The UK’s baby boomers are making life-changing decisions to ensure that their retirement years are the best of their lives, according to new research by retirement living specialists McCarthy & Stone. A poll of the over 60s found that one in three felt more empowered to change their lives as they got older, putting themselves first for the first time in years and even making difficult life choices.

Nearly one in ten chose to end an unhappy marriage and one in five finally severed ties with friends and family who didn’t make them happy. Nearly a quarter had moved somewhere they’d always wanted to live. Over half also said they finally had the time and money to spend on themselves after years of bringing up and supporting families. As a result, one in three said that life after retirement age was better than ever.

More opportunity to travel, taking up new sports and hobbies, returning to education and even embarking on a new career all contributed to a renewed ‘joie de vivre’ in later life.

One in four said their social life had improved with age. Nearly half said they went out more or spent more time seeing friends. 40 per cent of respondents said they had joined social networking sites such as Facebook and 36 per cent had started new, or rekindled old, friendships. And it seems that passion doesn’t necessarily wane as we get older, with over a third saying that their sex life was just as good, or even better, than it had been in middle age.

The research also showed that women are more likely than men to take up a new hobby, join new groups and societies, start volunteering and travel more once they turn 60. However, more men said they had taken up a new sport and were more involved in their local communities. Over a third of women and a quarter of men said they helped out with childcare for grandchildren.

Significantly more men than women had started new or rekindled old friendships in later life but a higher number of men said they had joined an online dating agency and started new romantic liaisons.

The research by McCarthy & Stone involved asking members of its Viewpoint 60+ panel for their views and opinions on how their lives had changed as they got older.

Lorena Brown, national sales director for McCarthy & Stone, comments: “As an ageing population, we can all expect to spend longer in retirement. Our research shows that many people now see this time in their lives as a ‘new’ rather than ‘final’ chapter and will embrace fresh opportunities, challenges and experiences as well as making positive, but sometimes difficult, changes in their lives. After years of working and bringing up families many people feel that they finally have the time to focus on themselves.”

Viewpoint 60+ is run by respected research company Populus. All respondents to a quarterly online survey are automatically entered into a prize draw to win £500 cash. To sign up to Viewpoint 60+ and have your say visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk

McCarthy & Stone is currently selling a range of one and two bedroom retirement apartments at developments across the UK. To find out more, please call 0800 919 132 or log on to www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk