It’s no secret that you’re not as sprightly, excitable, and open to new things after 60 as you are when you’re in your 20s. Physical limitations, feeling intimidated, and a lack of energy all play their own individual part, making the following 18 things far tougher to do after 60.
Slow Down
When you’ve worked for your whole life, it can be difficult to slam on the brakes as you hit retirement. The constant stimulation and routine that working offers leave a huge void in a lot of 60+-year-olds’ lives when it’s gone, with many even choosing to return in favor of slowing down.
Socializing
The older you get, the more drained your social battery becomes, making socializing seem more of a chore than a good time. As reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, this is made worse by the fact that a quarter of Americans over the age of 65 are considered socially isolated.
Taking Up New Hobbies
The myth that old people can’t learn or master new abilities has led many to consider themselves too old to start a new hobby. This is despite the fact that people in their older age have more time and resources than most, but sadly, our older minds just aren’t as open to new activities.
Driving
When you’ve been driving for decades, and it’s a large part of your independence into older age, it can be tough to make the call to stop driving. Unfortunately, as you age, your reflexes become slower, and your eyesight becomes worse, making it far more risky to get behind the wheel.
Saving Money
Going from receiving a monthly salary to switching to a retirement fund is a financial shock that many people struggle to adjust to. However, a Guardian report suggests that over 15 million Americans over 65 are economically insecure, so frankly, many OAPs simply don’t have a choice but to keep earning.
Traveling
When you’re young, the mile-long airport queues, rigorous security checks, and the hustle and bustle of public transport are part and parcel of traveling and can be tolerated. However, once you get older, it becomes far more exhausting, and you begin to miss your home comforts before you’ve even left the country.
Finding Satisfaction
Throughout life, we find ways of enjoying small victories, such as finishing work for the week or completing household chores. These feelings are addictive and can help get you through the week, but following retirement, it can be hard to come by these little dopamine hits, making it difficult to feel fully satisfied.
Keeping a Routine
As work-life fades away, a new issue emerges for over-60s: maintaining a routine. For so long, people’s schedules were determined by their work life, giving them security and purpose. Once this disappears, people can be confused about what to do with themselves on a day-to-day basis.
Managing a Schedule
Similarly, after retiring, it feels natural to sign up for classes, social clubs, and other commitments to fill the newly found spare time. Oversubscribing is common among older people, as they still believe they’ll have the energy and mobility to attend all of these different events, but it’s not that easy.
Dating
Dating in your 60s will be confusing for anyone, especially if your last venture was decades ago. You may feel too old to fall in love, but in truth, this isn’t the case, with The Washington Post reporting that the ‘love areas’ of your brain always remain active.
Keeping Up With Technology
While more seniors are embracing the technologically driven world in which we live, large swathes of people still feel as though they are being left behind. Despite most technology being released with the aim of simplifying life, many older people feel as though it is too complicated for them to use.
Making Friends
Surprisingly, making friends at an older age is more difficult than it is when you’re young, even though you will likely feel more comfortable in your own skin. Many older people tend to be happy with the size of their social circle and become unwilling to grow it, as relationships take energy to maintain.
Be Around Young People
Young people’s excessive optimism, boundless energy, and confusing lingo can be difficult for older people to cope with. While they may appreciate the vibrance of youth, it won’t help them understand their perspective, making them increasingly hard to be around.
Retaining Identity
One of the toughest challenges that older people face is keeping a hold of who they really are as they become more reliant on others to get through their days. Retirement also harms one’s identity as one can no longer link oneself to one’s career, leaving a huge hole in one’s life.
Exercise
The symptoms of aging, including a loss of strength and physical capability, cannot be avoided, making exercise more difficult as you age. As the National Institute on Aging has found, 30% of adults over 70 have severe issues with mobility due to a lack of regular exercise, so keep active if you’re still young!
Taking Public Transport
Public transport is rarely comfortable, but it can be tolerated when you’re younger, stronger, and less vulnerable. Getting on a busy bus or train when you’re older is actually pretty intimidating, especially if you feel frail, but unfortunately, it’s more necessary than ever.
Choosing New Clothes
Last but not least, many people consolidate their wardrobes once they hit middle age, feeling no more desire to keep up with the ever-changing world of fashion. As bodies change, it can also be tough to find clothes that you feel comfortable wearing, so we tend to stick to the clothes we know after 60.