Print

Sites

In addition to opportunity and challenge, retirement for most of us also means freedom and the time in which to follow our chosen pursuits. It is probably the first time in our lives when we control our daily, weekly, monthly and yearly timetable and, most importantly, we choose the content. We believe that it is a time for careful assessment of our future needs and for planning to achieve our personal goals which, in turn, will lead to a successful new lifestyle.

In addition to opportunity and challenge, retirement for most of us also means freedom and the time in which to follow our chosen pursuits. It is probably the first time in our lives when we control our daily, weekly, monthly and yearly timetable and, most importantly, we choose the content. We believe that it is a time for careful assessment of our future needs and for planning to achieve our personal goals which, in turn, will lead to a successful new lifestyle.

Given an adequate income and good health, the opportunities facing the retired are virtually infinite. We can study a multitude of subjects at Colleges and Institutes, take up new hobbies and interests or become more involved in existing ones. We can start a chosen second career, launch our own business or volunteer our services to some of the many and varied organisations which help within our communities.

Our new found freedom means that we have more time to spend with our families and friends, perhaps giving them the benefit of our lifetime experiences or helping them in a more practical fashion while they are still caught up in the daily grind of coping with work and home responsibilities.

Holidays can be taken in the quieter seasons, taking advantage of cheaper prices and wider selections of resorts. Longer sunshine holidays to escape the cold British winter may be considered or even a permanent move abroad carefully studied.

Do we wish to extend, adapt or move our home to give us greater comfort or additional capital? These options require careful study.

As we are planning, we should remember that we hope we are looking at a time scale in excess of twenty years and to using the freedom and choice wisely to meet this unique challenge.