Jennifer created her site as a platform for advocacy on opening up on mental health. She wants people to see the types of steps and success stories that can help them realize their own power.

We’d like to thank Jennifer for taking the time to write this lovely article and hope it either resonates or inspires! 

While we might not have had distance learning and restless kids to deal with as members of the 50-plus demographic, the past year has nonetheless changed our lives in many ways.

Lockdown measures have left us socially isolated, anxious, and in some cases, unemployed. But never a group to give up, the 50-plus crowd has found creative solutions to the pandemic’s difficulties.

Whether due to pandemic-induced unemployment, anxiety over retirement portfolios, or a desire to stay busy while stuck at home, older adults are turning to entrepreneurship in record numbers.

Seeking careers that offer both a steady paycheck and personal satisfaction, they’re starting consulting and service-based businesses that allow them to put their decades of experience to work — this time, for themselves.

In the era of social distancing, starting a business means working from home. But with the push toward downsizing in recent years, many older adults lack the space they need to accommodate a home business.

That’s just one reason older adults are choosing to remodel their homes rather than downsize. Furthermore, smaller homes aren’t necessarily less expensive. Rather than going through the hassle of downsizing for meager savings, older adults are choosing to keep their big gardens and friends and neighbours nearby and renovate instead.

Speaking of renovating: Over the course of the pandemic, our houses have transformed from a base camp for life’s daily activities to the place where it all happens. This has spurred many of us to look at our homes with new eyes. Is your home a place that inspires energy, joy, and togetherness, or has negative energy taken over in the form of complaining, arguing, and criticism?

Reorganizing and reducing clutter is one-way older adults are turning their homes into uplifting spaces. If you’re feeling spiritual, you can even try a cleansing ritual to banish bad energy from your home.

Online dating was hardly a newfangled concept before COVID-19, but its popularity among older adults has surged during the pandemic. Not only are older adults using online dating and dating services to connect in the time of social isolation, but they’re also changing how they date.

Now, conversations about masks and social distance are a critical part of the get-to-know-you process and meetups take place outdoors or virtually rather than in restaurants and coffee shops.

Dinners at home have also seen an uptick during the pandemic. While snack foods and baked goods have risen in popularity, so have health food trends like meatless meals. In fact, one in five Brits has reduced their meat consumption during the pandemic, according to the BBC, opting for meatless proteins like tofu instead.

Whether people are growing more experimental in the kitchen or aiming to reap the obesity- and inflammation-fighting benefits of a plant-based diet, the rise in meatless meals is good news for the planet.

It’s clear that adults over 50 haven’t let the pandemic hold them back from living full lives. However, with fewer distractions, the pandemic has forced us to slow down and focus on what matters. From forging strong connections with loved ones (even if over video chat!) to practicing physical and mental self-care, older adults are making a point to cultivate a life well-lived.

The past year has sent unprecedented challenges our way, but that’s no reason to give up. Even amidst the lockdowns, social distancing, and economic uncertainty, there’s a path forward for you — finding it just might require a little creativity!