Hobbies light up life for older people transitioning to retirement

For over 50 years, Annie Delaine dedicated herself to caring for communities across Australia, from remote nursing in the Torres Strait Islands to managing operating rooms in regional South Australia. She loved her work, especially the connections she built with people.

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I worked in the islands for 16 years … you did everything, from delivering babies, immunising children to looking after their parents. You were looking after the entire health of the islands, and I just loved it.

Approaching retirement, Delaine found the transition difficult, admitting it took four attempts to finally step away from her career. "I deregistered just so I wouldn't go back," she said. Facing a significant void, she wondered how she would fill her days. A long-held, but previously unexplored, passion for art emerged.

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It took me four times to retire before I bit the bullet and did it. I deregistered just so I wouldn't go back. When I did, I thought to myself, 'How am I going to fill in the gap?' Because it was a big one to fill.

"My husband bought me the biggest canvas, and I nearly had a heart attack," Delaine recalled. For a year, the canvas remained untouched until she found the courage to begin. Now, two years into her artistic journey, painting has become her "happy place," allowing her to lose track of time. She has a dedicated art room and encourages others to reframe their retirement by exploring new passions.

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My husband bought me the biggest canvas, and I nearly had a heart attack. For a year, it sat behind the spare bedroom door, until one day I got brave and pulled it out.

Melody Ding, a public health professor at the University of Sydney, highlights the importance of social connections in retirement, equating their significance to financial planning. She warns that prolonged loneliness can lead to serious health issues, including early mortality. "If we retire with plenty of money but no health, no friends and no social network … we're really missing a bigger picture," Ding stated. She advises that planning for retirement should include finding a new sense of purpose and community to ensure post-retirement happiness.

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Painting is now my happy place. I can lose hours and hours and then realise the sun is going down.