Francis Brennan says retirement is “the best thing” after Gen Z study

Hotelier Francis Brennan told The Pat Kenny Show that retirement has been “the best thing that ever happened to me”, countering a recent Gen Z survey which found 60 % of young adults think life’s most exciting years are behind them by age 49.

Brennan explained that after a lifetime of work he now enjoys unlimited free time, saying he can stay at his Renvyle House Hotel for five days without any obligations and pursue activities such as bike rides or bingo whenever he wishes.

He added that his sister, who is in her 70s, has recently taken up piano lessons, illustrating his view that older people should stay active rather than “sit at home and say, ‘Poor me, I’m old’”.

Professor Rose Anne Kenny of Trinity College Dublin, who leads the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), joined the discussion and expressed disappointment with the Gen Z findings. She noted that quality‑of‑life measures for people aged 50 and over continue to improve year on year, often peaking in the mid‑70s or 80s, and that the perception of ageing needs better communication to younger generations.

Source: Newstalk. Photo: Kampus Production / Pexels.