Let ’ s look at a few things “ 50 somethings ” can do to adopt a “ what else ” attitude .
AGING with an Attitude
It ’ s never too late to turn your life into a party !
According to Jane Pauley , Dateline NBC , “ Every eight minutes , eight Americans turn 50 .” Upon hearing this , I immediately had a vision of people in a restaurant looking around every 8 minutes to see if anyone goes through a transformation . Tick tock . Is it your turn — to turn 50 ? If it is , not to worry — we live in a time when 50 is the new 40 , 40 is the new 30 … and so on . Thanks to the never ending amount of medical breakthroughs , healthier lifestyle advice , and anti-aging cosmetics , many of us 50-somethings have managed to look ten years younger than our chronological years . Whereas 55 used to be considered old , we can now look at turning 50 as the age when the fun begins . After all , what better time to shift priorities and think more of oneself — the kids are gone , the mortgage is handled or paid-off , our careers are on auto-pilot , and we ’ ve begun to have dreams of retirement .
Sadly , however , some people think turning 50 is the beginning of the end . No ! No ! No ! Let ’ s replace the “ now what ?” attitude with “ what else ?” attitude as we face our 50 ’ s and beyond .
You are at the “ I have arrived ” age . You don ’ t have to care what people say . And you shouldn ’ t . Ask yourself : What else can I be ? What else can I do ? What else can I get ? What else can I give ? What else can I try ? Throw away the “ this is it ” mindset . Even if you are physically challenged , you can make small changes — the result will surprise you . Join the revolution — the baby boomers are changing the way the world ages . Are you in ?
Let ’ s look at a few things “ 50 somethings ” can do to adopt a “ what else ” attitude .
SEE YOUR DOCTOR
If you haven ’ t been in for a physical lately , it ’ s time to go in for a check-up . Make sure you ask about a customized exercise regime . The healthier you are , the more pleasant the next few decades will be .
By Dorie U . Sugay
Dorie Sugay is the Executive Director of Visiting Angels , a company that provides livingassistance services to seniors and adults-in-need who wish to stay in their own home or receive oneon-one care within a facility .
THINK ABOUT A CAREER CHANGE
If you aren ’ t ready for a change in employment but would like to have a little more time to “ smell the roses ” — consider asking your employer if you may scale down on your hours so you can pursue other interests . They may even be willing to use you as a consultant . More and more employers are realizing the benefit of keeping their experienced employees part-time rather than incurring the expense of training a new employee .
If you are ready for a complete change , consider making your hobby what you do for a living . At Visiting Angels , it is not unusual to receive an application from someone looking to change careers ( i . e . a high tech worker pursuing a job as a nursing professional ). We have one client whose son left law enforcement to become a security consultant . I know a woman judge from San Juan Bautista who retired early to write books for Alzheimer ’ s patients as a tribute to her mom . Penny Purless , of Pennycakes — which has incredibly beautiful and tasty cakes and sweets — baked cakes as a hobby and now owns her own shop .
There are employers who actually seek out people over 50 . Check out www . currentlocaljobs . com , www . seniorjobbank . org , workforce50 . com , or www . aarp . com . Monster . com posts “ jobs for over 50 .” Opportunities in senior care are abundant — some families prefer caregivers in their 50 ’ s because they can identify with them .
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