Several conceptualizations and definitions of retirement have been proposed. One of them--the three-stage transition process--can be illustrated from studies in Israel: (1) leaving the old role; (2) going through the act of formal separation; and (3) adjusting to the new situation and role. Today's higher rate of survival into later years means…

Interviews were conducted with 30 shift workers and 30 day workers in the paper industry to discover differences in their experience of retirement. Each group of 30 workers was further divided (10 workers in each group) into those who had been retired for less than 1 year, those who had been retired for 2-4 years, and those who had been retired…

Numerous studies have analyzed the determinants of early retirement or retirement on time among older men and women. However, not many studies of the determinants of retirement have analyzed racial and gender differences, both between and within groups. Using data from the 1968-1987 interview waves of the Panel Studies of Income Dynamics, this…

This Technical Committee Report examines four tiers of retirement income: (1) social security; (2) private and public occupational pension programs; (3) income from assets and savings; and (4) needs-tested programs. A summary of principal findings and recommendations is followed by three sections discussing the statistical basis for this report.…

Recent trends toward earlier retirement have exacerbated the financial problems facing the Social Security system and many other public and private pension plans. The massive commitment of public and private funds to Social Security and pension funds is partly responsible for the trend to early retirement. This, in fact, was one of the early goals…

Papers included are as follows: "An Overview" (Ross); "The Outlook for Social Security in the Wake of the 1983 Amendments" (Munnell); "The Economics of Aging: Doomsday or Shangrila?" (Schulz); "Retirement Incentives--the Carrot and the Stick. (Why No One Works beyond 65 Anymore)" (Quinn); "Inflation and…

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors which may influence the decision to seek employment after retirement from one's primary occupation, and to determine if these factors are similar for males and females. Data were collected from 540 western land grant university employees from ages 40-65 who were employed in positions ranging…

This document presents an overview of research in retirement housing which focuses on studying individuals' adaptation to retirement housing, consulting on the design of retirement housing, and conducting community surveys to assess the interest in living options for older persons. The terms congregate housing, continuing care retirement centers,…

One of the most significant factors in accounting for death attitudes is religious beliefs, yet this factor has been little studied or understood. This study examined the relationship between death anxiety, religiosity, and life satisfaction among a sample of retired older individuals. Sixty retired subjects between the ages of 60 and 84 years…

The beginning phases of a preretirement program at San Jose State University, California, are described. The program, initiated through the interdisciplinary gerontology program, entailed group discussions and individual followup and counseling when appropriate. Discussion topics were housing, legal matters, leisure and volunteer work, health, and…

This paper challenges the dominant view of leadership, the organizational-effectiveness approach, and proposes a different concept of leadership in the context of retirement. A premise is that the organizational-effectiveness approach is inadequate to the task of retirement organizations and may inhibit senior participation. Following an…

The marital relationship is a basic context of retirement, where spouses' separate perceptions of retirement, and of each other's views, are an essential part of the retirement experience. To explore this issue, 297 married men who had been retired for 6 years or less, all participants in the Veterans Administration Normative Aging Study, reported…

Studies on retirement reporting that, compared to people not retired, recent retirees exhibited less income, more physical and mental illness, lower self-esteem, and less life satisfaction have been challenged and new findings have been revealed by longitudinal studies using data from large samples. It appears that perhaps the way individuals…

Regardless of their marital status earlier in life, most women can expect to be single for some of their old age. In addition, older single women often have reduced resources. Many women now face situations unlike their expectations when they chose their life courses. Such a situation is shared by a unique community of Catholic sisters. Changes in…

Survey data based on a random sample of retirement villages' residents in Florida (N=519) considered retirement plans. Individuals were more likely to have made detailed plans for: Health Insurance (85 percent); Income (71 percent); Will (70 percent); Housing (67 percent); Health Care (55 percent); Leisure Pursuits (39 percent). A retirement…