ON THIS EPISODE OF CYCLE OF HEALTH, RETIRING HEALTHY.

WE DISCUSS HOW TO BEST PREPARE TO TAKE THIS NEXT STEP IN LIFE.

DISCOVER WAYS TO MAINTAIN BOTH OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, LEARN ABOUT SERVICES OUT THERE MAKING IT EASIER TO NAVIGATE RETIREMENT, PLUS, HEAR FROM A RECENT RETIREE WHO HAS FACED SOME OBSTACLES HEAD-ON.

YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS CONVERSATION, COMING UP ON CYCLE OF HEALTH.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT'S TOPIC, "RETIRING HEALTHY."

FOR MANY OF US, RETIREMENT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

AFTER YEARS OF WORKING HARD, IS IT EASY ENOUGH TO JUST •CUT THE CORD?

THERE'S A LOT MORE TO RETIREMENT THAN WE MIGHT THINK.

HOW DO WE EVEN KNOW WHEN WE'RE READY?

HOW DO WE BEST PREPARE?

CAN WE MAINTAIN OUR HEALTHY HABITS?

TONIGHT, WE HAVE FOUR GUESTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AND MORE.

THEY ARE: DR. GREGORY EASTWOOD, PROFESSOR OF BIOETHICS AND HUMANITIES AT SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY MS. JOANNE SPOTO DECKER, COMMISSIONER OF THE ONONDAGA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ADULT & LONG TERM CARE SERVICES AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF AGING I MIGHT HAVE TO RETIRE BEFORE I FINISH YOUR INTRO THERE, JOANNE!

DR. DAVID KEITH, A FAMILY SYSTEMS PSYCHIATRIST AT SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND MS. LYNN SEAGREN BASS, MY LONGTIME FRIEND, FORMER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AND RECENT RETIREE THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

WHEN I GET OLDER, LOSING MY HAIR, MANY YEARS FROM NOW, WILL ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU STILL NEED ME, WILL YOU STILL FEED ME WHEN I'M 64 ♪ THAT'S THE BEATLES SONG THAT YEARS AGO, WHOEVER THOUGHT WE'D GET TO 64?

WELL I'M 68, AND THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT AND WE'RE GONNA LAUNCH INTO OUR SHOW.

JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY.

WE ARE GOING TO BE PULLING UP AND DOWN OUR MASKS SO WE CAN BE REALLY SAFE.

OKAY.

LYNN, TAKE IT AWAY.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT.

>> WELL, I ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE TAP ON THE SHOULDER WHEN I WAS 60 BECAUSE I HADN'T THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT IT, ACTUALLY.

AND I WORKED IN A HIGH POWERED JOB, BEING A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WAS PRETTY TAXING BUT WONDERFUL AND I LOVED WHAT I DID.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY THINK TO RETIRE.

BUT AT 60, I FELL AND I HURT MY BACK AND SO I HAD A FEW MONTHS OF EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND I LEARNED THAT I NEEDED TO RELY ON MY COLLEAGUES AND SORT OF HAND OVER PARTS OF MY JOB BY NECESSITY.

AND SO I DID THAT AND REALIZED THAT, MY GOODNESS, THEY DO COULD GET ALONG WITHOUT ME.

AND I REALIZED I DIDN'T LIKE BEING INCA PASS INCAPACITATED AND I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR SURGERY WHICH WORKED PERFECTLY.

SO AFTER THE SURGERY, I HAD FULL HEALTH AND 340EB89 AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT REALLY KNOCKS ME OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO RETIRE IN GOOD SHAPE.

I DON'T WANT TO BE IN CA PASS TATED-- I DON'T WANT TO BE INCAPACITATED AND WORK REAL HARD AND PRESS MYSELF AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST RETIRE.

SO I HAD THIS WAKE-UP CALL AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL THING.

AND SO IT TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TIME THAT I COULD TRUST OTHER PEOPLE AND I COULD TRY TO RETHINK MY LIFE.

SO IT WAS WONDERFUL.

SO I WAS GLAD TO HAVE THAT WAKEUP CALL IT TURNED INTO AN ENTRE É OF A GREAT TIME OF LIFE.

I'M REALLY ENJOYING RETIREMENT.

>> LIFE PREPARED YOU, GAVE YOU A HEADS UP, HERE IT COMES.

>> IT DID.

>> AND I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD A BIG SURPRISE IN RETIREMENT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> I WAS RETIRED AND BEGINNING TO REALLY ENJOY THINGS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT RETIREMENT MEANT AND I ACTUALLY DECIDED AFTER A YEAR OF IT, THAT I GOT A PART-TIME JOB BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT, I DIDN'T LIKE HAVING JUST OPEN ENDED TIME ALL THE TIME.

BUT I LOVED LESSER PACE, THE SLOWER PACE, NOT WAKING TO AN ALARM CLOCK THIS MORNING, NOT HAVING TO GET DRESSED IN A SUIT EVERY DAY.

SO I LIKED THAT.

I GOT A PART-TIME JOB AND I WAS ENJOYING THAT.

AND I WAS GIVEN BY SURPRISE, A DIAGNOSIS THAT I ACTUALLY HAD CHRONIC LEUKEMIA.

THAT WAS A SHOCK.

AND YET IT WAS THAT, TOO, WAS A WAKE-UP CALL THAT WE HAVE TO ENJOY AND APPRECIATE AND BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT WE HAVE AND FOR THE TIME WE HAVE.

AND THE FACT IS, GETTING THAT DIAGNOSIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE YEAH, I HAD A CONCRETE LABEL ON AN ILLNESS ON SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SAY IS TERMINAL BUT LIFE IS TERMINAL.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIVE LIFE WITH RECOGNITION THAT IT IS-- >> WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU ARE NOT SAYING I'M GOING TO DIE.

>> RITCHIE, I HATE TO TELL YOU.

>> THIS IS A BIG SHOCK!

[LAUGHTER] >> IT'S ALL ABOUT ENJOYING LIFE NOW AND IT'S ABOUT REALLY FIGURING OUT HOW TO LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE, HOW TO FEEL STILL PRODUCTIVE.

AND I DID DO SOME CORRECTING OF MY LIFE HABITS LIKE EATING AND EXERCISE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT AND REALLY FEELING LIKE I COULD SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE HEALTHY AND GOOD COMPANY.

AND THOSE ARE GREAT THINGS TO DO NO MATTER WHAT.

>> SO LET'S JUMP IN THERE.

LET ME JUMP IN THERE FOR A MOMENT.

I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS TALKING WITH GREG EARLIER, AND GREG, YOU WERE SAYING WHAT IS RETIREMENT?

YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> SURE.

WHAT IS RETIREMENT?

THAT'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD QUESTION, ISN'T IT?

WELL, IT'S NOT.

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, BAD OLD DAYS, PEOPLE WOULD WORK, USUALLY FOR THE SAME EMPLOYER FOR A LONG TIME, RETIRE, STOP WORK IN THEIR MID 60s AND DO SOMETHING OR NOT DO SOMETHING.

IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

IT'S UNIQUE FOR EVERY PERSON.

OFTEN WE WORK FOR MULTIPLE EMPLOYERS.

WE MAYBE DO WHAT I CALL A GLIDE PATH.

I'M ON A GLIDE PATH NOW.

I WENT FROM FULL TIME MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO TO PART TIME, SMALLER PART TIME.

>> GLIDING... >> THAT RAISES THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE LANDING.

IN THIS CASE IS RETIREMENT, THE END OF LIFE, ANOTHER INTEREST OF OURS.

BUT RETIREMENT IS A TRANSITION AND THERE ARE OTHER TRANSITIONS.

TRANSITIONS FROM LIVING AT HOME TO NOT LIVING AT HOME.

MAYBE GOING TO COLLEGE TO WORK TO THE MILITARY.

TRANSITION TO BECOME MARRIED FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE MARRIED.

TRANSITION WHEN YOU HAVE TRANSITION FROM ONE JOB TO ANOTHER.

EACH OF THESE TRANSITIONS COMES WITH CHANGES AND WOULD HOPE SOME SORT OF FORESIGHT AND PLANNING.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT THAT PLANNING.

I COULD TELL YOU MY VIEWS ON THIS, BUT MY VIEWS ARE UNIQUE TO ME.

AND I'M NOT SO SURE THEY'RE GENERALIZABLE.

>> I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SONG LATER FROM DAVE ABOUT CHANGES AND MANAGING CHANGES.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A SONG FROM DAVE.

BUT JOANNE, CAN YOU TELL ME YOUR ORGANIZATION, WHAT DO THEY OFFER PEOPLE AS THEY'RE MAKING THIS TRANSITION OR BEFORE?

WHAT ARE THEY OFFERING?

>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

I'M VERY DELIGHTED TO BE HERE AS WELL.

AND ONONDAGA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ADULT AND LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES HAS FOUR UNITS.

AND ONE OF THEM IS THE OFFICE FOR AGING.

ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

LONG-TERM CARE RESOURCE CENTER AND NEW YORK CONNECTS.

SO I'LL START WITH THE OFFICE FOR AGING.

WE FACE THAT EVERYBODY IS 65 OR 60 YEARS OLD ACCORDING TO THE ACT, CALL US UP AND SAY THIS IS WHAT I NEED.

THIS IS WHAT I WANT.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, DOCTOR, PLANNING DOESN'T REALLY HAPPEN A LOT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AGING LIKE MYSELF.

I'M TWO YEARS FROM 64 BEATLES SONG.

SO I'M 66 AND VERY PROUD OF IT.

AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT WHAT SERVICES WE HAVE.

WE DO HAVE CONGREGATE MEAL SITES AND WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WORKING, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE 75, 80, 85, WHO ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR SOCIALIZATION AT OUR MEAL SITES BUT ALSO FOR THE EMPLOYMENT.

MANY PEOPLE, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT AT 65, WE ARE THINKING THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES, THEY HAVE THE HEALTH.

THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED.

THEY HAVE THE FAMILY SUPPORT AND THEY HAVE THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS.

AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF ADULT LONG-TERM CARE AGING.

DO THEY HELP PEOPLE WHEN I LOOK IF THE PAY TER AND SEE THE LIST OF MEDICARE OPTIONS, I THINK OH MY, SAVE ME FROM THAT.

DO YOU HELP PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP PICK A MEDICARE PLAN?

>> MY GOODNESS.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPEN ESPECIALLY ROLLMENT PERIOD EVERY YEAR AND IT JUST ENDED.

WE HAD A LITTLE PARTY.

AND YES, WE HELP PEOPLE CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLAN FOR MEDICARE BUT WE ALSO HAVE SO MANY OTHER SERVICES.

WE HAVE-- EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT MEALS ON WHEELS.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR SENIOR DINING SITES.

WE ALSO HAVE TRANSPORTATION, HOME CARE, NUTRITION COUNSELING, CAREGIVER SERVICES IS SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.

LEGAL SERVICES.

WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT OUTREACH WORKERS, WE GO TO THE HOME AND OVER 44 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO OLDER ADULTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND HELP THEM CONNECT.

>> SPEAKING OF CONNECTING, I KNOW, DAVE, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK WITH FAMILIES AND COUPLES.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COUPLES AND FAMILIES AND HOW THIS FITS INTO RETIREMENT?

>> I WILL TRY.

AND I LIKED A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID, GRELG, ABOUT-- GREG, ABOUT WHAT IS RETIREMENT.

AND I THINK RETIREMENT IS LIKE A KALEIDOSCOPE, IT'S GOT ALL KINDS OF SHAPES AND PATTERNS AND THEY'RE NOT STABLE.

THINGS SHIFT AS ONE GETS OLDER OR ONE'S FAMILY MEMBERS GET OLDER.

I WAS ON A TRIP TO THE MIDWEST THIS SUMMER AND VISITED RESIDENCY CLASSMATE OF MINE.

WE GRADUATED 45 YEARS AGO.

AND HE WENT INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE IN A SMALL CITY IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

AND I HAVE BEEN IN ACADEMIA.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FAMILY IDEA.

AND HE WAS REALLY SURPRISED AT HOW MANY RETIRED MEN HE WAS SEEING.

THEY WERE SERIOUSLY DEPRESSED, ENOUGH THAT SOME REQUIRED SHOCK THERAPY.

VERY FEW OF THEM CAME BECAUSE THEY ACKNOWLEDGED HAVING TROUBLE.

THEIR WIVES SENT THEM AND SAID I REALLY CAN'T STAND LIVING WITH YOU LIKE THIS ANYMORE.

>> GET THE HECK OUT OF THE HOUSE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, RIGHT?

>> UH-HUH.

>> AND SO HE STARTED A BREAKFAST GROUP FOR HIS FRIENDS.

AND THEY MET EVERY OTHER TUESDAY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST.

AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO DEAL WITH DEPRESSION BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT JUST WORKING IT OUT IN YOUR HEAD.

YOU ARE SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS.

AND FOR ME, THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH THIS AGING PROBLEM, WHICH I LIKE TO PRETEND DOESN'T EXIST.

BUT I HAPPEN TO BELONG TO A MEN'S GROUP AND THIS GROUP HAS BEEN TOGETHER FOR 30 YEARS SO WE HAVE AGED TOGETHER AND WE TALK ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES AND IT'S VERY ENRICHING FOR ME.

I ASKED MY FRIEND WHO HAD BEEN IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR 40 YEARS, DID HE SEE MANY DEPRESSED WOMEN AT RETIREMENT.

HE SAID NONE.

AND I'M NOT SURPRISED BY THAT BECAUSE I THINK WOMEN IN OUR CULTURE ARE SOCIALIZED TO DEAL WITH RELATIONSHIPS.

US MEN ARE SOCIALIZED TO DEAL WITH THINGS, TIME, HOW MACHINES WORK.

AND THUS WE DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.

WE HAVE A SORT OF ENCULTURE EIGHTED NAIVETE.

>> I SAW JOANNE NUDGING TO COMMENT.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO BUILD ON.

>> I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE GENTLEMEN GETTING TOGETHER AND THE GROUP HAS BEEN THERE FOR 40 YEARS.

SO THAT IS PEER SUPPORT.

THAT'S WHAT OUR CONGREGATE SENIOR DINING SITES DO.

THEY PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT.

OUR SENIOR CENTERS PROVIDE PEER SUPPORT.

I I YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT DEPRESSION.

I SEE IT AS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH COVID WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE THAT FATEFUL DECISION TO SHUT DOWN OUR CONGREGATE MEAL SIGHTS WHERE PEOPLE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE THAT SOCIALIZATION.

WE ARE OPENING THEM BACK UP NOW SO THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

AND WHAT WE HEAR WHEN WE GO ON OUR LISTENING TO PEOPLE AND SAY WHAT THEY NEED, WELL NOT AFTER COVID BUT RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST WE ARE AT THE POINT WE ARE, IS THAT THEY COULDN'T COME OUT OF THEIR ROOMS.

THEY COULDN'T COME OUT OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE ISOLATION THAT WAS GOING ON.

SO THERE THEY WERE SO HAPPY TO BE TOGETHER.

AND I JUST SEE THE PEER SUPPORT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS REALLY WHAT WE FOSTER AT THE OFFICE FOR AGING.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THIS TRANSITION IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE REARING TO GO THERE.

ZOOM IN, DREG.

>> TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS OUR LIVES OBVIOUSLY AND AS WE AGE, IT HAS AFFECTED THE END OF LIFE EXPERIENCE.

WE ARE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

BUT THAT'S OFTEN WHY PEOPLE ARE LIVING LONGER AND DEVELOP COMPLICATIONS.

BUT AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AS IT RELATES TO HEALTH AND THE RETIREMENT EXPERIENCE, I WAS THINKING OF AN ARTICLE I READ RECENTLY ABOUT PETS, ROBOTIC PETS.

MAYBE YOU'VE READ THOSE, TOO?

PEOPLE USED TO HAVE PET ROCKS SO WHY NOT A ROBOTIC PET?

IT'S A STEP UP.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR DURING THE PANDEMIC WE'VE MADE USE OF VISUAL TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE TO COMMUNICATE BETWEEN PATIENTS AND DOCTORS AND NURSES BETWEEN PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THAT'S ALL GOOD.

THERE IS A WHOLE CONCEPT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHICH HAS IT'S OWN BUT POSITIVE IN TERMS OF PROMOTING HEALTH AS WE RETIRE.

WE MAY BE DRIFTING A LITTLE BIT AWAY FROM OUR CYCLE OF HEALTH AS WE RETIRE.

BUT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON AN EXPERIENCE I HAD LAST WEEK WITH MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.

SHE SAID GREG, YOU ARE IN PRETTY GOOD HEALTH BUT KEEP ACTIVE BECAUSE BEING ACTIVE IMPROVES YOUR MIND AND HELPS YOU STAVE OFF COGNITIVE DETERIORATION.

AND THE MORE ACTIVE YOU ARE IN YOUR MIND, I THINK THE HEALTHIER YOU ARE.

>> I THINK OF IT AS WALK AND TALK.

KEEP BUSY.

>> THE MIND AND BODY ARE THE SAME THING AND HERE'S MY PLUG FOR THE OLD TIME PHILOSOPHER SPINOSA WHO SAID THEY WERE EXACTLY THE SAME THING, JUST TWO ASPECTS OF THE SAME THING.

MIND AND BODY.

>> WALK AND TALK.

LYNN, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF YOUR RETIREMENT, WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL LIFE AND EXERCISE AND WHAT ABOUT THOSE THINGS?

>> WELL, AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I REALLY RESPECT THE IDEA THAT, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT TRANSITION IS KIND OF A SHOCKING SHIFT.

YOU'VE HAD MEANING AND YOU'VE HAD A PURPOSE AND A SCHEDULE AND YOU'VE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND YOU THAT WERE PART OF YOUR WORK LIFE.

AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU DON'T HAVE THAT AND YOU HAVE TO REALLY EMBRACE THE TRANSITION AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY, HOW TO GET SWIFT WITH ZOOM AND SEE OTHER FACES, ESPECIALLY DURING A PANDEMIC.

BUT WE ADOPTED, MY HUSBAND HAD ALREADY RETIRED BUT WHEN I RETIRED, WE ADOPTED A DOG, AND I TOOK SOME ART CLASSES AND YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE IT WAS ANEST THOUGH TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT-- AN EFFORT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I DID HAVE SOME HEALTH CONCERNS AS I MENTIONED AND I WENT TO CLEVELAND INTEGRATED MEDICINE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SUGGESTED PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU EAT, TO EXERCISING, TO SLEEPING AND TO SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE AND TO REALLY GIVING THOUGHT TO PURPOSE AND MEANING IN LIFE.

AND SO IT FELT LIKE, OKAY, I WAS GLAD I WENT FOR HELP.

I WAS GLAD I WENT FOR SOME ADVICE.

AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE AND I DID ADMIT THAT WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED AT RETIREMENT, IT WAS A MOMENT OF DEPRESSION, I HAD A GOOD CIRCLE OF FRIENDS BUT I FELT LIKE I WAS KICKED IN THE GUT.

I SOUGHT THERAPY.

I WENT TO THERAPY BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY A TIME OF WEIGHINGNESS.

IT WAS A TIME OF FACING THE TRANSITION, HOW TO APPROACH IT WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE I'M LOVING LIFE.

I ENJOY THIS TIME AND HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE NATURE, OUR CRANKY LITTLE DOGS AND I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A LOVING HUSBAND AND GOOD FAMILY SO I FEEL VERY LUCK AGREE JOANNE.

>> I JUST LOVE TWO THINGS.

FIRST OF ALL, YES, VERY GRATEFUL YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES.

BUT SO FOR OUR AUDIENCE PLEASE CONTACT THE ONONDAGA COUNTY OFFICE FOR AGING AND ADULT LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES AND WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THE SERVICES WE HAVE.

I WAS INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU WERE SAYING INITIALLY AND WHEN YOU HURT YOUR BACK.

WITH THE TRANSITION YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, HAD THAT NOT HAPPENED, ABSENT THE OTHER DIAGNOSE YOU RECEIVED.

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD LIFE KICKED ME BY THE SHOULDER AND SAID HEY YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LIVE FOREVER.

IT WAS A SERIOUS A CHANCE TO HAVE A REDO A BIT, YOU KNOW, I FELT PERFECTLY FINE AFTER THE SURGERY AND IT'S LIKE WOW, HOW DO I WANT TO LIVE THIS LATTER PART OF MY LIFE.

AND SO I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE HAD THAT WAKEUP CALL.

I WOULD URGE EVERYBODY.

LIFE IS A TERMINAL ILLNESS.

IT'S ALL GOING TO END FOR EVERYBODY.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THESE YEARS AND FIND MEANING?

>> SO IF WE THINK BACK, ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE SORT OF ON THE GLIDE PATH.

ANY REGRETS FROM YEARS AGO LIKE YOU DIDN'T DO SOMETHING A WHILE BACK?

>> IF I MIGHT SAY, I LOVED MY CAREER.

AND I WORKED REALLY HARD.

BUT IT WAS WONDERFULLY SATISFYING.

>> I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE HARD THINGS ABOUT GETTING READY FOR RETIREMENT.

I LOVE MY JOB AND THE THOUGHT OF LEAVING MY JOB IS LIKE WHAT AM I GOING DO!

I DON'T LIKE GOLF!

>> RITCHIE, I WOULD SAY REALLY THAT GIVE THOUGHT TO SLOWING IT DOWN, AS YOU KNOW... >> GLIDE PATH.

>> YEAH, THE GLIDE PATH BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE I WOULD HAVE DIALED THE PACE BACK.

I REALLY WAS WORKING TOO HARD.

IT WAS 24/7 AND IT WAS EXHAUSTING AND I THINK I DID MY HEALTH SOME DAMAGE IN THAT.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENT?

>> NO, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I LOVED WHAT I DID AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO-- THE INSTITUTION DIDN'T TELL ME I HAD TO RETIRE.

MY DAD WORKED FOR A LARGE CORPORATION IN MINNESOTA AND HE HAD TO RETIRE AT AGE 65, JUST HAD TO RETIRE.

BUT THEN THEY ASKED HIM TO WRITE A HISTORY OF THE COMPANY.

AND HE DID THAT.

PREPARING THIS, I STARTED THINKING, I'M DOING IN MY RETIREMENT, WHAT HE DID.

I HAVE RETIRED BUT I'M STILL SPENDING TIME AT MY DESK WRITING AND READING AND MY WIFE THINKS I DO A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH OF THAT.

>> TOO MUCH.

YOUR WIFE IS NUDGING YOU.

SO SPEAKING OF NUDGING, WE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT AND I PROMISED OUR VIEWERS A SONG FROM YOU, DAVE.

SO I WONDER IF YOU COULD GIVE US THAT SONG WRITTEN BY A FRIEND OF YOURS.

>> WRITTEN BY TWO FRIENDS.

THE GUY, THE FIRST AUTHOR IS A GUY I HAVE CANOED WITH FOR OVER 60 YEARS.

AND WE TALK A LOT ABOUT LIFE WHILE CANOEING.

THIS SONG IS CALLED REARRANGE.

IT HAS TO DO WITH BECOMING OLDER AND BEING CAUGHT IN PATTERNS THAT ARE HARD FOR US TO GET AWAY FROM.

LAST TWO STANZAS.

AS PEOPLE GROW OLDER, THEY SELDOM GROW BOLDER.

THEY BECOME MUCH MORE SET IN THEIR WAYS.

YET STRANGELY ENOUGH, CHANGE IS ALWAYS THE STUFF THAT BRINGS EXCITEMENT UNTIL THE END OF OUR DAYS.

LAST VERSE.

SO JOIN US IF YOU WILL.

WE ARE NOT OVER THE HILL.

WE'VE DISCOVERED THE MAGIC OF CHANGE.

IT'S NOT MUCH OF A TRICK, YOU CAN LEARN IT REAL QUICK, AND LIKE MAGIC YOU'LL BE REARRANGED.

[ APPLAUSE ] LIKE LIFE.

>> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE, FOLKS.

BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR PANELISTS FOR JOINING US.

DR. GREG EASTWOOD, PROFESSOR OF BIOETHICS AND HUMANITIES AT SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY MS. JOANNE SPOTO DECKER, COMMISSIONER OF THE ONONDAGA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ADULT AND LONG TERM CARE SERVICES, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF AGING DR. DAVID KEITH, A RETIRED FAMILY SYSTEMS PSYCHIATRIST AT SUNY UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND MY FRIEND MS. LYNN SEAGREN BASS, RECENT RETIREE, FORMER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AND MY LONGTIME FRIEND BE SURE TO VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AND OTHER EPISODES.

FOR CYCLE OF HEALTH, I'M DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN WITH US.

ON THE NEXT CYCLE OF HEALTH, BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY.

EXPLORE THE BIOMATERIALS INSTITUTE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND DISCOVER WAYS THESE ORGANIC MATERIALS ARE PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES IN MEDICINE.

THEN JOIN US FOR A CONVERSATION WITH FOUR EXPERTS WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF DEVELOPING THIS CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY.

ALL THIS AND MORE, ON THE NEXT CYCLE OF HEALTH.