There is no single way to live through retirement. There are those who view it as a well-deserved homecoming, and those who simply refuse to stop. These two stories, told in the first person, show both sides of the coin.
José Silva worked for 34 years without missing a single day. When the time came, he walked away without looking back and made his home and his wife the center of his life. Deafness distanced him from music and socializing, but he insists he never let it get him down: surrounded by books, crossword puzzles, and walks in the backyard, he says he is happy to finally be home.
Maria Melo, on the other hand, never truly felt retired. She took care of her grandchildren, danced in the folklore group, helped build the Associação Cultural do Minho, where she remains on the board of directors and today spends her days doing handicrafts and painting at Abrigo. “Staying at home, for me, is an illness,” she summarizes.
Two different paths, one shared lesson: retirement is best experienced when it is chosen, fulfilled, and shared with those we love most.
Retirement lived at home
José Silva (DR)
Milénio Stadium: When you thought about retiring, what plan did you have for this new phase of your life?
José Silva: I worked for 34 years: 12 at one company and 22 at another. I never missed a day of work. But at the last place, there were people I didn’t like, so when they told me I could retire and receive the company pension, I didn’t hesitate. When I left, it felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. After that, I never wanted to go back. They invited me to return at Christmas and on other occasions, but I didn’t want to see those people who only caused problems.
When I made plans to retire, it was to be with my wife. So wherever she goes, I go too. When she goes out, I always go with her; I don’t like her going anywhere alone.
And I help out a lot around the house. I don’t know how to cook, but when she makes soup, I chop the cabbage, peel the potatoes… I help with everything.
I spent a lot of time away, and now I want to be with her. And I love it when our children and grandchildren come over to the house. I enjoy all of that, being right here like this.
MS: What about meeting up with friends to chat?
JS: Not that, because I don’t hear well. I have a hearing aid, but even so, I still struggle to hear. I don’t like going to anyone’s house because sometimes they’re talking and I can’t understand what they’re saying.
MS: Your life was very full, not only at the companies where you worked, but also through your connection to music: rehearsals, performances, busy weekends. Did your hearing loss affect you deeply?
JS: I used to play music; now I can’t even listen to music anymore. Sometimes I go to see my son play, and I think it’s wonderful to see him working on the guitar, but I don’t know what he’s playing. Because of that, I don’t really like going to certain places.
MS: What about practicing sports or doing some form of physical activity?
JS: We have a large yard around the house with plenty of grass and trees, and I go for walks out there. Sometimes I go for a walk by myself just to boost my mood.
MS: How do you fill the rest of your time?
JS: I like to read. I have Portuguese books, and my wife sometimes buys different books that I also enjoy reading. I do crossword puzzles and things like that to keep myself entertained. And I like watching television; if the TV has any issues, I get upset!
MS: Did you ever feel depressed about stopping work after so many years?
JS: No, no, I was never like that. I’m happy because I’m home. I like being at home, and that’s all there is to it.
MS: In other words, you didn’t let retirement get you down?
JS: No, no. I’m good, and I’m happy.
Stop? I can’t stop!
Maria Melo (Abrigo)
Milénio Stadium: You have been retired for several years. What changed in your life when you stopped working?
Maria Melo: I retired at the right age, but I was never truly retired. After I stopped working, I took care of my young grandchildren. It wasn’t for money; it was to help the family. And that was already a job in itself, perhaps even harder than going out to work: taking them to school, picking them up, taking them to the park, feeding them.
Even back then, on weekends I would go to the Associação Cultural do Minho, where I was part of the folklore dance group (rancho). I even brought my granddaughters along. The eldest, Jéssica, stayed with the group until she was almost 19.
MS: Did you ever think about just staying home?
MM: I never thought about it. I can’t stop. Sometimes, when I feel tired, I say to myself: “I’ll only rest when I die.” I like having my house organized, every little thing in its place. But staying home, for me, is an illness. It’s not good for your health.
Right at the beginning, I went to learn how to make Arraiolos rugs and handicrafts with some women who were teaching it. I was always busy, socializing and learning new things.
MS: What about your husband?
MM: He always used to go to the association with me. Now he’s unwell, but he comes with me to Abrigo, and I go more days now because it does him good too. He’s more distracted there, does crossword puzzles, and has peers his own age to talk to. At home, he’s always talking to me about the same things. It’s not like going out and seeing different people.
MS: And how do you spend your time there?
MM: I also have my quiet moments to rest my mind. But at Abrigo, we’re rarely idle. We do handicrafts, decorate the room, and stay constantly entertained. And I love painting, I love colors and creating different things.
MS: Are you still involved with the Associação Cultural do Minho?
MM: I’m on the board of directors. There were very few years when I wasn’t. I danced in the rancho, and I participate in the rusga (traditional folklore group). I like helping, and I like seeing things move forward. We bought our building when I was already on the board; we paid it off, and today we have handicrafts, traditional drums (bombos), accordions (concertinas), everything. It wasn’t easy. Before we had our own building, we used to move around rented halls, and sometimes it would be four or five in the morning and we’d be carrying large cooking pots on our backs. But, thank God, we made it.
My husband helped a lot too. At the company where he worked, where he eventually became a manager, he raised a lot of money among his colleagues for the association and paid for Christmas toys for the children.
MS: What advice would you give to someone who is entering retirement right now?
MM: I always advise people to leave the house and go to the centers: Abrigo or others within our Portuguese community, or even in other communities, like the Spanish one. It’s good to socialize with different people. It does wonders for the mind. Some people dance, some play bingo, some play cards. And you go back home feeling completely happy.
La guerra non arriva in Italia con le bombe. Arriva con le cisterne vuote. A Levante questa sera, giovedì 15 ottobre 2026, Margherita Furlan dialoga con Alberto Bradanini, ex ambasciatore d’Italia a Teheran e a Pechino, e con Francesco Dall’Aglio, storico e analista del fronte russo-ucraino. Da cinque giorni trattori e tir bloccano le porte della Puglia: Candela, Poggio Imperiale, Cerignola, Manfredonia. I distributori della Capitanata sono a secco, nei supermercati del Foggiano saltano le consegne, a Bari cinquemila agricoltori hanno invaso il lungomare. A Taranto gli altiforni dell’ex Ilva sono «in riscaldo» in attesa della Cassazione, mentre il governo compra acciaio all’estero per tenere accesi Genova e Novi Ligure. Nella notte gli Houthi hanno colpito la sede dell’Aramco a Dhahran, gli uffici dell’amministratore delegato. Riad sta finendo gli intercettori, Trump non ha ancora deciso se entrare nei raid, Hormuz è chiuso dal 28 febbraio. Zelensky annuncia al Financial Times che Kiev riprende gli attacchi alle raffinerie russe: «lo stop è finito». Mosca dice di aver abbattuto 166 droni in una notte. Musk scrive che «è il momento che Zelensky se ne vada». Gli Stati Uniti propongono all’Europa di trasferire gli asset russi congelati a un veicolo gestito da Washington. Oggi e domani il Consiglio europeo decide. In Francia la raffineria TotalEnergies di Normandia è in sciopero dall’8 ottobre e venerdì 17 i gilet gialli chiamano più di quattrocento piazze contro il caro carburante. Affrontiamo insieme: Il filo che lega una petroliera ferma davanti a Hormuz e un camionista che dorme al casello di Candela. Che cosa vogliono davvero gli Houthi, e perché Teheran non ha bisogno di sparare. I militari italiani spostati dall’Iraq all’Arabia Saudita: che cosa ha chiesto Roma in cambio? Quanto soffre la Cina con Hormuz chiuso, e quanto le conviene che resti chiuso. Chi detta il ritmo della guerra in Ucraina: Mosca, Kiev, la Casa Bianca o un privato con una costellazione di satelliti. Un Paese che importa acciaio per salvare le acciaierie e gasolio per muovere i trattori: che cosa resta della sovranità industriale. La domanda scomoda: se le raffinerie russe tornano a bruciare, non è forse Mosca ad avere più bisogno di una tregua? LIBRI DEGLI OSPITI Alberto Bradanini, «Cina. L’irresistibile ascesa», Sandro Teti Editore, 2022 SOSTIENI CASA DEL SOLE TV Casa del Sole TV è un progetto di giornalismo indipendente autofinanziato, senza editori, senza partiti, senza padrini politici. Per donazioni: IBAN: IT63P0326822300052392596590 Intestato a: La Casa del Sole Edizioni Causale: Donazione Casa del Sole TV Membership YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CasadelSoleT… Analista Multipolare €5/mese Inviato della Verità €15/mese Architetto del Futuro €25/mese I LIBRI DI MARGHERITA FURLAN BRICS Scacco Matto (disponibile in italiano, inglese, russo) SEGUI CASA DEL SOLE TV YouTube: @CasadelSoleTVChannel Sito: casadelsole.tv #Levante#CasadelSoleTV#MargheritaFurlan#Geopolitica#Multipolarismo#Bradanini#DallAglio#CaroCarburante#Puglia#ExIlva#Hormuz#Ucraina#ArabiaSaudita
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They arrive alone or “by the hand” of someone else. Some come because they spend their days at home while their children are at work and want to fight off loneliness; others because they feel the need to move their bodies and lift their spirits. They may even arrive showing signs of depression, but the truth is that after a few weeks, they can no longer do without the group and the camaraderie it provides. This is the reality described by two leaders of day centers for seniors in Toronto’s Portuguese community: Carina Paradela, Operations Director at First Portuguese, and Alice Nunes, Senior Program Coordinator at the Abrigo Centre.
So who arrives, and why? At First Portuguese, loneliness is the most common reason. “The vast majority of people seek out our center because they are retired and spend a lot of time alone at home while their family members work, feeling the need to socialize,” explains Carina Paradela. “We also receive people who feel down or depressed due to social isolation or life circumstances that have left them more vulnerable.”
There is, however, a new trend. “Lately, we have registered a significant increase in families of individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease seeking our services, both to provide social interaction for their loved ones and to have a safe haven where they can drop them off and enjoy a short break.”
At the Abrigo Centre, Alice Nunes distinguishes between those who are already regular members and those arriving for the first time. “Those who are already part of the group always arrive very happy. We rarely see any signs of depression among participants who attend three days a week,” she says. With newcomers, “it is a different story.” “I have indeed seen several cases of people who arrive with that exact feeling of being depressed or complaining heavily about being isolated, some even experiencing difficulty speaking, cognitive decline, and deep sadness.”
The transformation, she assures, becomes visible over time. She offers an example from the very day she spoke to Milénio Stadium, during a lunch at Casa do Alentejo: “One of those people was there, which would have been unthinkable a while back. At first, she did nothing but cry and wouldn’t speak a word; then step by step she began to breathe easier, start conversations, and join in games with others. Now she even tells jokes.” The improvements, she adds, are physical as well: “People who arrive after a stroke, for instance, improve significantly over time with exercise and everything we do.”
When asked about the activities that contribute most to the well-being of participants, both leaders point in the same direction: social interaction.
“Social activities have the biggest impact, from the gentlemen who love playing cards to the ladies who enjoy chatting and sharing stories,” says Carina Paradela. “Physical exercise classes also contribute greatly to well-being. Outings, on the other hand—which are increasingly scarce due to high costs, undoubtedly have the greatest psychological impact.”
Alice Nunes agrees. “If I had to single out one specific activity, I would say exercise has the biggest impact. But what truly makes the greatest difference in their lives is socialization. Being part of a group, doing whatever it may be, as long as they are talking and spending time together.”
Men remain the hardest to bring in. At Abrigo, they are far fewer than women, and many only show up accompanied. “They are reluctant to join in certain activities, such as physical exercise or dancing. Some participate in theater, some sing,” describes Alice Nunes. The strategy, she notes, does not rely on the center itself: “We don’t really do persuasion work ourselves. I think the wives are the ones who do that. They come along to accompany their wives and end up benefiting immensely. Having someone bring them along is the best way to convince them.”
At First Portuguese, they take a different approach. “Some members are reluctant to participate, but with patience and a large dose of affection, we almost always manage to motivate them to join in,” says Carina Paradela.
The advice for those spending their days at home is the same from both leaders: seek out company. Carina Paradela recommends “a social day center, a safe space where they can socialize with others, stay connected to their language, gastronomy, and traditions, and combat the isolation that often comes with spending too much time alone at home.” She acknowledges that getting started is hard: “Sometimes the hardest part is taking that first step, but once they experience the environment and the people, they begin to enjoy it so much that they start coming of their own free will.”
Alice Nunes points out that the group does not have to be formal. She knows a retiree who “wakes up, goes to have coffee with a group at a Portuguese bakery,” returns home for lunch, and then goes out “for a walk to meet another group of friends.” And a group of ladies who gather every Friday morning at Dufferin Mall, with coffee and cake, just to chat. The conclusion is simple: “The advice is not to stay at home. It is to have a place, whatever place that may be, to do an activity like swimming or to join a group like ours.”
Regarding the needs of these community support centers, both directors highlight funding, but also awareness. “Financial support is undoubtedly one of our greatest needs,” states Carina Paradela. “However, there is also a lack of awareness about the existence of these centers and the benefits they bring, both physically and emotionally. It is important to demystify the idea that these spaces are only for those who are ‘old,’ as many people do not realize the opportunity they are missing to socialize, build bonds, and improve their quality of life.”
At Abrigo, the most pressing issue is capacity. “I have 70 people attending the group and a waiting list of about 20 to 30,” reveals Alice Nunes, who has been referring people to other day centers. Participants have already asked to open a fourth day beyond the current three, an option the center is reconsidering “even as a way to help those on the waiting list.” There is also a shortage of specialized responses for “people experiencing the early signs of cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s, or dementia from other causes.”
On the transportation front, Alice Nunes offers a positive assessment: Wheel-Trans “has been doing an excellent job” and “really helps those who can no longer take public transit on their own.” Financial backing, she emphasizes, keeps coming thanks to the community, local businesses, United Way, and benefactors like Manuel DaCosta.
More spots, more support, and more people aware that these spaces exist: this is the path both leaders outline so that retirement in the Portuguese community is lived in good company rather than closed off within four walls. For many retirees, the front door of the community’s day centers is the exit door from isolation. It is essential not to let this vital social support fade, and to raise awareness about the need to help those who help, making it possible for more people to take that first step toward a happier life.
Retirement can be one of the most rewarding stages of life, offering greater freedom, opportunities to spend time with family and friends, and the chance to pursue interests that were difficult to fit into a busy working life. Yet retirement also brings changes that can influence physical, mental and social well-being. The important message is that retirement itself does not cause accelerated aging. Rather, it is how we prepare and adapt to the loss of work-related routines, physical activity, mental challenges and social relationships that can make a difference.
The good news is that many of these changes are preventable, and it is never too late to adopt habits that support healthy aging.
Dr. John Puxty Geriatrician and Associate Professor of Medicine, Queen’s University Director, Centre for Studies in Aging and Health. (DR)
1 Retirement and sudden aging
We often hear about people who “age suddenly” after retirement. Is this a myth, or is there actually a medical explanation for why leaving the workforce accelerates aging?
There is some truth behind this observation, but it is important to recognize that retirement itself does not cause people to age more quickly. In fact, retirement can improve health by reducing workplace stress, physical demands and exhaustion. However, for some people, retirement brings changes in daily activities and routines that can contribute to a decline in physical and mental well-being.
During our working years, much of our daily life has a built-in structure. We get up at a particular time, move around, solve problems, interact with others and have responsibilities that provide a sense of purpose. Retirement can suddenly remove many of these activities.
If they are replaced by prolonged sitting, reduced social contact and fewer mental challenges, physical fitness and muscle strength can begin to decline. People may also experience changes in mood, motivation and confidence.
There is good medical evidence that prolonged inactivity contributes to loss of muscle strength, reduced cardiovascular fitness and declining physical function. Research also suggests that some people experience changes in memory and thinking following retirement, although the findings are mixed and retirement has not been proven to directly cause dementia.
Another important factor is whether retirement represents a positive new stage of life or a loss of identity, relationships and purpose.
My message would be that we do not necessarily age faster because we stop working; we may age less well if we stop being physically active, mentally engaged and socially connected.
The objective should not be to remain employed indefinitely, but to find new activities and responsibilities that give life structure, enjoyment and meaning.
2 Changes in the body and brain
What happens in the body and brain when we transition from an active life—with schedules, challenges, and daily interaction with others—to a more sedentary routine? What physical signs should serve as warning signals for both the individual and their family?
One of the most important changes associated with inactivity is the loss of muscle strength and physical conditioning. As we grow older, we naturally become more vulnerable to losing muscle mass and strength, particularly when we are inactive. This process can accelerate when someone moves from an active working life to spending much of the day sitting.
Over time, everyday activities such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, rising from a chair or walking longer distances may become more difficult. Reduced activity can also affect balance, increasing the risk of falls.
The cardiovascular system is similarly affected. Regular movement helps maintain heart and lung fitness, blood pressure control and healthy blood sugar levels. When activity decreases, endurance can decline, weight may increase and the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease can rise.
The brain also benefits from stimulation. Work often involves planning, decision-making, problem-solving and regular interaction with others. When these activities disappear without being replaced, some people experience reduced mental stimulation, boredom or changes in mood.
Families should watch for changes such as increasing difficulty getting out of a chair, slower walking, reduced participation in previously enjoyed activities, increasing fatigue, unexplained weight loss, repeated falls, persistent low mood or noticeable changes in memory and everyday decision-making.
An especially important warning sign is when someone begins avoiding activities because they have become physically or mentally more difficult. This can create a vicious cycle: reduced activity leads to declining fitness and confidence, which in turn encourages further inactivity.
However, these changes should never simply be dismissed as normal aging. They may reflect treatable conditions, including depression, medication side effects, heart disease, nutritional problems or other illnesses.
A sudden change in memory, alertness or physical ability requires prompt medical assessment.
The encouraging message is that much of the decline associated with inactivity can be prevented or improved through regular movement, strengthening exercises, social participation and appropriate medical care.
3 Isolation loneliness and health
Isolation and loneliness are often highlighted as being as harmful to health as smoking or a sedentary lifestyle. What impact do they have on the body of a retiree, particularly regarding the heart, memory, and the risk of dementia?
Social connection is increasingly recognized as an essential component of good health, comparable in importance to physical activity, nutrition and sleep.
It is useful to distinguish between social isolation and loneliness. Social isolation means having relatively few social contacts, while loneliness is the distressing feeling that one’s relationships do not provide the connection or companionship one needs. A person can live alone without feeling lonely, or feel lonely despite being surrounded by people.
Research has consistently associated loneliness and social isolation with poorer physical and mental health. For example, large studies have found that people with poor social connections have approximately a 29% higher relative risk of heart disease and a 32% higher relative risk of stroke. Social isolation has also been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
These figures represent associations across populations, rather than proof that loneliness directly causes these conditions in an individual.
Several mechanisms may contribute. Persistent loneliness can increase psychological stress, interfere with sleep and contribute to changes in blood pressure and the body’s stress responses. Socially isolated individuals may also become less physically active, eat less well or have fewer opportunities to recognize and address emerging health problems.
Social interaction is also an important source of mental stimulation. Conversations, shared activities, problem-solving and relationships help keep the brain engaged.
The underlying message is clear: prolonged social disconnection is a significant health concern. For retirees, maintaining meaningful relationships should therefore be considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Regular contact with family and friends, community organizations, volunteering, faith communities, cultural activities and intergenerational programs can all help.
For many Portuguese-Canadian older adults, family gatherings, cultural traditions, community celebrations and local associations can provide particularly meaningful opportunities for connection and belonging.
It is not the number of social contacts that matters most, but the quality of relationships and the feeling of being included, supported and valued.
4 Retirement after physically demanding work
Many Portuguese people in Canada spent decades in physically demanding jobs, such as construction or cleaning. When they stop working, does the body “take its toll” for those years of hard labour? What special precautions should these individuals take during their transition into retirement?
This is a particularly important question for many people who immigrated to Canada and spent decades working in physically demanding occupations to support their families. Construction, cleaning, factory work and other manual occupations can place considerable demands on the body. Years of repetitive movements, heavy lifting, bending and prolonged standing may contribute to chronic back pain, joint problems, tendon injuries and other musculoskeletal conditions.
Sometimes these problems become more noticeable after retirement, when a person has more time to recognize longstanding symptoms or when changes in activity lead to loss of the muscle conditioning that previously helped them cope with physical demands.
However, it would be misleading to suggest that retirement suddenly causes the body to pay a price for years of hard work. Much of what people experience reflects the combined effects of previous occupational demands, age-related changes and their current health and activity levels.
There is also an important distinction between being physically active at work and exercising for health. Physically demanding work often involves repetitive movements, awkward positions and prolonged exertion with limited opportunities for recovery. By contrast, recreational exercise can be adjusted to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility and balance without unnecessarily overloading the body.
For someone retiring from a physically demanding occupation, my recommendations would be to begin with a review of their overall health and physical function, particularly if they have chronic pain, cardiovascular disease or significant mobility limitations.
They should avoid the temptation to replace years of demanding work with complete inactivity. Instead, they should gradually develop a sustainable routine that includes walking, muscle strengthening, balance exercises and activities they enjoy. Swimming, cycling, gardening, walking and appropriately supervised exercise programs can all be beneficial, depending on individual abilities.
Physiotherapy may be particularly helpful for people with persistent joint or back problems, both to manage symptoms and to identify safe ways to remain active. Another important consideration is that retirement should provide an opportunity to enjoy activities that may previously have been difficult because of long working hours.
For retirees, this may include spending more time with grandchildren, gardening, participating in cultural and community activities, volunteering, travelling or enjoying recreational activities with friends.
The objective is not to continue working the body as hard as before, but to move from physically demanding work to physical activity that supports health, independence and enjoyment.
5 Habits for a healthy retirement
From a medical standpoint, what actually defines a healthy retirement? What habits concerning movement, nutrition, sleep, mental stimulation, and social life would you recommend to someone who wants to experience this stage of life with quality, and not just with more years?
From a geriatrician’s perspective, a healthy retirement is not defined simply by the absence of disease or by how many years someone lives after leaving work. It is better defined by the ability to continue doing the things that matter to them, maintain meaningful relationships, remain as independent as possible and enjoy a sense of purpose and belonging.
There are several important habits that can help achieve this.
Keep moving every day. The World Health Organization recommends that older adults aim for 150–300 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, such as brisk walking, along with muscle-strengthening activities at least twice weekly and regular balance exercises. For someone who has been inactive, even a 10-minute daily walk is a good starting point. The important thing is to begin safely and build gradually.
Pay attention to muscle strength. Maintaining strength is essential for independence. Simple exercises such as rising repeatedly from a chair, climbing stairs, using resistance bands or lifting light weights can help preserve the ability to manage daily activities. Exercises should be adapted to individual abilities and health conditions.
Eat well. A balanced diet should include vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, fish and other sources of protein. Adequate protein is particularly important for maintaining muscle. Traditional Portuguese foods such as vegetable soups, beans, fish, olive oil and fresh produce can fit very well within a healthy eating pattern. People should also maintain adequate hydration and avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Maintain regular sleep habits. Most older adults benefit from approximately seven to nine hours of sleep, although individual needs vary. Keeping regular sleeping and waking times, being physically active during the day and limiting caffeine late in the day can help. Persistent insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness or suspected sleep apnea should be assessed rather than accepted as unavoidable consequences of aging.
Keep the brain engaged. Reading, learning new skills, taking courses, playing music, participating in discussions and learning to use new technologies can provide valuable mental stimulation. Activities that are enjoyable, challenging and involve other people may be especially rewarding. No single puzzle or brain-training exercise has been proven to prevent dementia, so variety and continued engagement are important.
Stay socially connected and maintain a sense of purpose. Retirement should not mean withdrawing from community life. Volunteering, mentoring, helping others, participating in cultural or faith communities and spending time with family and friends can support emotional well-being and provide a continuing sense of contribution.
Continue preventive health care. Managing blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, avoiding smoking, addressing hearing and vision difficulties, reviewing medications and keeping up with recommended vaccinations and screening are also important for healthy aging, including brain health.
Finally, I encourage people approaching retirement to think about more than their finances. They should also develop a plan for their health, daily activities, relationships and interests.
Retirement is a major life transition. Like other important transitions, it benefits from preparation.
I would summarize healthy retirement around three simple principles: keep moving, keep thinking and keep connected.
The aim is not merely to add more years to life, but to add more life, meaning and enjoyment to those years.
Final message
Retirement should be viewed as an opportunity rather than an inevitable period of decline.
For many people, it offers the freedom to pursue interests, strengthen family and community relationships, and adopt healthier routines than were possible during busy working years.
The greatest risk is not retirement itself, but allowing inactivity, isolation and loss of purpose to gradually narrow one’s world.
The most successful retirement is not necessarily the one with the most rest. It is the one that provides the right balance of activity, recovery, relationships and purpose.
We spend our whole lives answering the question “what do you do?” with the name of a profession. One day, that answer ceases to exist. For many, the long-sought retirement arrives accompanied by an unexpected feeling of emptiness, anxiety, or disorientation.
For Elizabeth Russell, Associate Professor of Psychology at Trent University in Peterborough, this crisis often stems from a lack of preparation for a life with fewer responsibilities and changing capacities. In this interview with Milénio Stadium, she discusses identity loss, the differences between men and women, the warning signs that rest is turning into inertia, and the shifts that retirement brings to couple dynamics as well as relationships with children and grandchildren.
The message is clear: accept the stage of life we are in, diversify interests, take care of our health, and stay active and connected to community and family. Because it is never too late to start anew.
Milénio Stadium: Many people spend years dreaming about retirement, and yet when it arrives, they feel lost, anxious, or even depressed. Why can something so deeply desired turn into a crisis?
(DR)
Elizabeth Russell: This may happen because they did not really plan on the reality that they were unprepared for having far fewer responsibilities, and perhaps changing capacities. It is critical to accept ourselves where we are at, when we are there, and go from there.
MS: For decades, work defines who we are: it gives us status, routine, purpose, and a place in the world. When it disappears, how does one handle the question “who am I now”? Do men and women experience this loss differently?
ER: Yes, women in general have more well-rounded lives. To avoid this challenge, one has to diversify their interests in advance of their senior years. Building or enhancing connections in one’s community is critical.
MS: There are those who view retirement as a “well-deserved rest” and end up falling into a kind of inertia, which we call the “laziness trap.” Where is the line between resting and giving up? What are the warning signs that someone is falling into this trap?
ER: In short, too much TV time is not recommended. This can be a very simple measure of inactivity, leading to mental and general health decline. Keeping active, within one’s interests and capabilities, is critically important.
MS: Retirement also changes family relationships: couples suddenly spend all day together, children have moved out, and some grandparents become full-time caregivers for their grandchildren. How can these shifts be managed without losing one’s own personal space or creating conflicts?
ER: Couples face either a happy time sharing things they like to do together, allowing each other space to be themselves, and grow in a different way. Or, they may grumble their way through unhappy years filled with half-truths and compromises they do not enjoy. With children, honesty is so important. For example, being clear that “I can do this but can’t do that…”. As one ages, strength declines and it’s easier if all involved are aware of that.
MS: What advice would you give to someone on the verge of retirement, and to someone who has already retired and feels they have lost their way? Is it possible to psychologically prepare for this transition, and is it ever too late to find a new purpose?
ER: If a person is perhaps open to considering additional perspectives, we would suggest that one re-focus on enjoying a new life. Work on keeping a healthy lifestyle, engaging with old friends and the community in general, while enjoying children and grandchildren, can be really important.
Another milestone of the season: Thanksgiving opening the doors to Halloween, followed right after by “Santa Claus” and the relentless race between the Sun and the Moon, the imminent time change, shorter days, and less sunlight.
This week’s topic on the table deals with what to do or not do after retiring. There is a lifelong anticipation for that day, even as governments across various countries have extended retirement ages, which for a long time was set at 65.
Well, if you are looking to retire just to collect your monthly check and sit in front of the television after leading an active and stress-filled life, I am not sure if that is the ideal choice. However, if you manage to balance your newfound time while keeping your mind and body active, you just might find the “perfect formula” to combat a sedentary lifestyle.
Here are a few tips—and I will be jotting them down for myself as well.
To enjoy a healthy retirement, the secret lies in preparing for the transition with a balanced focus on three main pillars: body, mind, and social life. In Portugal, with the retirement age set at 66 years and 9 months, planning should begin well in advance to ensure longevity with quality of life. Key strategies can be divided into essential areas:
Diet and Nutrition
Daily balance: Prioritize the Mediterranean diet. Ensure an adequate intake of protein to prevent muscle loss, alongside healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.
Avoid excesses: Drastically reduce the consumption of processed foods, salt, and refined sugar to keep blood pressure and blood glucose under control.
Physical Activity and the Body
Strength training: From age 50 onward, the body naturally loses muscle mass. Engage in strength exercises (such as weight training or Pilates) 2 to 3 times a week.
Cardiovascular exercise: Get at least 30 minutes of daily active walking, swimming, or cycling.
Active Mind and Social Life
Cognitive stimulation: Challenge your brain through reading, strategy games, handicrafts, or learning a new language.
Socializing: Avoid social isolation by participating in community activities, volunteering, or traveling.
Preventive Health
Routine checkups: Keep up with preventive exams (cancer screenings, cardiovascular monitoring, and regular blood work) to catch any issues early.
There are the tips, but the main engine is your mind. Active mind, healthy mind. But remember, the most important thing is never to let your soul grow old.
It is what it is, and it will always be worth what it’s worth.
A mushroom is analogous to a flower on a plant — it’s the reproductive organ of a fungus, which protects and distributes fungal spores. Mushrooms are critical part of our ecosystems. For humans and other animals, mushrooms are also food. And they may be part of the solution for food security and solving the plastic crisis. On Oct. 15, World Mushroom Day, we highlight three such stories that Mongabay has covered. Mushrooms can help inspire eco-friendly solutions to problems Mushrooms are helping us create low-cost, sustainable housing materials and additional income for farmers, according to Gabriela D’Elia, director of the Fungal Diversity Survey. In a Mongabay video titled “Fungi are our climate allies” published last year, D’Elia cited examples of projects that are using mushrooms to address food security and waste management. For example, a company called Evocative uses a mushroom called artist’s conk (Ganoderma applanatum) to create materials that can possibly replace leather, plastic, and other packaging materials, D’Elia said. “Fungi are showing us new ways to live in allyship with the planet,” D’Elia added. Golden oyster mushrooms are crowding out native fungi in North America Golden oyster mushrooms, known for their bright yellow caps and earthy flavors, are prized edible mushrooms. They’re native to Asia, but have gained popularity throughout North America, where they’re spreading across forests and displacing native fungal species, a 2025 study found. Aishwarya Veerabahu, lead author and a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S., told Mongabay’s Shreya Dasgupta that the study was prompted by…This article was originally published on Mongabay
Russian reinforcements are surging toward Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast
The Russians have a plan: take Dobropillia and close the southern jaw of a pincer around Kramatorsk and Sloviansk
Ukrainian forces aren't powerless to resist, but many of their own best troops are busy attacking elsewhere
The Russians are pouring troops into a key sector just southeast of the town of Dobropillia in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, threatening to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses and march one settlement closer to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the last two big free cities in Donetsk.
But the Russians' push toward Dobropillia isn't without cost. Russian losses in this sector are "colossal," according to the mapper Playfra. And every soldier the Kremlin deploys along the Dobropillia axis is a soldier it can't deploy elsewhere.
And that may help explain why the Russians are falling back in two other key sectors, in northern Donetsk Oblast and in neighboring Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The Dobropillia axis is the Russians' clear priority. For the Ukrainians, that's an opportunity to attack elsewhere.
Dobropillia ORBAT - Summer 2026
Similar to last year, Russia has significantly reinforced the Dobropillia direction, seeking to capture the town itself while simultaneously developing the southeastern approach toward Druzhkivka and Kramatorsk.
Dobropillia, a former mining town with a pre-war population of around 28,000, is now a fortress. It anchors Ukrainian positions along the highway that threads northeast to Kramatorsk.
Russia has attacked here before. In August 2025, Russian troops pushed a salient toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, and Ukrainian counterattacks cut it apart. By October that year, President Volodymyr Zelensky put Russian losses on the Dobropillia front at about 13,000.
Ukrainian military analyst Kostiantyn Mashovets describes the push on Dobropillia as the southern flank of a Russian operation to envelop the whole Sloviansk–Kramatorsk urban area. The other approaches are harder going. From the southeast, the Russians are blocked by stubborn Ukrainian forces still clinging to positions in the ruins of Kostiantynivka. From the north, starting this spring, the Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps rolled back 18 months of Russian gains.
For an army that's been struggling to complete its conquest of Donetsk, to say nothing of breaking through in other front-line oblasts, Dobropillia has become the priority.
And that's why the Russians are channeling fresh forces into the Dobropillia sector. Part of the 41st Combined Arms Army and units of its 90th Guards Tank Division are now fighting there, Mashovets wrote on 9 October, and the Russian command keeps feeding fresh assault infantry into the sector through the village of Nove Shakhove despite heavy losses. The open-source account Unit Observer tracked the buildup as early as September.
Potentially tens of thousands of troops from those formations join the main forces of the 2nd and 51st Combined Arms Armies, according to Mashovets, as well as elements of the Russian naval infantry, facing the Ukrainian 1st Azov Corps and 19th Army Corps around Dobropillia.
The reinforcements give Russian commanders more options. Mashovets expects the 51st CAA to push south and southwest of Dobropillia and the 2nd CAA toward Raksha and Sviatohorivka, enveloping the town and cutting its supply routes from Bilozerske before any direct assault. The neighboring 8th CAA is fighting around Kostiantynivka. The Russians' immediate goal is "to maintain this offensive pressure from summer into the fall," Unit Observer wrote, setting conditions for a possible siege of Kramatorsk next year.
The outlook for the Ukrainian defenders of Dobropillia is "worsening," Playfra warned on 13 October:
The Russians have a seemingly infinite manpower pool here and a clear numerical advantage, which allows them to significantly increase the flow of infiltrators and, as such, the chance of some passing through Ukrainian defenses.
This leads to especially deep Russian infiltrations, which in turn slowly but surely destabilize the situation for the Ukrainians, which are progressively forced to abandon their most advanced positions.
The Ukrainians aren't without options, Playfra explained. They should double down on their current strategy of saturating the fields around Dobropillia with drones in a ring at least 2 to 3 km deep, forestalling large-scale Russian movements until the winter strips the leaves off the trees, depriving the Russians of their best cover from overhead surveillance. This could buy Dobropillia "much more time," Playfra predicted.
Mashovets puts a date on how long Dobropillia has to hold. If it and Druzhkivka, the town just south of Kramatorsk, hold until mid-to-late December, he wrote, the whole Russian plan for Sloviansk and Kramatorsk would collapse and have to be rewritten almost from scratch.
ISW’s map of the Dobropillia area on 22 September 2026 shows Russian-controlled and infiltration areas near the city. Source: Institute for the Study of War.
Help isn't coming
Just don't expect a lot of Ukrainian reinforcements along the Dobropillia axis. Many of Ukraine's best troops are busy attacking.
Taking advantage of the surge of Russian manpower in the direction of Dobropillia, Ukrainian forces have counterattacked where the Russians are weakest: in northern Donetsk Oblast and also in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, just south of Donetsk.
Map: Euromaidan Press
In months of carefully planned assaults supported by ground robots and intensive drone strikes, Ukrainian forces have liberated hundreds of square kilometers in northern Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk. The Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps' Operation Vivaldi in northern Donetsk largely removed the immediate northern threat to Sloviansk and neighboring Kramatorsk.
But it didn't do anything to help in the direction of Dobropillia, where the Russians have many more troops, much more firepower, and—equally importantly—a singular focus: closing the southern jaw around the last big free cities in Donetsk.
Explore further
Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps took the lessons of the failed 2023 counteroffensive into Operation Vivaldi. It fought small, and won.
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