Gerontologist Jānis Zaļkalns: an active retirement is a choice, not fate
Ahead of the "Zelta ritmi" senior festival, professor and gerontologist Jānis Zaļkalns explains why passivity in retirement is dangerous and what keeps later life meaningful. The festival takes place on August 9 in Riga's Esplanāde park.
Jānis Zaļkalns, professor, gerontologist and longtime ambassador of the "Zelta ritmi" senior festival, shared his views on living a fulfilling old age in a conversation with Inga Akmentiņa-Smildziņa, head of the Latvian Parents' Organization.
Work as a driving force
Having reached retirement age himself, Zaļkalns never stopped working — he still practices at a hospital and lectures students. He warns that viewing retirement as a time to do absolutely nothing is a misleading and dangerous idea, calling such an attitude "the beginning of the end."
The risks of loneliness
Leaving the workforce sharply narrows a person's social circle, and loneliness has become a serious issue not only among seniors. Zaļkalns urges people to take initiative themselves — to call, invite and plan meetings rather than wait for others to do it.
Mindset and self-acceptance
According to the professor, a person's way of thinking is more fundamental than physical health. Inwardly calm people fall ill less often, while constant worry over small things can trigger real health problems. Latvia ranks last in the EU for years lived in good health, which Zaļkalns partly attributes to a Soviet-era legacy where people were not encouraged to think about their own quality of life.
Training and structured routine
The only proven way to keep the mind sharp and the body fit is regular training — both physical and mental, including through digital tools. A structured weekly or monthly plan covering chores, exercise and meetings with family or friends helps prevent days from blurring into aimlessness.
As an example, the professor recalls a graduate student who organized Nordic walking sessions for rural seniors — initial reluctance turned into active social engagement and a better quality of life.
Zaļkalns advises avoiding toxic people and gossip, and not worrying about others' opinions while living according to one's own conscience.
The "Zelta ritmi" senior festival will take place on August 9 from 11:00 to 17:00 in Riga's Esplanāde park, marking the ninth edition organized by the Latvian Parents' Organization. Admission is free.
