What are Cyprus’ elderly doing?

Our island now has more retirees than children. But it’s still short on formal programmes for its ageing population

Nearly 40 per cent of Cyprus is over the age of 50!

That’s roughly 400,000 of us (according to Cystat’s official resident data) who have left behind the first flush of youth, passed through the rosy bloom of middle age, and are now life’s hardy perennials – slightly weathered by the seasons, but not yet compost!

If we lived in the UK, we might be walking the Peak District, learning Italian, or boosting our digital skills – courtesy of organisations such as Age UK and U3A. In Australia, we could be paddleboarding the Gold Coast or researching our family tree, thanks to programmes from Active Ageing and Be Connected. And in Canada, we might be taking state-organised Tai Chi lessons or memoir-writing classes – all part of a national push to keep older adults connected, creative and outdoors.

Here in Cyprus? Well, while the data suggests our island now has more retirees than children, we’re still short on formal programmes for the over-60s!

Yes, we have sun and sea, groups and clubs we’ve created ourselves, friends on every corner. But structured opportunities for late-life adventure, creativity or reinvention? Not so much.

And so we make our own pleasures: walking our dogs, playing golf, winning quiz nights – facing the sun like the hardy perennials we are.

There are, however, over-60s in Cyprus who are going much further – not just staying active, but pushing boundaries, chasing dreams and redefining what it means to grow older on the island….

“I couldn’t just potter round the plants – I’d go mad!” says Nicosia resident George Stylianou, who’s just a few months off 60.  

“A lot of people my age are happy with a quieter life: reading, telly, coffee with friends. And that’s lovely, honestly. But as I get older, I need a bit more of a challenge; something that gets me moving and gives me purpose…

Over the last few years, George has run 300 kilometres, rowed 325,000 kilometres – “on a rowing machine in the gym; golly, my bum was sore!” – and walked alone from Protaras to Paphos; a three-day journey that, he admits, “almost killed me!

“And it was,” he adds, “all in aid of cancer research. Because, while I’m able, I’d like to be able to support the incredible organisations – such as PASYKAF – who help those in need.”

George’s way of giving back is grounded, physical and driven by a deep sense of purpose. What he’s doing doesn’t cost a fortune; doesn’t hinge on status, recognition or a grand audience. Powered by nothing more than commitment, time and a deep personal drive, his activities are simple, solitary and sincere.

Lia Lapithi, on the other hand, is channelling her energy into something far more expressive – a voyage that’s as much about creative exploration as it is about personal reinvention.

“I’ve done my job, raised my family – now it’s ‘me time’,” says the 60-year-old. “The older you get, the more important it is to stop delaying. You’ve got to make that bucket list – and do it!”

A well-known artist who’s currently creating a work inspired by her nautical odyssey, Lia has been sailing the Mediterranean with her 67-year-old husband, Yianni Shukuroglou, for the past three years. Voyaging alone from Cyprus, the two have circumnavigated the sea, from the Greek islands to Italy, Spain and France. And, en route, have experienced any number of adventures: smashed on the rocks, engine blow-outs, weathering storms in the middle of the Med!

“We used to keep the sailing boat, a Bavarian Vision 50, in Larnaca Marina; take it round the Aegean each summer. But then my husband said, ‘We’ve got this. Let’s go further!’

“There’s this idea,” Lia adds, “that people our age should slow down, stay home, look after everyone else. But what about us? We’re not running away from responsibility. We’re showing that life doesn’t have to shrink with age – you can still do something meaningful, inspire oneself or maybe even others too!”

While George challenges the physical limits of ageing, Lia is exploring how age deepens creativity: creating art from her evolving odyssey. But what about the mind?

For Errikos Leonidou, keeping the intellect sharp is just as vital as keeping the body moving.

“I got into bridge decades ago, when I was at King’s College London,” he reveals. “I thought it was a good counterpoint to studies and family.”

But it’s only in retirement that Errikos has truly been able to dedicate himself to the game: at 79, the Oroklini resident is a regular on the bridge circuit, a former treasurer and now the first ever honorary member of the Cyprus Bridge Federation committee.

“Bridge takes me all over the world,” he adds. “Australia, USA, South America, all over Europe. I’m just back from Romania for the European Small Federation Games – the Cyprus team won a medal! Last year we went to Latvia, the year before to Estonia.”

While international travel comes with a cost not all of us can incur, mental activity doesn’t have to be pricey. Errikos enjoys games in Larnaca, Nicosia and Lefkara, and frequently plays online.

“You can set up inside or outside depending on the weather; you don’t need much more than a pack of cards,” he enthuses. And the benefits of bridge are legion…

“We all know that bridge is brilliant for keeping the mind active, preventing some mental diseases, staving off Alzheimer’s – it requires memory, concentration, strategy. But it also has huge social benefits: I’ve made plenty of lasting friends all over the world through online bridge – we visit each other whenever we can!”

With an ever-ageing population, staying active – physically, creatively, mentally – is increasingly important in Cyprus. And if the state isn’t offering much in the way of structured opportunities, it’s up to us to redefine what ageing is.

“I was never going to be the kind of person who retired to an armchair,” Errikos concludes. “What – stay home and do nothing? No thanks. If you want to live, you have to keep living.”