When I retired from my career as a University Lecturer at sixty seven, I was at a loss.  I had no idea where to volunteer, how to stay fit, or if we had budgeted correctly for our retirement. My husband and I had spent much of our later career as expatriates, our last place of employment was Vietnam and our retirement homes were on Saltspring Island, off the grid, and in Palm Springs, on the grid, so our social network was fractured. 

It is now eight years later and I am much more settled even though we continue to live in two communities. I have had a great time exploring both work and volunteer activities, learning to stay healthy (almost) and aging with some grace 

I began by switching to work that challenged me physically, talking on the role of hotel housekeeper and head of housekeeping.  I have continued in similar; part time roles and I enjoy them immensely.   

In my spare time, I research wellness in aging, exploring places in the world where seniors might retire, and learning how to work with the changes that happen in our minds and our bodies as we age.

Along the way I have met people who specialize in keeping seniors healthy, physiotherapists, a Pilates trainer, nutritionists, gerontologists….  I have met seniors who volunteer, work, undertake new hobbies, take care of children, grandchildren, their partners, are fit and active, or are recovering from medical issues . 

What attracted me to these people was the way they build community, engage with, and help others, and end up creating meaningful lives. For this, they have my admiration, and these are the people I interview for my podcast, Inspired Seniors.

In my podcast, Inspired Seniors, I share their experiences so others can see the incredible opportunities that are open to us as we age.  One of the things that continues to amaze me is the versatility that seniors exhibit.  We socialize, face challenges, care for others, and use our creative energy in many different ways. I set out to interview seniors to highlight these differences.  I have shared these interviews along with interviews with some of my favourite people who work to improve the quality of our lives on my podcast Inspired Seniors.  I hope you too, find inspiration from these interviews.

 Bonnie