Still wondering what you want to be when you grow up?

Kathleen Anderson

What do I want to be when I grow up?  Many older adults are still asking themselves this after they retire.

The idea of continuing on in their former line of work may not be feasible for one reason or another, but they don’t want to stop contributing to their community.  Often, older adults realize they now have the time to pursue other dreams. I have several friends who have amazed me with their hidden talents, like artwork, musical abilities and more, after retirement.

For Martha Worcester (Marty to her friends and colleagues), the answer was simple: continue working with seniors on a different level. A retired nurse, Marty’s long career in gerontology and geriatrics showed her retirees needed help preparing for changes in their personal growth and development in each decade after the age of 60.

Now, through her own business, Late Life Design, she assists others in preparing for expected life changes by offering workshops and consulting.

Each workshop consists of four sessions and each session offers the opportunity to discover different solutions for individuals, on subjects like how to enjoy time alone, satisfying family and friendship obligations and what makes life meaningful with the changes each decade brings.

The first step is discovering who you are now.

Marty’s workshops can be offered with a variety of explorations or geared to one or two specific problems.

She offers subjects that may delve into families of the older adult, including:

• blended families
• gender orientation
• connecting with younger generations
• getting your affairs in order
• making health care and end-of-life decisions, and
• helping adult children with physical, mental health or social challenges

...just to mention a few.

Late Life Design workshops explore problems, answer questions and sometimes help participants reach a decision. Another service offered is referrals to the best person to contact for each individual problem, saving hours and frustrations for many older adults not familiar with the technical world in which we now live.

Not all talk and no action

Late Life Design Workbooks help define goals with a realistic timeline: where do you want to be in three years and what is the first step, a hurdle many of us never get over.

Health, patterns, relationships, community, and vocation are important areas to consider when planning. Asking the questions can bring the answers, but sometimes we need a little help defining what questions to ask ourselves.

Group interaction can be very helpful by providing tips or solutions tried by others sharing the same problems. For those who feel the need for more privacy, individual coaching is also available, in person, by phone or over Zoom.

Seminars and workshops can be arranged with groups or consulting on a one-to-one basis on issues related to aging. To have a workshop conducted contact Marty on her website.

Late Life Design is currently being offered as a Senior Academy Workshop at the Olympia and Lacey Senior Centers. The fee is $90 for the General Public, and $60for members of Senior Services of the South Sound. (And some scholarships are available through Senior Services.)

Olympia Senior Center Days and Times:  Every other Wednesday from 1-3,  January 11, 25, Feb. 8, Feb 22

Virgil Clark Lacey Senior Center:  Every other Wednesday from 1-3, Jan. 18, Feb. 1, Feb 15, Mar 1

To register go to https://www.southsoundseniors.org/courses

Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia.  Contact her at  kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comment below.