GET OUT!!

It doesn't matter whether you live in a mansion or a tree house when you retire -- GET OUT!! Depression is one of those topics that people don't like to talk about, but many senior citizens suffer from it once they retire, especially if they stay home too much. What happens at retirement is that you abrutly end a routine that you followed for years: get up, go to work, do this 5 days in a row, take 2 days off, and then repeat. That routine controlled both your work and social life. You just don't realize the number of social encounters you have in one working day --- perhaps you talk with 20 or 30 people, in person or on the phone. It might just be a "Hi, how ya doing" or a 5 minute conversation about your favorite TV show. Then another co-worker might ask you about your family. But you're interacting with people and socializing.
If you're single and live alone in retirement, one day you'll wake up and realize that if you don't leave your home during the day, then you don't see anyone and frankly, that's not healthy. Many senior citizens become nesters when they retire --- they tend to stay home more, get up late in the morning, watch a lot of TV, sometimes staying in the PJs til 1, redecorate, garden, read, stay on the computer and do crafts. While some of those activities are good, you need to get out and see people. I love to go out as well as entertain. In the past few days, I met friends at the clubhouse for Happy Hour, went to church, played Poker on Saturday night, had brunch on Sunday morning with some other friends, attended a dinner party last night, and tonight I'm hosting a group of ladies for Poker.

GET OUT and JUST DO IT - do what you enjoy. If you like to read, start a book club. Like to entertain, start a monthly dining group and take turns hosting. Also, check out the website http://www.meetup.com/ It's a great website where you can type in your city, what you like to to and find a group doing what you enjoy. It can be anything from Speaking Italian to a Boomer's Social Group in your area. If you can't find what you want, then start a group. It's just so important for your mental health to GET OUT, do the fun things you enjoy and socialize.