Retirement

Planning

Late career 

• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a late career planning framework. Embedded in a brochure, this tool prompts reflection on  past achievements, current strengths, barriers and resources, and helps to identify what an individuals wants from work and life.
• Ambulance Victoria’s ‘Looking forward to retirement’ is a leading practice example of a transition guidebook for agencies.  It prompts employees to reflect and plan on transitions at different time periods – specifically 10, 5, 2 and 1-year – before retirement.  It also includes a list of resources and planning tools. 

Retirement planning:

• ESSS Super have a range of resources on their website to help you think about and plan for retirement. This link takes you to options for learning more about the phases of retirement, preparing and planning for retirement, retirement options and how to get the most of retirement.  ESSS have also developed a specific planning tool that prompts you to think about your future, then provides an interactive tool to help you financially plan to support your vision.
• Being proactive and planning for potential challenges will go a long way towards retiring well.  In this booklet SuperFriend provides information and ideas for Retiring Well.
• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a worksheet to support retirement planning retirement planning.  It focuses on the 4 aspects of planning that is at the core of transition adjustments – thinking of situation, self, support and strategies.
• The brochure ‘Retiring Well’ by Canada Life’s ‘Workplace Strategies for Mental Health’ prompts you proactively plan for the quality of life you desire in retirement.
• This simple planning tool helps you think about where you are at today and where you would like to be. It encourages you to consider the changes you will need to make and take note of any issues or additional support you will need to activate your plan.
• This one page checklist for retirement planning helps you consider the areas you should focus on during your transition to retirement.
• Better Health has advice, tips and tools for planning retirement around a range of issues, including partner issues and unplanned retirement.
• ‘Retirement Reset’ is a worksheet by Ageing Workforce Ready to help you reset your retirement plans after facing an unexpected event or events in pre-retirement that through you off track.  I is also useful for people experiencing decision paralysis.

Health and Wellbeing

General

• The Life Checks is a tool created by the Federal Government that involves a 5–10-minute survey that generates results about how you are tracking on health, finances, work and social life. It then gives advice and resources to help you to make positive change to stay healthy, have the skills to be able to work for as long as you need or want, to have enough money to live the life you want after working, and to stay socially connected to avoid loneliness and isolation.  The tool is targeted at people aged 45–64 years, and people aged 65 years and over.

Meaning and Purpose

• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a fact sheet to plan for life beyond work in wellbeing areas such as legacy, learning and keeping the mind active.
• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a fact sheet help you identify your core values, an important step in planning for a meaningful and satisfying retirement.
• Go Volunteer is an initiative of Volunteering Australia and the go to portal for finding volunteer opportunities.

Career and Transition support

Private operators offering mentoring, coaching and support for older, transitioning and retiring emergency service workers include.

• The War on Wasted Talent supports members looking for a later in life career change and help for older people wanting to start or scale a new business.
• Changing Gears offer older workers career, financial, Centrelink and wellbeing coaching, programs, mentoring and other support.
• Fortem Australia can assign you a case manager for career and transitions support
• Career Management Services offer coaching, mentoring and personalised support about career and retirement transitions.
• Right Management’s Life Options can also offer bespoke support for life planning and career transitions for emergency service workers transition to new careers

Finances

• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a fact sheet to help you plan for the financial aspects of retirement. It covers issues like Money Smart topics, subsidised services, superannuation and the age pension.
• MoneySmart is an initiative of the ASIC and offers a wealth of neutral information about money and retirement, including how to access your super while you keep working. 
• State Plus outline five tips for boosting finances in retirement.

Psychological Health

• ‘Recognising and understanding PTSD’ is a guide written by Fortem Australia for first responders and their families. It is primarily about PTSD, but contains useful information for recognising and getting support for accumulated stress and trauma which can prevent healthy retirement transitions and adjustment. 
• ESF‘s  Coping with Trauma page in this Knowledge Hub has resources for identifying, understanding and getting support for processing accumulated trauma and PTSD.
• Fortem offer clinical psychological services with counsellors who understanding the challenges of ESWs and their families.
• ESF‘s Mental Health Support page on this Knowledge Hub provides a range of information and services for dealing with grief, mental health and wellbeing issues.

• Responder Assist by Phoenix Australia is a recently launched information, resource and research center tailored for frontline workers and their support people. Contact them for an independent assessment on 1800 329 191 (during office hours) or leave your details here and they’ll be in touch.

Physical Health

• Fortem Australia have written a brochure on exercising for stress relief. It covers why exercise is important, how much exercise you need, and the best ways to exercise.
• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a fact sheet to encourage staying healthy and improving your health as you get older so you can make the most of retirement.

Social Connections

• Fortem Australia have written a brochure on how to build connections with family, friends and people in the community for first responders and their families.  It explains why social connection is important, why it takes a hit in retirement, and gives practical tips on how to build it.
• Fortem Australia offer a range of activities to support social connections for former and current emergency service workers.
• Ageing Workforce Ready have developed a ‘home’ fact sheet to help people reflect on their relationships and social supports.

Identity loss

Fortem Australia’s ‘Identity and Career Transition’ brochure is a guide for first responders’  to address specific challenges of identity loss during career transitions.  It looks at what identity loss is and practical strategies to help you connect with your identity throughout transition.