← Back to Blog

How Freedom Square of Seminole Can Help You Build Relationships After Retirement 

Happy group of seniors

Regardless of how much you love your career, retirement is something most of us look forward to. The idea of getting away from the things about work you don’t enjoy like deadlines, commuting or workplace politics can be very enticing. However, it doesn’t take long to realize life after retirement also has its challenges. You can quickly miss the structure, socializing, being part of a team or having an easy way to identify who you are and in your place in the world.  

If you can successfully make it through those initial “what now?” questions that are sure to arise, retirement can be quite sweet. Here’s how to not only survive – but also thrive – during those first few months of retirement and how a Life Plan Community like Freedom Square can help. 

Retirement Emotions

Knowing the different stages of retirement and the emotions that come with them can help you examine your needs and figure out what comes next. The stages of retirement include: 

  • Pre-retirement: The period before retirement when you’re planning, financially and emotionally, for the big day. This is often an exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking time. 
  • Full retirement: Often considered the “honeymoon phase,” this is the stage of retirement where you finally get to retire. It’s typically thrilling, filled with new activities and a feeling of freedom. 
  • Disenchantment: This stage of retirement is when the initial excitement wears off and you may experience feelings of boredom or disappointment. You may start to feel like your retirement isn’t living up to what it should which can lead to depression. 
  • Reorientation: Often considered the hardest stage, this is when you’re most likely to start re-evaluating your retirement lifestyle. It involves asking the hard questions, and relearning what does and doesn’t work for you, so you can get the most out of your retirement. 
  • Stability: When you reach stability, you’ll find yourself settled into a fulfilling, comfortable lifestyle that meets your needs. 

Keys to Thriving in Retirement

Be social: Making friends in retirement and cultivating a thriving social life can often lessen the likelihood of depression, mental decline and other health risks. Joining a local club or group, meeting up with friends for coffee, or joining a community garden are all great options to consider. 

Make a schedule: A good routine doesn’t have to be the same kind of daily schedule you kept while you were working. Instead, focus on things that make you feel your best. Having a schedule can also help you manage stress, get better sleep and budget your time for exercise, social interaction, healthy eating, picking up a hobby and other important activities. 

Volunteer: Studies show that finding purpose in retirement by getting involved with volunteer work can often provide a boost in mental health, social activity and feelings of productivity. 

Does Where You Retire Matter?

In 2020, the Age Well Study, the only national longitudinal study evaluating the impact of living in a Life Plan Community on residents’ cognitive, physical and psychosocial health and well-being, focused on factors associated with resident happiness and life satisfaction. 4,191 residents from 122 Life Plan Communities participated in the survey. Here are some of the results: 

Satisfaction with senior living community and happiness and life satisfaction

91% of respondents were “completely” or “very” satisfied with their senior living community. 

On a scale of 1 to 7, Life Plan residents rate happiness and life satisfaction a 6+.  

Overall Age Well Study Findings

The latest report from the study examines changes in the health and wellness of residents over five years compared to older adults from the community at large. The findings include: 

  • Life Plan Community residents continued to report better physical, emotional, intellectual, social and vocational wellness than their community-at-large counterparts. 
  • Social contact significantly increased for residents in their first five years. 
  • Overall engagement in intellectual activities significantly increased for residents (including increased writing and attending education) and decreased for older adults in the community at large. 

Discover a Community of Connect at Freedom Square

Imagine if you could join a friendly community where everyone is enjoying life to the fullest. A place with a robust monthly calendar of over 45 different groups, volunteer activities and weekly outings? That’s what the residents of Freedom Square enjoy every day so you’re sure to find your circle of friends in no time! To learn more, contact us here or use our Community Assistant virtual chat feature.