Adapting to Retirement

Abstract

The scenario of an individual dying shortly after retirement is as familiar as that of a retired gentleman playing golf, wintering in the South, and pursuing an active and satisfying retirement life. Such sketches, with numerous variations in between, represent opposites in the process of adapting to retirement. With shifting demographics** and with occupational retirement now a generally accepted and expected part of Western life, an understanding of what accounts for such differences takes on greater importance.Retirement itself is a relatively recent phenomenon, characteristic of amuent industrial and postindustrial societies. In many other cultures, and in our own culture of 100 years ago, man did not worry about adapting to retirement, for retirement was virtually nonexistent. Work was a part of life until illness or death prevented it. Now, however, we have compulsory age-based retirement in many occupational sectors (supported by social security schemes) and the tradition of retiring from work around the age of 65 in most other sectors. At the same time, life spans are lengthening. The implication is that men who retire at about 65 have a life expectancy of roughly 14 to 15 years in retirement, and women have an even longer life expectancy.Researchers have investigated the process of retirement, finding interdependence between a large number of variables related to the adjustment that persons have to make. It is the purpose of this paper to review and discuss current thinking about the process of adapting to retirement. Although it is recognized that organizations and society at large both have to deal with the phenomena of retirement, this paper will limit its focus to the person's adaptation, and will serve to provide a framework for directions for fruitful future research and policy formulation.

Work Related Attitudes of Naval Officers before and after Retirement

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Adaptation to Retirement: Role Changes and Psychological Resources

“…Retirement planning is a n important way to clarify expectations of retirement and to transmit useful information to the retiree, thus raising self-efficacy. Clarification of retirement expectations has been identified as a positive consequence of retirement planning (Howard, Marshall, Rechnitzer, Cunningham, & Donner, 1982;Wan & Odell, 1983).…”

The Stressful Life Events and Parkinson's Disease: A Case–Control Study

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