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Liz Weston: The mental health risks of retiring

By LIZ WESTON more or use drugs more of- your days and what might
of NerdWallet ten, and aging brains are offer "a sense of connec-
The late Pamela Hixon of much more sensitive to the tion, engagement, pur-
Leipsic, Ohio, was eager to adverse effects of these pose and meaning," says
retire from her job running substances, he adds. Mintzer, co-author of "The
a hospice agency. Soon People also have time to Couple's Retirement Puzzle:
after she quit, however, Hix- think about bigger ques- 10 Must-Have Conversa-
on spiraled into depression tions of purpose and mean- tions for Creating an Amaz-
and anxiety. She sought ing, Hixon says. ing New Life Together." That
help from counselors and "The age-old question of might include hobbies, vol-
her pastor, but it wasn't 'why am I here?' can get unteering or time with fam-
enough. Six months after crowded out by being ily, for example. Figure out
retiring, she took her own busy," Hixon says. "Upon what gives you joy as well
life. retirement, you do have as what new things you'd
"She lost purpose, she lost time, and that question like to do or learn next.
significance, she lost a can sometimes plague a "What are some of the
sense of meaning in her life," person." things you had to put on
says her son Tony Hixon , a HOW TO EASE THE TRANSI- the back burner when you
Findlay, Ohio-based wealth This undated file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, TION were younger?" Mintzer
manager who wrote about a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. People may be so des- asks.
the experience and how Associated Press perate to get away from Part-time work is another
it transformed his finan- workplace stressors — a option, she says. Reduc-
cial planning practice in a losses — of identity, pur- Often, people are too busy bad boss, a too-heavy ing the hours you work
book, "Retirement Stepping pose, structure and social working and raising fami- workload, a rigid schedule can help alleviate burnout
Stones: Find Meaning, Live contacts — that can trig- lies to develop interests — that they don't fully con- while allowing you more
with Purpose, and Leave a ger depression and other that might offer structure sider the benefits they get free time. Talking with a
Legacy." psychiatric illnesses, says and purpose in retirement, from working. Or they may therapist, coach or sympa-
Overall, retirees are a con- Forester, who also heads Forester says. Their social be accustomed to view- thetic friend may ease the
tented bunch and many the geriatric psychiatry divi- networks can disappear if ing retirement as the finish transition as well.
report being happier in re- sion at McLean Hospital in they primarily made friends line and don't think deeply "Get support from people.
tirement than they were Belmont, Massachusetts. through work, or they move about what their day-to- Don't be afraid to ask for
at the end of their careers. "Getting depressed is not to a new community after day lives might look like help," Mintzer says.
Older adults are less likely a normal part of aging," retirement. (Social isolation without work. WHEN AND WHERE TO FIND
than younger people to Forester says. "But one of is another big risk factor for "Retirement is a transition, HELP
experience major depres- the risk factors (for depres- depression and many other not a destination," says psy- Of course, many people
sion, says Brent Forester, sion) is loss, and the loss of health problems.) chologist and retirement are pushed into retirement
president of the American one's professional identity, Substance abuse can coach Dorian Mintzer of earlier than they planned
Association for Geriatric the loss of one's job, is a big cause problems for retir- Boston. "It's very helpful to because of job loss, poor
Psychiatry. one." ees, as well, Forester says. think about 'what are you health or unexpected
Nonetheless, retirement RETIRING CAN POSE CHAL- Some people may use their retiring to?'" events such as the current
often involves significant LENGES unstructured time to drink Consider how you'll spend pandemic. q

FAA clears Verizon and AT&T to turn on more 5G cell towers

By DAVID KOENIG group CTIA, called it a as they began offering the
Federal safety regulators "positive development that service in many U.S. cities
say they have cleared the highlights the considerable on Jan. 19.
way for Verizon and AT&T progress the wireless indus- Since the dispute came
to power up more towers try, aviation industry, FAA to a head, the FAA has
for new 5G service without and FCC are making to en- cleared most types of air-
causing radio interference sure robust 5G service and line planes to operate
with airplanes. safe flights." around 5G signals, saying
The Federal Aviation Ad- Aviation groups and the that their height-measuring
ministration said Friday FAA had warned that the devices, called radio altim-
that it took the steps after companies' 5G service, eters, are safe from radio
receiving details from the which uses part of the radio interference.
telecommunications com- spectrum called C-Band, Dire predictions of thou-
panies about the location was too close to the spec- sands of canceled flights
of wireless transmitters. trum range used by instru- did not come true, but doz-
The FAA said the data ments that measure the ens of flights were ground-
helped it to better map ar- height of planes above the ed by 5G concerns, includ- A passenger uses a laptop aboard a commercial airline flight
eas around airports where ground — crucial informa- ing U.S.-bound interna- from Boston to Atlanta on July 1, 2017.
new new high-speed 5G tion for landing in low vis- tional flights last week and Associated Press
service won't hinder the ibility. some domestic flights this
ability of planes to land Verizon and AT&T dis- week at Paine Field near tory," Faye Malarkey Black, companies that operate
during poor weather. puted the FAA's warning, Seattle. Some small airline president of the Regional flights under contract with
Verizon and AT&T declined but they twice agreed to planes, notably a group of Airline Association, said large airlines — faced limi-
to comment. Nick Ludlum, delay launching new 5G Embraer regional jets, have earlier this week. "This is not tations on a large chunk
a spokesman for the tele- and temporarily delayed it not been cleared. fixed. We're not fixed." of their fleets during poor
communications trade around many airports even "It's too early to declare vic- Regional airlines — smaller weather, Black said.q