Retirement is great – but it may not suit everyone.

Over the last year or so I have been in contact with a lot of guys who are heading towards retirement and I’ve been surprised at how many of them are dreading the prospect of having to throw in the towel.

I must be missing a gene or two because I retired a couple of years before I needed to, and I didn’t bat an eyelid. I was looking forward to the prospect and didn’t see the need to hang around, waiting for the letter to arrive that would tell me to pack my bags and clear out my desk.

It’s a personal choice, I know, and it all depends on individual circumstances so it’s not the same for everyone. I loved my work, particularly the time I spent in community policing and I enjoyed what I was doing, but after 36 years, I felt that the time was right for me to go.

Do I miss it? Absolutely not. I had a great career, but the time came when I felt I wanted to call it a day. I worked with some great people over the years and there are times when I miss them and the camaraderie but that’s it.

I feel sorry for those who find it difficult to let go, because there is a wonderful life waiting for them beyond retirement. It’s probably more difficult for those who don’t have interests outside the work place, but they shouldn’t despair, retirement is good.

It does take a little getting used to though and one of the obvious changes is that you have more time on your hands. You don’t have to watch the clock for start times, finish times, meetings or whatever and it’s surprising how quickly you adapt to that even after spending a lifetime governed by a time piece.

It doesn’t take long either before you start losing track of the days. A Monday is no different to a Wednesday or a Friday and a Bank Holiday is no longer something to get excited about. Every day is a holiday.

That’s how it should be. Retirement is a sign that you’ve done your bit, paid your dues and now it is time to take your reward and relax. But new retirees will have to get used to being asked; “What are you doing with yourself now?” or “How do you pass the time?”

There is an expectation that a retired person must be doing something. They worry that if I don’t go to work, I might lose my sanity, or starve to death. Apparently, I’m not allowed to relax and enjoy myself and chilling out is forbidden.

I know there are people who can’t sit still for five minutes, but I’m not one of them. I’m not interested in challenging myself, finding new horizons or breaking new ground. I’m grand thanks, so just leave me be.

Hopefully, as soon as I can get my wife into the same frame of mind, I will be spending more time in a warmer climate and less time dealing with our damp weather. I fancy a sunny future for myself. T-shirt, shorts, flip-flops and gin and tonics on the balcony are what I see in my crystal ball. The only sweat to come from me will be from the heat.

It was different in the old days. Workers quit at sixty-five, got their pipe and slippers and sat in their favourite chair for a few years until they died. But that has changed because now we’re fitter and living longer.

Life isn’t as harsh as it was back then either and we have more medicine, pills and potions to keep us going. Our living standards have greatly improved too and we have more disposable income to spend on leisure activities. We tend to have a healthier outlook on life and look after ourselves better.

So, these days, retirement should be something to look forward to. Or should it? Maybe these guys who don’t want to retire know something that I don’t.

According to Age Action Ireland, retirement can have a detrimental effect on some individuals. An increasing number of people contacted them when they realised that the pension wasn’t exactly what they thought it would be and they were worried about how they were going to survive.

For many retirees, their colleagues are often their friends as well and so when they retire, they lose many of those, leaving them socially isolated. For others, it challenges their self-worth and self-confidence when they are told that they can no longer work.

Projections by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show by 2021 the number of elderly people will have grown by 200,000 and it is estimated that by 2046, there will be almost 1.5 million people over the age of 65.

A recent report has claimed that some nursing homes are adding on extra charges in addition to the Fair Deal scheme. Anything between €30 and €90 a week to cover the cost of social programmes such as bingo, board games, religious services and pet therapy.

Justin Moran of Age Action, said they have received reports of some elderly nursing home residents being placed in longer-lasting incontinence nappies so they don’t have to be changed for up to twenty- four hours to make life easier for the staff.

Now, I’m beginning to think I might have made a terrible mistake. Nobody told me this stuff before I retired. It’s possible that my life could be about to get tougher than it was when I was working. I might get sick, run out of money, lose my friends, have no nursing home and be unable to wipe my own bottom.

All things considered, the prospects don’t look too encouraging. Might be time to dig out my CV.