Retirement Opportunities and Senior Health

New Opportunities in Retirement

New Opportunity

For many older Americans—particularly those who are financially secure—retirement is accompanied by a feeling of freedom. In retirement, they have the time to do many of the things they always wanted to do. They also have the chance to try new things. Many people use part of the time in late adulthood to travel. Others take college courses. Still others pursue activities—such as crafts, golf, photography, or gardening—that they may have been interested in for many years.

Some elderly Americans begin a second career, either for pay or as volunteers. In recent years, part-time employment opportunities have increased for senior citizens.

Many volunteer programs provide opportunities for older people to get involved in the community. The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) finds positions for people aged 60 and older in libraries, museums, and various social-service agencies.

Physical and Mental Functioning in Aging

As an individual ages, body cells begin to die. As a result:

1. Muscles and tissues shrink.
2. The skin develops wrinkles.
3. The entire body slowly loses weight.
4. Weakened muscles reduce an individual's strength and endurance.
5. The nervous system functions more slowly and less accurately.
6. Hair gradually turns gray or white as the cells in the roots produce less and less pigment.

Although people tend to slow down as they age, most remain mentally alert. Recent research has shown that most elderly people retain their intellectual abilities throughout life.

Psychologists now believe that two factors influence the test results:

1. The items on the test relate mainly to youth and young-adult cultures.
2. Young people tend to have more formal education than people age 65 and older.

These results indicate that there is a less-marked decline in intellectual ability among elderly people.

A person's score at age 70 might be compared with his or her score at age 50. This approach reveals that intelligence may be more stable than had been previously thought.

The most common form of dementia among elderly people is Alzheimer's disease—an organic condition that results in the progressive deterioration of brain cells.