Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 47

RETIREMENT FEATURE ‘I didn’t have a cruise booked. I don’t have grandchildren. Life ‘So, I headed to the city library and asked where the books on in retirement is not busier than life at work. I have acres of time, retirement might be. Apart from finding the Haynes Manual (not as but my inbuilt work ethic means I am very hard on myself if I think amusing as I thought it would be and I’m not quite ready to look for I am wasting any of it.’ my care home), the only other one in that numbered section was The What Helen has done in response to these revelations (or gentle art of Swedish death cleaning by Margareta Magnusson. problems) is completely personal to herself, and not designed ‘Far from being a depressing read, I found, in common with other to be advice or a blueprint for others, but her first response, she retirees I have spoken to, that my overwhelming urge to de clutter explains, was to accept her new purpose in life. the house, sort out finances and prepare for my eventual death, is ‘I was on a long train journey and got talking to a delightful healthy and common. young woman from Greece, who was studying in Bradford, ‘With matters now in some order, I find that a couple of half where I now live. I took an interest in her studies and she days volunteering in a charity shop, another dressing up reciprocated by asking what I in 1700s costume at a National Trust property did. I moved into the danger zone and spinning wool (at their request) and some immediately and apologetically: attempts at furniture restoration and other You are an “I used to be an occupational actively creative pursuits have eased a little therapist, but am retired now”. routine into my life. adventurer now, she ‘Out of politeness she could ‘However, the challenge remains to exclaimed. And I have have asked me about my long career, not allow one’s time to be taken up in any ‘‘ been delighted to inwardly but instead she leapt upon the word one pursuit that would effectively become retirement and before long had elicited “work” or allow what other people need claim this as my new from me what I had done and would be from me to be a route to a new career as a purpose in life doing in the recent past and future. “You martyr. are an adventurer now’”, she exclaimed. And ‘In closing, I had always assumed, as my I have been delighted to inwardly claim this as professional status was so much a part of my my new purpose in life.’ ego and identity, that retirement would be a traumatic Helen’s second response entailed clinical supervision, event. What I have discovered is that, while I knew professionally which has also helped her to value the past. that occupation is at the heart of physical and mental health, ‘In our last session, I was addressing the lack of closure in the having a meaningful occupation is what drives and sustains me, circumstances that led to my final resignation. My supervision rather than being an occupational therapist. partner pressed me on what I could do about that now and it ‘The nausea is wearing off. It is a normal stress response for came to my mind that far from wanting my contribution to the me and not a portent of a wrong decision. I am not traumatised profession to be validated, it would be lovely to thank those and, though no doubt the elation will be short lived too, the idea of special people who had been so inspirational and helpful in my 20 years plus in my new “occupation” as an adventurer is pretty career; most, but not all, occupational therapists. exciting. ‘My challenge now is to contact them, by handwritten letter ‘The decision to come off the HCPC register is not the final link if possible, and arrange to meet to celebrate their influence and with my profession. I shall remain as a (retired) member of RCOT and support.’ would be delighted to join or collaborate on a network for pre- and Finally, response number three is about time. ‘I wanted to post-retired occupational therapists if anyone is interested. But then, find something that used up time, was meaningful, but, for now, you are probably going to be very busy.’ does not replicate occupational therapy in any way. I dub this “OT4Me”. To contact Helen Tomes email: [email protected] OTnews February 2020 47