(Photo credit: FreeImages.com, photographer Jose Luis Navarro)
This page is to make things as easy as possible… sort of like “one-stop shopping” or one-click access to all of my past paulfox.blog and Music in a Minuet blog-posts, PMEA News articles, and other resources for promoting a happy, healthy, and meaningful transition to and realization of full retirement from music teaching.
My own passage to “living the dream” has been very successful, and although I am still very active in the profession (conducting a community/youth orchestra, presenting at conferences and college music education classes, and serving as State Retired Member Coordinator and Chair of the Council for Teacher Training, Recruitment, and Retention for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association), I now LOVE how retirement has changed my life… more personal reflection, retooling and self-reinvention of my skills/interests, creation of new bucket lists and short to long term goals, and spending more TIME doing what I like best… writing, making music, volunteering, and walking my dogs!
From time to time, this page will be updated to include the latest “finds” and new releases. If desired, a printer-friendly copy is available from the PMEA Retired Member focus area here. (Please let me know if any of the online links go inactive. Send an email message to paulkfox.usc@gmail.com.)
Feel free to share your own stories, readings, tips, or research on this life-changing passage of “Crossing the Rubicon” to retirement. Send to the above email. Thanks!
Happy Trails, Retirees! PKF
Blogs by Paul Fox at this site (alpha by subject; category = “retirement resources”)
- ADVICE from music teacher retirees to soon-to-be retirees
- BALANCE: Maintaining a balance of good health, exercise, and happiness
- BOOKS: Three exit lanes to self-help retirement guides
- BOOKS AND MORE RESOURCES: Post-employment prep – new places to go
- CAREGIVING: Seniors helping seniors
- CHANGE: How retirement has changed me
- CHANGE: How retirement has changed me… revisited
- CONFERENCES: On the Road Againultimate retiree resource guide 033118
- COUNTDOWN: T-minus three years… and counting
- DESTINATIONS: WHERE Should You Retire
- DREAMS/HORIZONS: Self-realization – the key to resolving retirement conundrums
- ENGAGEMENT: An engaged mind makes for a happy retiree
- GIVING: Retirement = reflection + renewal + altruism
- GOALS/NEW YEAR’S: Resolutions for Retirees
- GOALS/PMEA: Happy trails, retirees! PMEA retired members rock-on
- MAKE MUSIC: It’s time to “dust off your chops”
- MAKE MUSIC: Sing your heart out, now and in retirement
- MAKE THEATER: Act well your part; there the honor lies
- MUSIC/LIFELONG LEARNING: Retired from what?
- MYTHS OF RETIREMENT: Dispelling Common Misconceptions
- NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS: Random acts and other resolutions
- ORGANIZATION: “Top 10” Organizing Tips for 2019
- PETS: Pet ownership and retirement
- PETS: Pets and Citizenship
- PETS: Unconditional Love (Dogs!)
- PETS: What I Learned from My Dogs… in Retirement
- PRIVACY & PREPARATION: Retirement… It’s a Private Matter
- RESOURCES: Unique Retiree Resources
- SELF-REALIZATION: The Key to Resolving Retirement “Conundrums!”
- SENIORS HELPING SENIORS: Are You a Caregiver?
- STRESS: Retirees, It’s Not YOUR Sandbox
- STRESS: Tips for retirees on managing stress during the coming winter celebrations
- STRESS/TRANSITION: Downsized and out… coping with unexpected loss of a job
- STRESS/TRANSITION: Reflections on the glory days
- STRESS/TRANSITION: Retirement “against your will”
- STRESS/TRANSITION: Is it autumn?
- TECHNOLOGY: One Retiree’s “Tech Rant”
- TECHNOLOGY: Social Media – Boon or Nemesis?
- TIME: WHEN Should You Retire?
- TRANSITION: Tips on a smooth and well-prepared transition to retirement
- TRANSITIONING TERMS: Retiree Concepts
- WHY MUSIC EDUCATION: Retirement = deferred gratification
- WHY PMEA: PMEA in retirement – what’s in it for me?
For Pennsylvania Music Educators Association members (and other state MEAs), especially people who will retire over the next three years:
How-To-Retire Video AND Prepping for Post-Employment
56th Biennial NAfME Eastern Division Conference/PMEA 2019 presentation
Design Your Ideal Retirement by Guest Clinician Dave Hughes
PMEA 2018 Summer Conference/Harrisburg presentation:
Retirement 101 – Retiree Stories and Strategies 071718
55th Biennial NAfME Eastern Division Conference/NJMEA 2017 presentation
NAfME-NJMEA Living the Dream – Survival and Celebration of Retirement 040617
Sample PMEA News articles (go to http://www.pmea.net for full access/membership)
- advice-from-the-retirees-pmea-news-030115
- retirement-now-what-in-pmea-news-fall-2013
- surviving-retirement-pmea-news-winter-2015
Gurus of Retirement Planning (multiple articles)
- Dave Bernard http://lovebeingretired.com/
- Emily Brandon http://www.businessinsider.com/author/emily-brandon
- Dave Hughes http://retirefabulously.com/
- Robert Delamontagne http://www.theretiringmind.com/
- Ken Dychtwald http://agewave.com/
- Joe Hearn http://intentionalretirement.com/
- Kathy Merlino https://kathysretirementblog.com/
- Jean Potuchek https://stepintofuture.wordpress.com/
- Barbara Torris http://www.retireinstyleblog.com/
- Marie Villeza http://elderimpact.org/
- Ernie Zelinski http://www.retirement-cafe.com/
Seniors and Drug Addiction
www.drugrehab.com/addiction/seniors/
Other Websites and Online Resources
FIRST STOP/MOST RELEVANT TO FORMER SCHOOL MUSIC EDUCATORS: Pennsylvania Music Educators Association Retired Members http://www.pmea.net/retired-members/
Atchley, Robert – Ted Carr on YouTube: “Six Stages of Retirement,” 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8GDlOj8cro
Backman, Maurice – The Motley Fool: “Bored in Retirement? Four Ways to FIll Your Days and Make Money at the Same Time,” 2018 https://www.fool.com/retirement/2018/09/28/bored-in-retirement-4-ways-to-fill-your-days-and-m.aspx
Bernard, Dave – U.S. News & World Report: “3 Ways to Successfully Transition into Retirement” http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/on-retirement/2012/12/07/3-ways-to-successfully-transition-into-retirement
Bernard, Dave – Retirement – Only the Beginning http://lovebeingretired.com/
Brindle, Beth – HowStuffWorks: “10 Best Volunteer Activities in Retirement,” 2016 http://money.howstuffworks.com/economics/volunteer/retired-volunteer-programs/10-best-volunteer-activities-in-retirement.htm
Chua, Celestine – Personal Excellence – “What’s on Your Bucket List? 101 Things to Do Before You Die,” https://personalexcellence.co/blog/bucket-list/
Cussen, Mark P. – Investopedia: “Journey Through the Six Stages of Retirement” http://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/07/sixstages.asp
Dealnews – “The Complete Guide to Senior Discounts” https://www.dealnews.com/features/The-Best-Senior-Discounts-from-A-to-Z/987339.html
Dychtwald, Ken – Agewave on YouTube: “American Society on Aging,” 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEDW8hSuJio
Dychtwald, Ken – Agewave on YouTube: “Silicon Valley Boomer Venture Summit,” 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM5j86p1jBU
Eisenberg, Richard – Forbes: “The Nine Keys to Retirement,” 2016 https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2016/03/27/the-9-keys-to-a-happy-retirement/#7f56cfb640e8
GoldRetiree.com – “The Top 55 Retirement Planning Websites to Help You Retire in Style,” http://goldretiree.com/retirement-planning
Guerrero, Yvette, Ph.D., University of California San Francisco – Psychological and Emotional Aspects of Retirement: Planning for a Successful Transition http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/files/Emotional_Aspects_of_Transitioning_to_Retirement.pdf
Hellmich, Nanci– USA Today: “How to Reinvent Yourself in Retirement,” 2014 http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2014/10/12/five-stages-of-retirement/16975707/
Lee, Ilchi – I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years, Best Life Media, 2017
Johnson, Richard P. – “The New Retirement: Discovering Your Dream,” http://www.icoachidesign.com/info/retirement-book-intro.pdf
Knoll, Melissa A. Z. – Social Security Office of Retirement and Disability Policy: “Behavioral and Pschological Aspects of the Retirement Decision,” 2011 https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v71n4/v71n4p15.html
Lagier, Sydney – U.S. News and World Report: “7 Secrets to a Happy Retirement,” 2010 http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/on-retirement/2010/07/20/7-secrets-to-a-happy-retirement
Lewis, Mike – Forbes: “Life After Retirement – What Do I Do Now?” http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikelewis/2013/10/22/life-after-retirement/
Mattheus, Lesli – LinkedIn Pulse: “Teaching Music After Retirement,” 2015 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/teaching-music-after-retirement-lesli-mattheus
Morelli, Jim – CNN on YouTube: “Tips for Retirement,” 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyWPYUORmp0
The Motley Fool: “3 Tips on Surviving Your First Year of Retirement,” 2014 http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/09/27/3-tips-for-surviving-your-first-year-of-retirement.aspx
New Retirement: “Do You Have What It Takes? 8 Skills for a Fantastically Happy Best Retirement,” 2017 https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/8-skills-you-need-for-best-retirement/
NOLO: “Losing a Job – Ten Things You Can Do to Make It Less Painful” http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/losing-job-ten-things-that-help-29761.html
Potuchek, Jean – Stepping Into the Future: A Retirement Journal https://stepintofuture.wordpress.com/
Pratt, Rebecca – SPARKPEOPLE: “Transition into a Healthy Retirement” http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=396
Rayne, Francis – LinkedIn Pulse: “When the Music Is Over,” 2015 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-music-over-francis-rayne?trk=hp-feed-article-title
Rehm, Diane – PBS/The Diane Rehm Show: “American’s Aging Population and Slowing Economic Growth,” 2016 https://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2016-08-25/how-americas-aging-population-may-be-slowing-economic-growth
RetirementAdvice.com: “Help You with Retirement and Pre-Retirement Planning…” http://retirementadvice.com/
Schlossberg, Nancy K, Ed. D – Thinking About Retirement? Time to Think About Your Psychological Portfolio, American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/research/action/retire.aspx
Schlossberg, Nancy K, Dr. – Transitions Through Life http://www.transitionsthroughlife.com/
Smith, Melinda, M.A.; Segal, Robert, M.A. – HelpGuide: “Job Loss and Unemployment Stress” http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/job-loss-and-unemployment-stress.htm
Smith, Shannon – Lifehacker: “9 Things You Should and Shouldn’t Do If You Lose Your Job” http://lifehacker.com/nine-things-you-should-and-shouldnt-do-if-you-lose-you-509536697
Spiers, Peter– Road Scholar: “Top 12 Hobbies for Retirement” https://discussion.roadscholar.org/b/blog/posts/top-12-hobbies-for-retirement
Taylor, Phil – U.S. News and World Report: “25 Things to Do When You Retire,” 2011 http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/on-retirement/2011/02/11/25-things-to-do-when-you-retire
Troyer, Angela K., Ph.D. – Psychology Today: “6 Ways to Engage Your Brain,” 2014, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-mild-cognitive-impairment/201408/6-ways-engage-your-brain
Vanguard Group – “Five Things to Think About on Your Journey to Retirement,” 2015 https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/article/5-things-journey-to-retirement-052015
Williams, Geoff – U.S. News and World Report: “Five Big League Mistakes of the Newly Retired,” 2016 http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2016-09-30/5-big-league-mistakes-of-the-newly-retired
Williams, Susan – Senior Care Helper recommended blog-sites http://seniorcarehelper.org/
- Making the Move to Assisted Living
- Senior Health Resources
- Moving Tips for Seniors
- Boomer’s Roadmap to Aging in Place
- Guide to Senior Nutrition
- Financial Resources for Seniors
- Guide to Medicare and Medicaid for Seniors
- Veterans Benefits for Seniors
- Legal Planning for Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Books/Publications
Birken, Emily Guy – The 5 Years Before You Retire: Retirement Planning When You Need It Most, F+W Media, Inc., 2014
Blanchard, Ken; Shaevitz, Morton – Refire! Don’t Retire, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2015
Borchard, David C. – The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You’ve Always Wanted, AMACOM, 2008
Butler, Robert, M.D. – The Longevity Revolution – The Benefits and Challenges of Living a Long Life, 2009
Cameron, Julie – It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again, New York: Penguin Random House, 2016
Carlsen, Mary Baird – Meaning-Making: Therapeutic Processes in Adult Development, New York: Norton, 1988
Chimsky, Mary Evan – 65 Things to Do When You Retire, Sellers Publishing, 2013
Collamer, Nancy – Second Act Careers, Ten Speed Press, 2013
Delmontagne, Robert P., Ph.D. – Honey, I’m Home: How to Prevent or Resolve Marriage Conflicts Caused by Retirement, Fairview Imprints, 2016
Delmontagne, Robert P., Ph.D. The Retiring Mind – How to Make the Psychological Transition to Retirement, Fairview Imprints, 2010
Downs, Hugh; Roll, Richard J – The Best Years Book: How to Plan for Fulfillment, Security, and Happiness in the Retirement Years, New York: Delacorte Press, 1981
Doyle, Lawrence – Adventures in Retirement: A Hilarious Journey into the Unknown World of Excess Time, Limited Responsibilities, and an Uncertain Future, 2017
Duckworth, Carolee; Langworthy, Marie – Shifting Gears to Your Life and Work After Retirement, New Cabady Press, 2013
Dychtwald, Ken, Ph.D. – Psychologist & Gerontologist, 2008
Dychtwald, Ken, Ph.D.; Kadlec, Daniel J. – The Power Years, 2005
Dychtwald, Ken, Ph.D.; Kadlec, Daniel J. – With Purpose: Going from Success to Significance in Work and Life, 2009
Eifrig, Jr., Dr. David – Big Book of Retirement Secrets, Stansberry Research, 2015
Eisenberg, Lee – The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think About the Rest of Your Life, Free Press, 2006
Foley, Patrick; Hillsley, Kristin – Winning at Retirement: A Guide to Health, Wealth and Purpose in the Best Years of Your Life, 2018
Freeman, Shanna – How Stuff Works: “Top 10 Tips for Adjusting to Retirement,” 2016
Gardner, John W – Excellence, New York: Harper & Row, 1961
Geisel, Theodor Seuss – You’re Only Old Once: A Book for Obsolete Children, 1986
Greenwell, Olivia – So You’ve Retired – What’s Next? A Practical Guide for Your Happy Retirement, 2016
Gullinane, Jan; Fitzgerald, Cathy – The New Retirement: Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, Rodale, 2004
Hagerty, Barbara Bradley – Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife, Riverhead Books, 2016
Harary, Charlie – Unlocking Greatness, Rodale, 2018
Hughes, Dave – Design Your Dream Retirement: How to Envision, Plan for, and Enjoy the Best Retirement Possible, 2015
Hughes, Dave – Smooth Sailing into Retirement: Navigate the Transition from Work to Leisure, 2017
Hurme, Sally Balch – Get the Most Out of Retirement: Checklist for Happiness, Health, Purpose, and Financial Security, American Bar Association, 2017
Izzo, John B. – Five Thieves of Happiness, Berrett-Koehler, 2017
Jason, Julie – The AARP Retirement Survival Guide, 2009
Jenkins, Jo Ann – Disrupt Aging, Perseus Books Group, 2016
Kaplan, Max – Leisure: Lifestyle and Lifespan Perspectives for Gerontology, Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1979
Klaus, Carl H. – Taking Retirement: A Beginner’s Diary (Beacon Press, 1999)
Kuchler, Bonnie Louise – Retirement Is a Full-time Job: And You’re the Boss, 2009
Kuhn, Bonnie Marie Brockett – Dream It! Design It! Live It!, Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014
LaShan, Eda – Oh! To Be Fifty Again, New York: Time Books, 1986
Lee, Ilchi – I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years, Best Life Media, 2018
Lloyd, Mary – Supercharged Retirement: Ditch the Rocking Chair, Trash the Remote, and Do What You Love, Hankfritz Press, 2009
Lowry, Bob – Living a Satisfying Retirement, Kindle, 2013
Milne, Derek – The Psychology of Retirement: Coping with the Transition from Work, Wiley Blackwell, 2013
Mustric, Peter – The Joy of Growing Older, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1979
National Association of Mature People – Your Key to the Best Years: A Retirement Guide from the National Association of Mature People, Oklahoma City, OK
Nelson, John E; Bolles, Richard N. – What Color Is Your Parachute? For Retirement, Ten Speed Press, 2007
Pascale, Rob; Primavera, Louis; Roach, Rip – The Retirement Maze: What You Should Know Before and After You Retire, Rowman and Littlefield, 2012
Peterson, Elizabeth – The Music Teacher’s Later Years: Reflection and Wisdom, Meredith Music Publications, 2016
Price, Steven D. – How to Survive Retirement: Reinventing Yourself for the Life You’ve Always Wanted, Skyhorse Publishing, 2015
Reingold, Stella – 101 Fun Things to Do in Retirement: An Irreverent, Outrageous, and Funny Guide to Life After Work, Sovereign Media Group, 2015
Rich, Phil, Fetherling; Dale S., Sampson; Dorothy Madway – The Healing Journey Through Retirement: Your Journal of Transition and Transformation, 1999
Sullivan, Greg – Retirement Fail: The 9 Reasons People Flunk Post-Work Life & How to Ace Your Own, Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, 2018
Ryan, Robin – Retirement Reinvention, Penguin Books, 2018
Sadler, Kyle A. – I’m Retired… Now What? 99 “Adventures” to Fulfill During Retirement, 2015
Sarton, Mae – At Seventy, New York: Norton, 1984
Schlesinger, Jill – The Dumb Things Smart People Do with Their Money, Random House, 2019
Schlossberg, Nancy K, Ed. D – Retire Smart Retire Happy, American Psychological Association, 2010
Schlossberg, Nancy K, Ed. D – Revitalizing Retirement: Reshaping Your Identity, Relationships, and Purpose, American Psychological Association, 2009
Shultz, Kenneth S., Ph.D. – Happy Retirement the Psychology of Reinvention, Penguin Random House, 2015
Scott-Maxwell, Florida – The Measure of My Days, New York: Knopf, 1968
Sedlar, Jeri; Miner, Rick – Don’t Retire – Rewire, Penguin Random House, 2018
Sellers, Ronnie – 60 Things to Do When You Turn 60, Sellers, 2016
Skinner, B. F.; Vaughn, Margaret – Enjoy Old Age: A Program of Self-Management, New York: Norton, 1983
Smith, Hyrum W. – Purposeful Retirement: How to Bring Happiness and Meaning to Your Retirement, Mango Publishing Group, 2017
Sood, Amit, MD – The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living, Da Capo Press, 2013
Sundstrom, Eric; Burnham, Michael; Burnham, Randy – My Next Phase: The Personality-Based Guide to Your Best Retirement, 2008
Taylor, Roberta; Mintzer, Dorian – The Couple’s Retirement Puzzle, Lincoln Street Press, 2011, Source Book, Inc. 2014
Uris, Auren – Over 50: The Definitive Guide to Retirement, Radnet, PA: Chilton, 1979
Warner, Ralph; Stim, Richard – Retire Happy: What You Can Do to Guarantee a Great Retirement, 2008
Waxman, Barbara – How to Love Your Retirement: The Guide to the Best of Your Life, Hundreds of Heads Books, 2010
Weiss, Robert S – The Experience of Retirement, ILR Press, 2005
White, R. Dean – What the Hell Do I Do Now? A Professionals’ Guide to a Meaningful Retirement, BookLocker.com, Inc. 2012.
Williams, Gary – The Art of Retirement, Emerson, 2013
Wilson, A. Verne – TIPS: Retirement for Music Educators, Music Educators National Conference (NAfME), 1989
Zacharia, Carl B. – Good Long-Term Care: How to Find It, Get It, and Pay for It! – Senior Care Resources, 2016
Zelinski, Ernie J. – How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free, Ten Speed Press, 2009
Zelinski, Ernie J. – The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed and Overworked, Ten Speed Press, 2003
Thanks for such a great list!
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