More than half of Italian retirees (n=478) surveyed experienced no problems with retirement, but many were still interested in retirement preparation programs. They wanted programs to address a wide range of psychological and social subjects. (SK)

Little attention has been given to the leisure activities of retired professors, whose activity patterns in retirement may be different from those of other occupational groups because of their lifetime commitment to work. This interview study uses both quantitative and qualitative data to investigate: (a) the leisure and professional activities of…

Retirement is viewed as a passage that can result in psychological, physiological, and economic problems among some retirees. Adequate preparation for retirement through preretirement education, as practiced in the Western-European societies, has been found to ease transition into retirement and adjustment in retirement. Preretirement education is…

Recent surveys show that many adults do not read extensively. Senior citizens, despite increased leisure time, do not acquire reading habits if they have previously failed to develop systematic reading habits. Rather, reading behavior of retired persons tends to closely reflect previous reading habits, educational attainment, and socioeconomic…

In survey responses from 87 of 153 Indiana University retired faculty, more than half reported no difficulties adjusting to retirement; most had looked forward to it and about one-third continued teaching part time. One-third had adjustment problems such as feelings of detachment and loss of interaction with colleagues and students; those…

Interviews with 104 university professors just before and a year after retirement showed that health; rated importance of teaching, research, and consulting roles; and leisure activities related to satisfaction before and after retirement. The most consistent predictor of satisfaction before retirement was self-perceived health and after…

Many women fail to plan for retirement due to economic constraints, interrupted career paths, lower earnings, gender bias, gender-role socialization, self-esteem, role definition, locus of control, or risk tolerance. Retirement education must address women's specific issues regarding financial planning. (SK)

This service-learning project provided a venue for university students majoring in business administration to learn about the successful aging process while contributing to a positive quality of life for retirees living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). The project provided the retirees an opportunity to learn computer skills that…

Four preretirement education models were analyzed in terms of their effectiveness in contributing to behavioral, informational, and attitudinal change. A statistical methodology for assessing the effectiveness of short-term training programs is also presented. (Author)

This discussion (1) briefly examines the effects of retirement upon the individual; (2) assesses preretirement conditions and attitudes which affect the individual's adjustment to retirement; and (3) identifies preretirement learning experiences which promote effective and successful adjustment of individuals to retirement. (Author)

Suggests that retired professors, officially organized, recognized, and modestly funded, would bring an extended-family presence to the campus and provide a partnership with teaching faculty and students involved in gerontological education and practice. They could provide supplementary support in organizing and participating in symposia,…

A study of 101 alumni of the Leadership Ashville Seniors program shows that middle class, well-educated retirees who had been professionals/managers want volunteer, leadership, and learning opportunities. Higher education can help develop roles that counter commonly believed age stereotypes. (SK)

Readarama was established for a community retirement center in Athens, Georgia. The sessions were attended by healthy, active elderly women. Readarama points out the value of the reading group as an outlet for an already-established hobby and as a means of forming social contacts for the retiree. (Author)

Over 30 years, the Community Church College in Florida has offered a formal curriculum for residents of a retirement community. Essential elements are a wide range of offerings, flexibility, lack of emphasis on credentials, no examinations, and a focus on lifelong learning. (SK)

A survey of retired rural adults (252 men, 199 women) found that 25% of women and 28% of men rated their health fair or poor; 21% of women and 17% of men rated their financial status less than adequate. Retired women reported significantly lower incomes, more contact with relatives, and greater participation in organizations and volunteer work.…