Life right now
Ciara enjoys great life satisfaction, financial stability and her hobbies. Happy with her part-time hours, but rising house maintenance costs bring financial pressure.
Life100+ Personal stories
How people in Ireland feel about living to 100
- Personal stories: read people’s in-depth thoughts on longevity
- Understand their views on the opportunities and challenges of longer lives
- The importance of living well for longer, planning proactively and feeling confident
Meet Ciara
Age 55, single, no children
Work and career
She left a highly stressful role for a part-time role in an educational institute. She values the flexibility, positive culture, and free time over status or a salary.
Looking forward and retirement
Ciara expects to work until 68, seeing work as important for structure and purpose. Financially secure due to steady pension contributions and owning property.
Ciara’s thoughts on the 100-year life
“There won’t be family support if I live to 100… I’ll have my pension and house, but the prospect of it sounds dull”. Based on her family history and charity volunteering experience, she associates extreme old age with loss of independence
and loneliness.
Life right now
Ciara enjoys great life satisfaction, financial stability and her hobbies. Happy with her part-time hours, but rising house maintenance costs bring financial pressure.
Work and career
She left a highly stressful role for a part-time role in an educational institute. She values the flexibility, positive culture, and free time over status or a salary.
Looking forward and retirement
Ciara expects to work until 68, seeing work as important for structure and purpose. Financially secure due to steady pension contributions and owning property.
Ciara’s thoughts on the 100-year life
“There won’t be family support if I live to 100… I’ll have my pension and house, but the prospect of it sounds dull”. Based on her family history and charity volunteering experience, she associates extreme old age with loss of independence
and loneliness.
Meet Mary
Age 50, living with partner and 2 teenage children
Life right now
Family is at the heart of her life and her biggest priority. She is balancing several commitments, funding her children’s college education and has a busy career.
Work and career
Progressing at work satisfies her professionally. She doesn’t imagine retirement as simply stopping, wants to remain active, mentally engaged and useful.
Her future and retirement plans
Looking forward to having more family time, she wants to support other life journeys with the children. Has a pension but unsure if it will be enough
Mary’s thoughts on the 100-year life
"If I was living a life where I was adding value to others. If I was just here as a burden, I wouldn’t be too obsessed with getting beyond a healthy age”
Views on work and the 100-year life
Mary sees people transitioning into jobs that better suit later life while remaining active, engaged and socially connected.
Life right now
Family is at the heart of her life and her biggest priority. She is balancing several commitments, funding her children’s college education and has a busy career.
Work and career
Progressing at work satisfies her professionally. She doesn’t imagine retirement as simply stopping, wants to remain active, mentally engaged and useful.
Her future and retirement plans
Looking forward to having more family time, she wants to support other life journeys with the children. Has a pension but unsure if it will be enough
Mary’s thoughts on the 100-year life
"If I was living a life where I was adding value to others. If I was just here as a burden, I wouldn’t be too obsessed with getting beyond a healthy age”
Views on work and the 100-year life
Mary sees people transitioning into jobs that better suit later life while remaining active, engaged and socially connected.
View the Life100+ report
Read more about people’s views on the prospect of living to 100 in the Life100+ report.
Calculators
Pension calculator
Calculate your pension fund’s projected value and retirement income in minutes. Get helpful next steps for adjusting your pension strategy.
