Dear Readers,

Geraldine W. writes Lifeline from Kingston 10. She is 59 and works with an institution which routinely lays off staff members who reach 60.

She said she is becoming more depressed each day and cannot imagine what next will really happen in her life.

She just cannot imagine not working each day and feels really panicky when she thinks of the coming event, to the extent that she cannot sleep at nights and often wakes up with her heart thundering and feeling afraid.

Geraldine knows this is a stress reaction and wonders what she can do to prepare for retirement.

She is not married and has a son who lives in the UK. Her elderly mother lives with her and she wonders what the two of them will do each day.

She feels very able to perform her administrative secretarial work and cannot imagine just being "put out to pasture"!

Geraldine knows she is stressed and depressed. She asked Lifeline how does a healthy, active and high- performing individual, who is motivated by work, deal with retirement.

Retirement is somewhat of a 'bad word' these days for many older persons. The financial instabilities with which we live, a devaluing dollar, increasing costs of commodities and the competition for jobs, of any kind, can make retirement loom as a gaping dark hole of uncertainties!

Retirement should be planned for, like any life event, like marriage or the birth of a child. It should not just 'happen' without significant preparation.

First, if an individual is a top performer, the institution may not wish to lose that person's skills. Sometimes the person is retained in a full-or part-time capacity for years, so that the institution can benefit from exemplary skills. This is where being the 'best' at what you do counts.

Some people retire because of illness or are laid off from a financially strapped workplace. The burdens here are even more pronounced as these situations often occur suddenly.

Some useful pointers when adjusting to retirement are:

Save for retirement from the first paycheck you receive as a young person. Always have a saving plan for this unavoidable event. A committed saving plan is best.

Make a budget at retirement and stick to it.

Downsize. If a home used to have several children living there, who have grown up, and now live elsewhere, move into a smaller home and save funds. If the individual drives, they could also consider driving a small, fuel-efficient vehicle.

Continue working in a part-time job, if possible, as income supplementation. This work could be totally unrelated to previous experience.

When unable to obtain work, volunteer skills, where needed, in your community. This keeps the retired person busy and keeps them where their work efforts can be showcased. This might later translate to a new job offer. Volunteer in schools to assist children with their work, or at church, doing community service.

It is never too late to go back to school. Lifeline knows of an elderly woman who completed her nursing degree in her 70s! Get equipped for a new occupation which allows for self-employment.

Learn to bake, cook, do floral arrangements and learn to sew. become an artist, or study accounting (these services can be offered from home).

Get more involved in hobbies. Dancing, birdwatching, nature walks, writing poetry, carpentry, pottery, are all fun skills and hobbies, some of which can actually earn money.

If the person is a politically inclined individual, they could call on their member of parliament. and see how he or she could use their skills in the community or on the campaign trail.

Keep active. Read, walk, and get exercise in some form. Swim at a nearby beach or pool regularly. Practise Pilates or yoga, or walk to the grocery store or barbers.

Travel. Spend time with relatives overseas and see some more of the world.

Get regular medical check-ups to ensure that the retiree is fit, healthy and ready to get on with this phase of life.

Try to avoid medical events such as stroke or a heart attack which limit life's activities and the quality with which life is lived and add a further financial cost to the retirement years.

Retirement is impossible to avoid if an individual lives long enough. Even the CEOs of the largest businesses retire from work eventually. It is inevitable, so, plan for this event. Don't let it just 'happen' to you.

Write to: LIFELINE,

PO Box 1731.

KGN 8