Di, myself and several of my close friends, my age who are still working full-time and need to do so, until at least 65, we were saying the same thing as you were thinking: it's difficult to hear others our age, talk about retirement or early retirement. Usually these friends have worked in government for the past few decades.

It's even hard for me to listen to my sister, 1 year younger than I (she is only 49), who is able-bodied and university-educated, talk about vacation on multiple trips by following her working research husband on his international research conference trips. She's been a full-time mom since she was 29 yrs. Her children are adult with 1 of them no longer living at home. I doubt her son (great young man) really wants to live at home. But is looking for work, so not much choice for him right now to live away.

Unless something horrible happens to her husband, I don't she will ever return to the paid workforce. Her mind is in vacation trip mode several times per year, meaning going outside of Canada.

Sorry I sound brutal. But I am her sister and know she is a gifted, bright and fully healthy person who still has alot to offer.

Retiree-friends could help better by playing the role of sounding board for working peers.

I don't mind hearing about projects, volunteer or community work that they are engaged in. After all, some of the non-profit organizations are seriously strapped for funding some staff positions. Some volunteer roles for some organizations, the people undergo a screening process and criminal record checks. Almost like a job pre-qualification. Same for applying to be a volunteer director for some organizations' boards. In our city, there's real competition for certain volunteer board positions at the municipal level. One has to formally apply, like a job.