My father retired after working for more than three decades. Financially, he is fine and everyone kept telling him to enjoy the rest of his life. For the first few months, he did seem relaxed.
Yesterday we were talking about his old office and he suddenly said, "Kaam ki tension buri thi, par kam se kam lagta tha kisi ko meri zarurat hai." Then he changed the topic. That sentence stayed with me. I think we often assume retired parents simply need hobbies and entertainment, but maybe what they really miss is the feeling that their experience still matters to someone.
For those with retired parents, how did you help them find purpose again without making them feel like you were just keeping them busy?