Active Living

There Is Life
After Work

rvin Forbing slipped into a funk at
age 59. After working as a dentist
for 30 years, the retiree didn't know
what to do with himself.
"I was depressed because I missed my
practice," recalls Forbing, who is now
71 and lives with his wife, Jodie, in
Escondido, Calif
"I'd had a lot of friends who were
patients."
Then it occurred to Forbing that
what he lacked was a plan. He needed
to be organized, just like he was before
he retired.
The key to lifting Forbing out of his
three-month depression was getting
more involved in organized activities.
He and Jodie started taking computer
classes at a local adult school.
He also joined the local sheriff depart-
ment's search and rescue team. And
Forbing has more time to pursue a
longtime hobby: "I'm building an air-
plane in my garage."
The Forbings are not the only seniors
cruising through their golden years.
Millions of Americans are retiring
younger and living longer, and leading
more active lives than their parents and
grandparents did.
According to the World Almanac and
Book of Facts, life expectancy in the
United States was just over 54 years for
those born in 1920. It rose to 75.4 for
those born in 1990 and stayed about •
the same for the following three years.
Then it rose again to 75.7 in 1994. For
• 1997, the figure was 76.5.
Thanks to modern medicine, exercise
and other factors, people are living well
beyond the Social Security Act retire-
ment age of 65, set in 1935.
With more years in their lives, people
are finding more time to follow their
hearts and pursue hobbies, volunteer
and travel.
But the importance of living longer
goes beyond the pursuit of happiness,
according to author and magazine pub-
lisher Anita Finley. For the 61-year-old
wife, mother and grandmother, it's all
about family.
"We have someone to ask how things
were, reflect with and ask advice," she
explains about three- and four-genera-
tion families.
"I think it's bringing the family bonds
back," -adds Finley, who is the author of
Live to Be 100 Plus, a book for people
who seek longevity, and publisher of
Boomer Times and Senior Life, two
south Florida-based magazines.
— Copley News Service

I

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.

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25800 Eleven Mile Road, Southfield, MI 48034

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Just in case you haven't heard the news, we are opening
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Can you believe it?

Love you and see you at the shop soon.

Mooseitive

TW P

6/21

2002

102

34288 Woodward Ave.
Birmingham. MI 48009
248-203-7777

16844 Kerchevai
Grosse Pointe. MI 48230
313-881-9999

555 East Grand River Ave.
East Lansing. MI 48823
517-333-4000

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1445 W. Webster Place
Chicago, IL 60614
773-529-1111

740 North Waukegan
Deerfield. IL 60015
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