Retirement is generally viewed as a happy, relaxing time for most people. It is seen as the “golden years” by many, and the ability to finally enjoy the fruits of lifelong labour (Schimelpfening, 2021). However, many individuals entering retirement, or throughout various times of their retirement, may feel a sense of loss. This can be due to a number of factors, including their loss of youth, meaningful activities, social life, and more (Schimelpfening, 2021). This often leads to individuals in retirement seeking advice and counselling to help them cope with the transition.
At Rhodes Wellness College, our Life Skills Coach Certificate program challenges students to think outside the box when it comes to finding creative solutions for anyone feeling stuck in their lives. Students can apply this capacity to help individuals of different populations discover what works best for them. Continue reading to discover how you can support clients through retirement in your life coach career.
1. Identify Key Areas of Focus for Clients in Retirement
Clients in retirement may be feeling more emotions than they let on, having to adjust to a new kind of daily routine. When working with someone in retirement, there are a few key areas of focus that you may want to address with the client. These include physical and mental health, relationships, giving back, and creating a legacy (Carr, n.d.).
If you notice your client’s physical health is being neglected, it may be helpful to offer guidance on how they can remain active to support their physical and mental well-being. Focusing on physical activity may also provide them with a way to socialize and find a sense of routine in their retirement (Carr, n.d.).
Relationships are also of high importance during retirement as they allow individuals to continue to feel connected and valuable (Carr, n.d.). Supporting clients in their relationships may start with identifying the relationships of greatest importance to them and scheduling time to dedicate to each one. This can foster their ability to give back and find a sense of purpose–particularly if they are prioritizing relationships with family or community groups (Carr, n.d.).
During the Life Coach Certification program at Rhodes Wellness College, you’ll learn how to help clients adjust to change, how to build awareness during periods of transition, and how to assist clients with planning and goal setting.
Life coach certification can prepare you to identify key areas of focus when coaching retirees.
2. Personalize the Approach to Each Individual Client
Throughout your life coach courses, you’ll learn how to establish boundaries with your clients, while still building a level of intimacy that creates a safe space to share ideas and feelings. It is essential that the approach to planning and goal setting is personalized to each client’s specific situation, needs, and desires (Kenton, 2020). You can encourage your future clients to get specific to determine what is most important to them and how they want to spend this time. This thought alone can be overwhelming, with a world of opportunities to choose from, which is where having a life coach becomes especially important for these individuals (Kenton, 2020). Your role can focus on narrowing down their priorities and coming up with creative suggestions for how they can integrate new activities into their retirement years (Kenton, 2020).
Personalizing life coaching to each client helps them best reach their retirement goals.
3. Create a Schedule for Clients During Your Life Coach Career
For many retiring individuals, the major shift from full-time work to an open schedule proves to be a challenging adjustment (Kenton, 2020). Many retirees go in one of two directions with their schedules: either filling each day to the brim with activities or going with the flow and seeing what each day brings (Kenton, 2020). However, the former often leaves individuals exhausted after a short period of time, and the latter often leads to mindless TV watching and a lack of meaningful activities, both of which can become problematic (Kenton, 2020).
During your life coach career, you can help clients create a schedule that works for them, catering to what they want to experience in retirement and how they want to spend their time. It is important to help them set realistic expectations here, giving them the time they need to adjust and integrate each new feature of their schedules into their lives (Hartman, 2020). At Rhodes Wellness College, employment is a topic that our Life Skills students cover, which will help you determine the best course of action for each individual client in order to help them lead more fulfilling lives in retirement.
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Works Cited:
Carr, K. (n.d.). RETIRE HAPPY. Revitalized Retirement Coaching. Retrieved on November 22, 2022, from https://revitalizecoaching.com/
Hartman, R. (2020). Should You Get A Life Coach For Retirement? Forbes Retirement. Retrieved on November 22, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2020/08/19/should-you-get-a-life-coach-for-retirement/?sh=3021b36464e8
Kenton, W. (2020). 6 Ways a Life Coach Can Improve Your Retirement. New Retirement. Retrieved on November 22, 2022, from https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/retirement-coach-can-help-you-have-a-better-retirement/
Schimelpfening, N. (2021). How to Deal With Depression After Retirement. Very Well Mind. retrieved on November 22, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/depression-after-retirement-1067239
