Transitioning into retirement or retirement community living can bring many emotions forward and even more retirement questions. For example, what do retirees do day-to-day? How will I pass the time? Will I be okay on my own, or do I need help?

We want to answer as many retirement questions as possible for you and your family. So, we’ve put together a retirement guide FAQ with what we believe to be the most common retirement questions and the answers below.

Don’t hesitate to contact Saint Ann Retirement Center at 405-721-0747 if you have other retirement questions. 

What Are The 5 Stages of Retirement?

The 5 stages of retirement are:

1. Pre-retirement
2. Full Retirement
3. Disenchantment
4. Reorientation
5. Stability

The first stage is the pre-retirement or planning phase. This is when you start asking retirement questions. You find yourself focusing on your finances more and find yourself thinking about your retirement age. You may be asking, is age 70 too early? What will my retirement savings look like? Are my retirement accounts set up correctly? What about my retirement benefits? Hence the name planning phase.

The second stage is known as the full retirement phase. You have answered all your retirement questions and taken the leap. Finally, you’re fully retired and can begin the honeymoon phase of the retirement journey. The full retirement phase is when everything is perfect. You have a well-established budget where you know how much you can spend in retirement. This stage can last up to two years.

Third is disenchantment. You spend your whole working career thinking about how retirement will look. You will likely have many new retirement questions at this stage. We often over-fantasize retirement and may find ourselves lost when it doesn’t add up to what we imagine, or the answers we had to our first round of retirement questions. 

The fourth is known as reorientation. During this stage, you’ll find yourself searching for ways to enjoy retirement better. This time, you have knowledge and experience in retirement. This time you have a better idea of what to expect. To enjoy retirement, maybe try a new hobby or create a new routine. The reorientation sage is about settling into retirement.  

The fifth stage of retirement is stability. In the stability stage, you’ll find yourself fully at peace with retirement. No more retirement questions, now you’re a resource for others and their retirement questions! You know who you are, and you likely have a new passion in life, such as gardening, nature, carpentry, or any of thousands of possible hobbies. 

What Do Retired People Do All Day?

Well, what people do all day is unique to every person. But here are some popular hobbies and ways to pass the time.

What Are The Signs You Need To Retire?

• You’re burnt out or have lost interest in working. 
• Your health has started to decline.
• You find yourself struggling to keep up with technology.
• You’re now debt free.
• You’re financially ready to retire. 

What Are The Three Types of Retirement?

1. Full retirement. Meaning you are completely done and can now kick back and relax. 
2. You’ve retired from your full-time career but have picked up a small part-time job. 
3. You take breaks from working and go into full retirement in spurts, going back to work after each break. 

What To Do The Year Before You Retire?

Before you retire, you’ll want to start your retirement planning. Start organizing all of your retirement questions. For example, will you keep your health insurance or switch to medicare? Are you going to stay in your home or will you move? Is your debt taken care of, and can you pay it off and remain comfortable? You’ll also want to make sure you understand your social security benefits. Finally, look into your retirement withdrawal fees for IRAs and 401(k)s. To ease all of this, you can partner with a financial advisor who can help serve as a financial retirement guide.

What Should You Do Every Day When You Retire?

Your daily routine in retirement can look different for everyone. You’ll want to start each day with a purpose. Experts highly recommend a good morning routine. 

Here is a good checklist that you can modify in any way you like:

• Take any required medicines. 
• Drink the recommended amount of water.
• Prepare a healthy and nutritious breakfast. 
• Make time for some self-care. 
• Create a game plan for the day. 
• Spend time on a hobby.

How Do I Stop Boredom In Retirement?

To combat boredom:

1. Stay positive each day and decide the day’s purpose.
2. Reach out to friends and family.
3. Stay social and connected.
4. Be plugged into the world around you.

Isolation is the one thing you want to avoid the most. 

What Makes People Happiest In Retirement?

As mentioned before, having a new passion/hobby is crucial to finding happiness in retirement. Once you retire, you’ll need to create/find a new purpose. Such as a hobby, project, or even volunteering. Whatever brings you meaning is what you should dive into. 

Where Is The Best Place For A Senior To Live?

Currently, Florida is ranked as the best state for seniors to live in.

Of course, there are other great states to live in. There is no particular cookie-cutter approach. Each state or region has its pros & cons. You’ll want to create a list of what matters to you and start the research from there. 

Why Do People Move Into Independent Living?

The reason people move into independent living can vary from person to person. Here at Saint Ann Assisted & Independent living, some of our residents made a move because:

• They wanted a life free of chores. No more yard work or cooking! 
• They no longer wanted to worry about personal safety and security.
• They wanted to find a circle of friends.
• They wanted to lower their monthly expenses.

How Do You Maintain Independent Living?

Losing grip on your independence is often a source of anxiety. Here are a few things you can do to help maintain and, in some cases, gain back some independence:

• Try and stay as physically and mentally active as possible. 
• Maintain a healthy diet. 
• Stay socially plugged in with family, church, friends, and neighbors. 
• Continue to attend your annual checkups with your primary doctor, eye doctor, and dentist.
• Stay on top of prescribed medicine. 

What Is The Difference Between Independent Living & Retirement Living?

One difference between independent living & retirement living is the cost. For example, a retirement home provides medical care, housekeeping, and other 24/7 services. However, these services are only available for a few hours in an independent living model. 

Family engagement looks different between the two styles of living. For example, in independent living, family members are encouraged to be deeply rooted within their loved one’s new community. However, in retirement living, the same is asked. Still, family members are also involved in the medical care side of operations. In addition to retirement questions, family has many medical questions. Therefore, staff may update you in more detail, especially in cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  

What Are The Four Signs That A Senior Should Not Live Alone? When Should A Senior Stop Living Alone?

1. A sign to stop living alone may be losing mobility and or falling.
2. One may need help to keep up with one’s yard and home cleanliness. 
3. Someone may begin to have memory issues or get lost easily. 
4. Struggling to maintain self-care. 

How Long Do Most People Stay In Assisted Living?

It can be several years, but on average most people stay in assisted living for a year, some up to two years. But, of course, this can change from person to person based on their health. 

At What Age Do Most Seniors Go Into Assisted Living?

The average age requirement for most states’ assisted living begins in the 60s, but some states go as low as 55. The average person in assisted living is 87.

At What Age Do Most Seniors Go Into Retirement Homes?

The average person in a senior living community is 84, but most residents range between 75 to 84. 

Do People Who Live In Retirement Communities Live Longer?

Yes, studies have shown that individuals who chose to move to a retirement community lived longer. Retirement homes provide a way to eliminate the stress you face when living on your own in a private home. You also have the advantage of being surrounded by medically trained staff that can catch any health concerns early on and advise you on any retirement questions. Retirement homes also allow you to be socially and physically active through senior living activities. Both of which add time to your life. 

Want To Learn More?

We hope you leave this blog with useful answers to your retirement questions. Still, our team is always happy to answer any additional retirement questions you may have! We also post blogs often, so feel free to explore some of our older articles for additional answers to retirement questions. 

Saint Ann Retirement Center offers the best senior living options for retirement in Oklahoma City. Assisted living and independent living accommodations enhance the lives of individuals looking for support and comfort and a variety of amenities to keep the community active and engaged. Saint Ann is owned and operated by The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, a not-for-profit Christian organization.

The best retirement communities OKC has to offer have the best amenities. At Saint Ann, we have the best of the best while also being among the country’s most affordable senior living centers, based on average prices for large U.S. cities. 

Of all the retirement communities OKC offers, Saint Ann Retirement Center has all the standard amenities you should find at most retirement communities and some special ones unique to Saint Ann.

As always, if you have any questions or are interested in seeing more of our senior care and senior housing, please give us a call or visit the rest of our website! 

The Food 

Food is an overlooked but vital part of living in a retirement community or anywhere. 

We promote an active lifestyle for our residents. Active adults work up great appetites!

Food should be easily accessible, diverse, accommodating, and tasty! Not every retirement community can do that, but Saint Ann can!

Chef Lori Williams, our in-house chef, crafts meals daily for our residents and is happy to accommodate dietary preferences and restrictions like gluten-free or vegetarian. 

Residents can eat meals with their peers in our dining room but are more than welcome to use our in-suite dining services to eat from the comfort of their rooms.

Our impressive floor plans create an open and inviting space for members of our independent living and assisted living communities to come together and enjoy our state of the art dining area. 

Meals at Saint Ann come in great variety and taste, and our residents consistently sing their praises. 

Chapel

Speaking of singing…One of Saint Ann’s most impressive features is the beautifully-designed chapel!

All Saint Ann residents are welcome to practice their religion in our octagonal chapel. 

Mass is scheduled daily, with additional services held on Saturdays and Sundays. Father Price Grimes was the Saint Ann chaplain for nearly twenty years. Father Grimes continues to lead mass on Mondays and Fridays in a reduced role. 

Father Christopher Tran joined Saint Ann as a chaplain in 2021 and leads mass on the other five days of the week. 

The holy hour is recognized after mass, allowing those of all faiths and religions to practice freely. 

Tours of our chapel are available by appointment. 

Grand Theater

A room with a few couches and a larger-than-average television would be a luxury amenity in most retirement communities. But not at Saint Ann! 

We have a whole theater dedicated to movie viewings, watch parties, and more! 

Have a favorite movie that you’d love to see on the big screen, but it’s no longer in theaters? No problem! Just grab a bag of popcorn, and it’ll feel like the theater.

Is there a big football game you’d love to go to but can’t? Our theater will make it feel like you’re right there in the stands! 

Our grand theater gives residents a fantastic entertainment experience. In addition, it provides a place for visiting family and friends to sit with you and enjoy programs together. 

Driver for Local Trips 

While Saint Ann is an accommodating place with just about everything a person could want, residents sometimes need to venture beyond our grounds.

When that time comes, Saint Ann has a driver who can take you anywhere in our local communities in Oklahoma City. 

Need to make a trip to the grocery store to pick your favorite cookies? No worries! 

Want to meet a friend or family member at a local cafe for lunch? We got you covered! 

Some residents may need to make trips for medical purposes, like dialysis or doctor visits. So our driving services extend to those residents as well. 

Schedule ahead with our staff, and Saint Ann’s driver can take you where you need to go! 

Friendly Staff and Residents 

At Saint Ann, we offer plenty of ways for you to socialize with our great residents. There are scheduled activities and events for everyone to mingle with, and our apartment-style housing ensures that your best friends are only a few doors away. 

And all the while, you get help from our experienced, skilled, and friendly staff. 

The Best Amenities are at Saint Ann Retirement Communities OKC

Saint Ann has an abundance of fantastic amenities. It helps make us the premier retirement community of all the retirement communities OKC offers.

Of course, we can’t list all of our great amenities here. There are still so many more luxuries and comforts in our community! If you’d like to learn more about what Saint Ann Retirement Center OKC has to offer, feel free to give us a call or visit the rest of our website.

However, nothing beats seeing them in person, especially our beautiful chapel! So schedule an in-person visit today and see what makes Saint Ann special.

Saint Ann Retirement Center offers the best senior living options for retirement in Oklahoma City. Assisted living and independent living accommodations enhance the lives of individuals looking for support and comfort and a variety of amenities to keep the community active and engaged. Saint Ann is owned and operated by The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, a not-for-profit Christian organization.