Retirement, like work, starting school, and other transitions, requires individuals to adjust. It entails individuals transitioning from working to relaxing and other activities once they quit their jobs, either at the legal retirement age or earlier. As a result, retirees are often older persons. The fundamental purpose of obligatory retirement ages is to guarantee that younger people acquire work while elderly people relax. Several variables influence the transition from work to retirement. Personal and societal variables are included. Retirement transition success levels vary depending on people’s mental health prior to retirement, social support, and socioeconomic condition.
Physical and mental health pre-retirement influences how individuals approach this chapter of their life. Because most individuals retire due to age, they often experience mental health issues such as work stress and anxiety (Hansson et al., 2019). When they ultimately retire and have a restricted social life, the situation deepens. Depression and emotional stress might make it difficult for individuals to retire. Army veterans, for example, suffer from mental health concerns such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Testoff et al., 2022). People suffering from PTSD may struggle to adjust to life after retirement. As a result, such persons may take drugs or engage in other risky behaviors as coping techniques. Furthermore, poor physical health makes living difficult. It may also have an impact on the retiree’s freedom. Healthy individuals, on the other hand, find the adjustment simpler because of their independence.
Social support is also important. Social support is being near others who can provide a community to help them manage. People around you provide social support. People with families, for example, find it simpler to leave their jobs than those without. Boredom is caused by retirement, which may predispose persons to mental health problems. Typically, the transition phase begins soon after they leave their coworkers and friends at work, and they must adjust to their new surroundings (Hansson et al., 2019). However, social support networks such as churches, friends, and love partners may provide assistance. As a result, retirees who have romantic relationships are more likely to find the transition time easier.
The socioeconomic status also has an impact on the ease of transfer. Wealthy individuals retire after amassing a large amount of fortune. As a result, they depart comfortably and without having to struggle to support themselves. However, the poor suffer after retirement due to a lack of sufficient financial resources. People do not work at the moment and rely on their savings. Retirees often have health difficulties that need medical attention (Reitzes & Mutran, 2004). The availability of funds has an impact on the affordability of living for retirees. Poverty, for example, may make it difficult to buy healthful foods. Retirement planning, like conserving money, assists in reducing financial troubles. It guarantees that one has a nice place to live and that they have access to pleasures such as holidays to assist them cope. However, not everyone is able to save enough money.
To summarize, although retirement enables individuals to relax after a long period of professional labor, the transition to the time is frequently difficult. People are leaving their colleagues, while others are alone or with family. People who have social support, such as friends and lovers, may assist one another. It is also critical to have adequate money to allow for relaxation and fewer financial stress during the time.
References
Hansson, I., Buratti, S., Johansson, B., & Berg, A. I. (2019). Beyond health and economy: Resource interactions in retirement adjustment. Aging & Mental Health, 23(11), 1546-1554. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1506745
Reitzes, D. C., & Mutran, E. J. (2004). The transition to retirement: Stages and factors that influence retirement adjustment. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 59(1), 63-84.https://doi.org/10.2190/NYPP-RFFP-5RFK-8EB8
Testoff, A. C., Schaefer Solle, N., Shafazand, S., Louzado-Feliciano, P., Lee, D. J., Koru-Sengul, T., … & Caban-Martinez, A. J. (2022). Sleep Latency and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Retired Career Florida Firefighters: Evidence From the Advancing Epidemiology of Retired Firefighters Aging Longitudinally Cohort. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 64(12), e851-e856. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002722
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