Retirement or ageing does not mean slowing down for these three people. In fact, staying active in their old age has helped them stay fit, healthy and focused. They speak to Veronica Stivala.

A great-grandfather

Nanniet (Grandparents) Malta is an NGO that works to improve the well-being and relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren through collective activities that benefit both them and their community.

Its founder, Philip Chircop, who turns 62 this year, retired in November 2007 aged 55, after 37 years of service at the Central Bank of Malta. From then on, he continued to dedicate practically all his time to voluntary work in the health and community sector. Chircop officially launched Grandparents Malta Foundation on September 23, 2013. He also set up Grandparents Day, which highlights grandparents’ mission in Maltese family life, and is celebrated on the second Sunday of October.

I retired early specifically to dedicate my time to voluntary work

The NGO was founded by Chircop, assisted by his wife Carmen, with the aim to instil in younger generations respect for their forefathers and to encourage them to look up to their grandparents not only on Grandparents Day, but throughout their lives.

Chircop is a keen promoter of active ageing.

“I retired early specifically to dedicate my time to voluntary work. Until recently, my main focus was on the health sector, locally and at a European level, as a board member of the European Patients Forum in Brussels.”

For Chircop, the benefits of continuing to work so hard is that it keeps him fit and healthy and enables him to realise all his dreams and projects.

“There is also the rewarding satisfaction you receive when being altruistic and useful to others, especially to the most vulnerable persons in the community,” he adds.

“When your projects start achieving results, you reach a situation where you will never look back and just keep moving on.”

Although Chircop admits that he sometimes feels like giving up, these are only isolated instances when he finds it difficult to find balance in his different roles as pensioner, husband, breadwinner and grandfather. But, he says, having a very considerate wife helps him overcome these obstacles and move on with his projects.

When does he plan to finally sit back and relax?

“If and when I stop my activity, then my days will be counted.”

No plans to stop

Anthony Mulè Stagno is secretary of the National Council for the Elderly and the Association of Telemalta – Maltacom – Go Pensioners. The latter organises social and cultural functions for the pensioners of the three companies and also assists them whenever possible.

The main objective of the National Council for the Elderly is to promote the rights of the elderly. It also assists government on a consultative basis in the formulation of policies where the elderly are concerned. The council is also a member of AGE-platform Europe of which Mulè Stagno is also a member of a working group tackling standardisation.

The hardworking Mulè Stagno, 74, has always been involved in voluntary organisations. Now that he is an elderly person himself, he believes this is the most appropriate field to work in, adding that: “This does not exclude the possibility of exploring other fields in the future.”

After he retired from Maltacom aged 61, he felt he still had something to offer so he started working in his son’s company, Allied Consultants Limited. He now works only half days and, being the boss’s father, enjoys super-flexible working hours. His work is mostly concerned with IT, although he also helps when it comes to other technical stuff, surveys and training.

What does Mulè Stagno think are the benefits of continuing to work into one’s old age? He replies with another question.

“Isn’t it better to continue to contribute to society rather than be a burden on it, if you can avoid it?”

Also, he notes, being active, both in body and in mind, within your capabilities, will keep you relatively healthy.

Mule Stagno has no intention of stopping unless he has to. “God willing I’ll continue till I die.”

The start of a new life

Mary Vella, 64, developed arthritis and rheumatism at 49. Although the condition started mildly, three years later she had a flare-up that devastated her life completely.

However, Vella was deter-mined to get her health back and, with the help of medical treatments, managed to control her chronic condition.

“Instead of it overtaking me, I overcame it,” she says determinedly.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis and the only thing you can do is to monitor it and live as healthy as possible. And that, says Vella, is what she does.

Staying active beyond your retirement age keeps you very healthy, happy and active

In 2007 she was approached to become president of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Association of Malta. The association aims to help sufferers live a better life and to raise awareness about the condition.

As Vella notes, her task is not easy at all.

“However, I’m ready to face and carry all these hardships as long as the association is making progress and I see many patients happy with what there are gaining from our education.”

She speaks proudly of her role which takes her to conferences both in Malta and abroad.

“All this gives me great satisfaction,” she says. “The association became my baby and I treat it with care and love. Although I give it all that I have, I also benefit from it.”

Her work keeps her active both physically and mentally.

“When I thought it was the end of my active life, I never imagined it was just the beginning of another active journey full of new endeavours.

“My role gives me new energy and I dream a lot about the future of the association. Staying active beyond your retirement age keeps you very healthy, happy and active,” she says cheerfully.

Vella has no plans to stop.

“As long as I’m feeling well, I will continue to give my share,” she says.

Her greatest wish is that more people will volunteer and get involved to help and dedicate their knowledge and skills to others.

“The satisfaction is immeasurable. You also forget that you are 64 years old because you feel so young at heart.”