects with a deadline, and you must constantly learn new things. These tools are useful for pensioners. According to Georg Julin, one should ask themselves: "What are my dreams for my future? What do I want to do with my life? And what would I like to learn more about or be better at?"
It is only your imagination that sets the limit. It might be going to a folk school, volunteering or travelling around the country. The important thing is that you set your goals and dreams, and not just get stuck on the couch.
2. Align your expectations with your family - when do you want to spend time together - and apart?
You have spent almost as many waking hours with your colleagues as you have with your family throughout your working life. When you retire you will spend more time at home with your spouse/registered partner. Therefore, according to Georg Julin, expectations should be aligned with your spouse/registered partner, as to when you spend time together and when you spend time on your own leisure activities.
Today, more and more people are getting divorced in the years after they begin their retirement lives. To some extent this may be due to the changes in that you no longer spend a large part of your time at work but instead spend time at home.
So set aside time for a good discussion about what each of you expect from each other when one of you or both of you retire.
3. Which communities do you want to be part of?
There may be an emptiness when you retire. Your daily routines are gone - what do you want to replace it with? If you ask Georg Julin, one of the most important things you can do is actively seeking to be part of a community. It can be anything – volunteering, walking clubs, debate forums or other types of activities.
Especially as older people, it is important to find social relations and opportunities to talk, exchange thoughts, opinions and experiences with new people. This helps us going and gives us the feeling of being part of a community like what you have experienced in a workplace.
This is important to many people because being something for other people can give you energy and help keep you engaged in what's going on in the world while continuing to challenge and keep your brain going.
Georg Julin, journalist and writher, born July 28 1949
Co-author of the book "Den fjerde alder" (The fourth age) and lectures – www.denfjerdealder.dk
Georg Julin Kommunikation – www.julin.dk
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