Living the (Golden) Life

One of the most important wellness dimensions for a retiree, is maintaining physical fitness.

"I take daily walks and do exercises in the morning. I've been having pains in my left leg, but I still force myself to walk," shares Lee, an 84-year old retired electrical engineer who spent 30+ years with an aerospace company. "I have always been very active, even in my younger years—jogging, hiking and bicycling. Tina (Lee's wife) and I walk together a little each day."

For Frank, a retired brigadier general who served in the Philippine marines for decades: "I play golf at least once a week while my wife (Ofie) keeps herself busy with household chores."

These activities are similar to what Danny and Joy also do to keep fit.

"I play golf regularly and I have post-golf fellowship with my golfer friends," shares Danny.

"In my case, I do not have any form of structured physical exercise except to do household chores now that we are living alone and by ourselves," Joy says. "I also visit the spa regularly and get a hard massage so as to be able shake my body cells," she adds with a laugh.

Another dimension of wellness is intellectual. Pursuing stimulating mental activities is essential “to stretch and challenge our minds,” according to Hettler.

"I still do consultancy work so I have to keep myself updated of current events that may affect the business environment," explains Danny. "I read newspapers and listen to the news."

Lee also believes in keeping his mind busy with various activities. "I work a hard crossword puzzle every morning. I play chess," he shares. "I have researched and written four books on my family history and mailed them to younger family members. And since I have been an artist most of my life, I continue to make and produce oil paintings until now."

Besides physical and mental wellness, these retirees also believe in the importance of nurturing social connections, whether it be with family, friends, or a community—even through social media.

"I am in Facebook a lot as it keeps me connected to family and friends and I find great joy in this,” says Joy, whose three children, their spouses, and seven grandchildren have all migrated to New Zealand.

"I believe that the most important thing for any person when they reach their retirement stage is to be with a God-fearing family, with everyone loving each other," says Frank.

"Join a church and take part in their activities," recommends Lee.

While not part of the six dimensions, financial wellness is also key to a golden retirement.

"Financial Wellness is an important part of the retirement equation," says Danny. "You have to be able to provide for yourself to keep yourself healthy so that you do not put the burden on your children who are starting to build their own families. Neither can you rely on relatives and friends because they have their own personal concerns."

"Financial wellness allows you to take care of yourself in old age, in sickness and in death," adds Joy. "Continuing to experience the little luxuries in life like going to the salon and the spa, eating good food, watching shows and concerts, and travelling requires good financial management. Financial wellness also allows you to be a blessing to others.”

The key to having a great retirement is being healthy in all wellness dimensions, including the dimension of financial health, and preparing for both starts as early as now. Good thing there is a plan that can help you prepare both finance-wise and health-wise—Build Estate Plus from BPI AIA.

Build Estate Plus is a unit-linked protection plan that allows you to build your long-term savings for retirement that can be professionally managed by BPI-Asset Management and Trust Corporation (BPI-AMTG) and BPI Investment Management Inc. (BIMI). Moreover, it is also designed to cover for your estate taxes, so your loved ones won't have to bear the burden of finding the resources to settle your estate.

The product is part of the BPI AIA wellness initiatives. Powered by AIA Vitality, the Wellness Series lets you enjoy an upfront 20% additional coverage and supplementary benefits as make healthy choices. Boost your Vitality Status and get to receive up to a maximum of 50% additional coverage on the succeeding years. Plus, avail discounts from a range of partners as a reward for living healthy.

To take the first step on living longer, healthier, and better, head to a BPI branch near you or check the BPI AIA Wellness Series.