The grey nomad lifestyle is the perfect way to stay active, stay engaged, stay excited … and stay happy!
Recent retirees are notoriously prone to boredom and losing their feelings of self worth … unless, it seems, they hit the open road!
“Grey nomads are definitely doing a good thing,” said leading clinical and health psychologist, Dr Bob Montgomery. “Getting out and doing new things and going to new places is better that sitting at home watching endless TV, or not knowing how to fill in the time.”
Retirees who do not find new meaningful activities to replace work, risk developing a sense of purposelessness that can lead to depression and other health problems.
“The more you do, the more you are protecting yourself against that,” said Dr Montgomery. “If your activity levels are down, your rewards from life are down, and it can be a downward spiral from there.”
A recent British study found that 93% of campers believed the experience made them happier … and Australian grey nomads would certainly agree.
However, Dr Montgomery warns that just being ‘out there’ isn’t always enough, and travellers should – within reason – be prepared to try new things.
“By simply being on the road grey nomads are doing the right thing but they should still be ready to push the envelope a bit to further lift enjoyment levels,” he said. “Trying new things and not liking them isn’t a failure … it’s all part of the process.”
Dr Montgomery says while some grey nomads try to re-create a little bit of ‘home’ on the road, others go the other way and become ‘Evel Knievels’, eager to push the boundaries.
A recent UK study revealed over-50s were prone to so-called ‘holiday brain’, with some 13% of mature-aged travellers taking part in extreme sports while on a trip.
However, Dr Montgomery warns grey nomads should always do sensible research before taking on a new activity.
“People don’t have to go bungee jumping to maximise trip enjoyment,” he said. “Every grey nomad is goal setting to some extent … even if it is something as simple as wanting to go fishing, or walking or visiting a museum when they get to a new place.”
As well as delivering ‘fun’ activities that can lift moods, travelling Australia also gives people a sense of achievement that helps them feel good about themselves, and it can be extremely social, too.
The bottom line, it seems, is that being a grey nomad is good for you. And the message from the experts is clear: ‘Enjoy it while you can!’
