Single Ladies: How to Make the Most of Retirement

By Sarah Garlick –

Baby boomers have been redefining what it means to be retired – long gone are the days spent sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch sipping a glass of lemonade.

Single women over 50 especially aren’t slowing down – according to a recent survey by Del Webb, they feel younger than their actual age and more confident and happier than they did at 35. Most aren’t spending time on dating (only 5% say finding love is a priority), choosing instead to focus on filling their calendars with activities that keep them physically healthy and mentally fulfilled.

These are some of the most popular activities among single boomer women that you can start doing right now:

• Further your education. Nearly three in ten single female boomers have sought formal or informal educational opportunities in the last five years. Your local community college likely offers a variety of interesting courses, from computer programming to women’s studies, and with many colleges and universities offering online programs, you might not even need to leave the comfort of your home to take one. To broaden your horizon without breaking the bank on tuition, take advantage of free online resources like iTunes U and Coursera.
• Volunteer. Single boomer women are a very philanthropic bunch, with 30 percent devoting some of their time to volunteering. Maybe while you were working a full-time job you didn’t have much time to devote to activities you really wanted to do, like volunteering for a charity or organization that’s near and dear to your heart, but now is the perfect time to give back to your community.
• Join a club (or start one!). Del Webb communities have a club for just about anything you can think of, from books to line dancing to travel. Joining a club allows you to spend time doing things you’re passionate about while expanding your social circle. If what you’re looking for doesn’t exist, start it yourself! You’re bound to find others who share the same interests.

• Work on your fitness. 38 percent of single boomer women exercise a few times a week, and many attributed feeling younger and more confident to staying healthy and in shape. The most popular fitness activity among survey participants? Weight training! Want to try but don’t know where to start? Pinterest is an excellent resource for fitness instruction and inspiration. You can tailor your searches to your exercise goals and strength/skill levels. For example, entering “baby boomer exercises” into the search bar will turn up hundreds of results that you can do from home with little to no equipment needed!

Sarah Garlick is a representative for Del Webb, the pioneer in active adult communities and America’s leading builder of new homes targeted to pre-retirement and retiring boomers. Since 1996, Del Webb has been surveying the 50+ demographic to better understand the attitudes and opinions of this generation. The diverse definitions of retirement reflect the diversity of the baby boomers and are evident in the variety of Del Webb community sizes, types and locations across the nation.