Retirement worries

A little disappointed

For about half a month now, the daily routine of Mr. Pham Thanh Toan in Hung Dao commune (Tu Ky) has completely changed.

Previously, when he was the Chairman of the Commune Elderly Association, his daily work started at the association's office, then he discussed work, grasped information with members, visited and encouraged the elderly in the village and commune... But since the beginning of December, he officially retired, only helping his wife with housework.

This is the second time Mr. Toan has retired. He said that because before, when he worked at a transport company in Hanoi, when he reached the retirement age, he was allowed to retire according to the regime.

Returning to his hometown, he joined the work of the Commune Elderly Association. “Unlike last time, this time I have retired completely. After more than 10 years of working in the locality, I have many memories. At first, I was also hesitant and worried because my professional work had become a daily habit, but now I am nearly 80 years old and cannot take on the job. This is the time for me to spend all my time taking care of my family,” Mr. Toan shared.

After nearly 20 years of working on projects, when he retired at the age of 60, Mr. Tran Van Nam in Hai Duong City could not help but feel a little regretful and disappointed. Each project, each new land gave him the opportunity to meet different friends. This helped him expand his relationships and gain more experiences in life.

Mr. Nam shared that although he knew retirement was a normal thing, when he received the decision, he still felt a bit regretful and recalled the beautiful memories that his career had brought.

"However, I quickly integrated into life in the countryside by taking care of the garden and my family to make up for the days I spent away from home. As I got older, I had more work to do, and time passed less emptily than before, and I was able to regain balance in my life," said Mr. Nam.

It has become a rule that after a period of work, whether as an official, employee or worker, there will come a time for retirement according to State regulations.

Because over the years, people's age and health do not allow them to continue participating in the labor machine. We know that this is the law of life, but there are also different moods of sadness and happiness. Because the environment is different, the lifestyle also changes completely. But this is also an opportunity to rest after years of hard work, to find new joys to balance life.

Welcome new joy

Retiring at the age of 61, Mr. Vuong Dinh Ta in Tran Phu commune (Nam Sach) still continues to contribute to the common work of the commune. From Chairman of the Commune Veterans Association (formerly Nam Chinh commune), he moved to take on the role of Chairman of the local Ornamental Plants Association. "Not retiring completely is not a pity for the work that the locality has mobilized to maintain the movement. Choosing jobs that are suitable for your health is also a way to make retirement not boring," Mr. Ta shared.

Mr. Ta has just received a retirement decision when Nam Chinh and Nam Trung communes merged into Tran Phu commune. However, he does not regret his old job because he has worked for 1 year longer than the prescribed retirement age. Although he has retired, he is still a member of many organizations and actively participates in local movements. This makes him forget the feeling of loss when he retires.

For Mrs. Nguyen Thi Luyen, wife of Mr. Pham Thanh Toan in Hung Dao commune, the greatest joy is when he retires completely. Previously, in her younger years, she often had to live far away from her husband. When he retired under the regime, Mr. Toan participated in local work so he did not have much time for his family. Now, when his children and grandchildren have all grown up and have their own lives, only the old couple rely on each other, Mr. Toan spends more time with his wife.

“Every day, he helps me with housework, takes care of the vegetable garden and ornamental plants, and prepares simple family meals together. Occasionally, he visits his children and grandchildren; meets and socializes with friends. Retired life passes by peacefully without being boring,” said Ms. Luyen.

Retirement is a new phase of life when the living environment and lifestyle change. How to welcome retirement depends on each person's mindset and circumstances. For many people, instead of worrying or reminiscing about the past, they choose to turn retirement into an opportunity to explore themselves or simply nurture family life. However, many people live in a state of anxiety and disappointment for a long time when reminiscing about the past.

If possible, retirees should do age-appropriate activities such as joining professional associations, clubs in villages, residential areas, etc. to avoid loneliness. For those who do not have the means, they can join the Elderly Association, a health club near their home to interact and chat with people to create the best spirit and physical condition. In addition, spending more time with family and nurturing personal hobbies is also a way to live a happy, healthy, and useful old age.