You've probably spent years thinking about retirement.
Maybe you've worked with a financial advisor, maxed out your 401(k), and dreamed about how you want to spend your days traveling, gardening, volunteering, or finally writing the novel you’ve never had time for before.
But while you’ve carefully planned for how you’ll fund retirement, you may not have given as much thought to who will support you through it.
Researchers at Edward Jones and Age Wave recently partnered on one of the most comprehensive studies of retirement ever conducted, surveying thousands of adults in the U.S. and Canada. What they found challenges the idea that retirement is simply a reward at the end of a long career. And while finances are important, bank accounts and balance sheets aren’t the only defining factor in what it means to live a “rich” life.
The “new retirement” is about being healthy, having a strong support system, and something to look forward to every day in addition to financial security.
With the right support, all four are within your reach. Here’s how to embrace each one.
1. Health: The Truest Form of Wealth
We're living longer than ever, but the average American still spends about 10 years in poor health as they age.
Over 90% of adults today have at least once chronic condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 57% of retirees say healthcare and long-term care costs are their greatest worry.
Given the report’s findings that the average retired couple needs $456,000 to cover healthcare and long-term care expenses, proactive planning is one of the most important investments you can make in your retirement.
Some steps you can take now:
- Schedule a full health review with your doctor and discuss what preventive care looks like for your age and health history
- Find ways to challenge yourself to keep your mind sharp, such as taking classes or learning a new skill
- Develop a consistent exercise routine (if you don’t already have one)
- Improve the quality of your diet by eating more whole foods and cutting back on sugar, processed foods and alcohol
- Start a meditation practice, and look for other ways to reduce stress
Kendal at Home helps support your health goals by pairing you with a dedicated care coordinator who gets to know you, your health history and lifestyle before you need any kind of care.
They check in regularly, help you navigate the healthcare system, and take proactive steps to keep you well.
Membership also includes Spiro100, an online portal with access to live and recorded fitness classes, and other programs to help you stay healthy and independent.
2. Family: Your Primary Support Network
Family is the greatest source of joy, purpose and support for most retirees. While most retirees help younger family members financially, 8 in 10 retirees plan to rely on a family member to help care for them as they age.
But life doesn't always cooperate with that plan.
Spouses get sick, too. Adult children move across the country. And other relatives and friends in a similar stage in life may not be able to care for you because of other obligations to their own children, parents or job.
Among retirees without a partner, 22% say they have no one they could turn to for care.
Nearly half of all retirees also worry about becoming more isolated as they get older.
Social isolation is linked to real health consequences, including increased risk of heart disease and depression, so retirees who stay connected live better.
Some steps you can take now:
- Have an honest conversation with your family about your future care preferences
- Make a habit of nurturing friendships outside your immediate family and scheduling time to get together with them throughout the year
- Look for ways to get involved in your community, church or neighborhood
Kendal at Home was built with all of this in mind.
Membership means you're never navigating aging alone, whether or not your family is nearby.
Your care coordinator becomes a consistent, trusted presence in your life. And the Kendal at Home community offers genuine connection through monthly book clubs, member events, and programming so you can be as involved as you'd like, while maintaining as much privacy and independence as you want.
Planning for who will be there for you when you need support is just as important as planning for how you'll spend your time.
3. Purpose: Something To Look Forward to Each Day
When the structure of a career or raising children disappears, it can leave a void. That’s why the “new retirement” could mean continuing to work in some capacity.
Two-thirds of survey respondents said working in retirement keeps them mentally active, along with giving them supplemental income and social connections.
While your work may give you a strong sense of purpose, you can also find it by giving back to others, continuing to grow, and spending time in ways that bring genuine meaning and pleasure.
Retirees with a strong sense of purpose are happier, healthier, and live longer. And the appetite for engagement is clearly there: 93% of retirees said it’s important to feel useful in retirement.
Some steps you can take now:
- Consider whether you want to continue working, either on a part-time basis or in another role that gives you more flexibility
- Identify a cause or organization that matters to you and explore volunteer opportunities
- Plan a trip to somewhere you've always wanted to go, and build the anticipation into your retirement vision
- If you have grandchildren or younger people in your life, lean into that relationship or consider tutoring or mentoring younger people
Kendal at Home encourages older adults to keep learning with ongoing programs and subscriptions to online classes or lectures. Members meet others in a similar stage of life and develop new friendships,
Read more about Ruth and Yolanda, two friends who met through Kendal at Home.
4. Finances: The Means To Live the Life You Want
Retirees want to feel financially secure, but most worry about the impact of inflation, rising healthcare costs and unexpected expenses, according to the report.
This is another area where planning ahead is essential.
Some steps you can take now:
- Talk to a financial advisor specifically about long-term care costs and how to plan for them
- Look into continuing care at home programs that offer predictable monthly costs and a defined scope of benefits, so you can plan ahead with confidence
- Determine if there any tax benefits to pre-paying for long-term care coverage
This is one of the most compelling reasons to consider Kendal at Home membership.
For a predictable monthly fee, members gain access to a lifetime guarantee of care coverage that follows them wherever they go. Membership also includes a care coordinator who manages the logistics of finding care when you need it, from vetting providers and scheduling them to finding someone to step in if someone calls off.
Having a plan in advance makes it easier for you and your family to take action when the time comes, rather than making stressful decisions under pressure.
True financial peace of mind in retirement means planning not just for how you'll live, but for the support you may need along the way.
The New Retirement Is Living Life on Your Terms
The new retirement isn’t a slowdown, but a new chapter for you to write, with more freedom, more possibilities, and more opportunity for meaning.
For most older adults today, it means living at home for as long as possible. And it’s much easier to do that when you have a plan that allows you to get to that next chapter.
Kendal at Home is a service that is designed to help you stay healthy, at home, and experience a retirement that is purposeful and independent.
Join us for an upcoming seminar to learn more about how Kendal at Home membership works, what it costs, and whether it might be the right fit for you.
