After a lifetime of getting up at 7.30am, starting work at 8.30am and returning home in the evening, too tired and stressed out to do anything but watch television, most people look forward to reducing their workload at around 60 years and to putting their feet up and retiring at 65 years. Why then do so many of them fill the doctor's surgeries complaining of aches and pains, headaches and insomnia after they retire? Why do so many happily married couples suddenly feel the strain of living together for 24 hours a day? Why does the 'third age' fail to be a time of fulfilment and pleasure? Often, after years of eagerly ticking off the days to retirement, when it actually arrives, it proves to be more stressful than going to work. Instead of bringing the anticipated halcyon days, it becomes like a succession of rainy Sunday afternoons. This book does not attempt to provide a recipe for happy retirement. There can be no universal panacea.
Its objective is to point out the pitfalls that await the unwary, to warn of the difficulties involved in making the transition from work to retirement, and to provide advice on how to obtain the first prerequisite of a happy retirement; a healthy, sustainable life style. So if you want to know just how to strike the right balance between the freedom of retirement, the ongoing demands of family life, and the conflicting welter of information churned out by the media, this is the book for you. From recognising the effects of aging, to dealing with the legal implications that come hand in hand with age, "Life Begins" offers a wide variety of hints and tips to help you enjoy living longer.