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I am 56 and my OH is 57 and we have a 15 yr old DD ( joined gransnet as a lot of relevant, age related issues ) we are hoping to work for as long as possible as want to be occupied and feel useful and both really enjoy our people focused jobs. We know a lot of people who retire only to take up P/T work or volunteer in order to have a purpose.
I agree that any advertising involving older people needs to reflect their vibrancy and knowledge.

I'm loving retirement and wonder how I had time for a full time job. Still have a slight feeling of guilt as I sit here with my feet up reading my daily Gransnet forum but I'm fighting that. Yesterday I completed my last Friday as a volunteer listener to year 2 readers at a local school (very rewarding) but at 'three score years' and fifteen decided my time had come to stop.

I have had to postpone retirement however I plan to enjoy it as much as I can for as long as I can. I have no burning desire to learn a new language or craft, but plan to spend my time well enjoying myself whether that be just watching the world go by, reading a good book by myself, lunching with friends or enjoying the countryside.

I found I couldn't quite retire and although I left my job and took my personal pension I then became a consultant and took a job for two days a week which I love! Its local so no commute any more, flexible working and full of interest. I fit my other 'retirement' pleasures of days out, time at the gym, gardening etc around my work, and took time out on a lovely cruise earlier this year - what's not to like!

I'm going to live abroad in Spain - I can't wait!

The depiction of older people in advertising certainly is quite cliched . We are moving to our dream area - something that has been impossible due to careers, but I can't see either of us giving up work completely. We will probably turn our hand to part time work, more suited to personal interests. We will travel, we will still go to gigs and festivals, we will still have fun, be silly, try new things, enjoy life with friends and family. Obviously no one can see in to the future, but all being well, that's the plan.

Retirement for us means getting away from routine - and living spontaneously, embracing any experience that comes our way.

It’s a few years until I can retire but it has been on my mind a lot lately because I was recently made redundant from an organisation I have worked for the last 27 years. I love creative activities so would love to spend more time on these, meeting friends that I don’t see often, and travelling. I’m hoping that when I do retire I can just enjoy myself but have no rigid plans as yet!

We plan to go to Australia and New Zealand for a couple of months. I think the idea of retirement and the reality of it are getting further apart. I think I'll be 70 at least before my retirement.

Seeing the world!

Carry on cruising and collecting pearls!

We have been Retired now for almost nine years, it's the freedom of doing what you want when you want. Travelling g is our pleasure and we enjoy many short breaks away. However we have had to curtail the first half of this year due to illness, meaning travelling many miles for Hospital appointments. We were fortunate that we were retired and could afford the time to do this, goodness knows what we would have done if we were still working.

Well said by MOnica - We planned to sell up and move to Spain, which we did and then 2 months later moved back again as we missed the UK so much. I think maybe there should be more help (if required) for retirees as I did feel a bit lost at first and really missed the going to work thing

Plan to do loads of traveling.

i plan on travelling with my husband

Retirement has given me time to enjoy my grandchildren, time to sit and read, time to met friends, time to walk the dog, and earlier this year time to visit New Zealand!

It involves spending time with the ones you love, both friends and family, helping the community and also travelling.

Retirement to me means working thro my bucket list while I still can: I’ve already been on a Jazz Tour, Chicago to New Orleans via Graceland. Then last year I went to the Carnival in Rio, and danced the Salsa on the sand at Ipanema beach. This year I’ve been away for a month visiting Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Bora Bora, then up to Hawaii. Cuba and Canada are next on my list. I’ve done white water rafting, paragliding and snorkelling. It’s so lovely just having the time to spend with friends and family plus help out with grandchildren too. Life is good and I’m determined to make the most of every minute as nobody knows what’s round the next bend in life !

I would like to relocate to Cornwall and live in a nice bungalow with a huge garden and take up beachcombing as a hobby.

watching sport, going for walks, long holidays

I would be just happy to know that I could eventually retire which just seems more and more unlikely as time goes on . Therefore a “colourful” retirement would be any place at all that wasn’t “that place”

Retirement plans to me mean finding a balance between rest, recuperation, family life and keeping busy and not necessarily in that order.

A colourful retirement starts with good health, family, friends and a healthy bank balance, after this the world is your oyster for you to enjoy.

If there is still such a thing as retirement, I want to buy a campervan and travel around the UK and Europe, camping in wild places and getting away from the rat race.

I won't be retiring as such, because I have already had to stop working because of ill health, and I would have to wait until I'm 68 before I get any state pension.