Search

This qualitative interview study set out to gauge older citizens' perceptions of reasons for willingly entering retirement, or, alternatively, resisting it, by examining the retrospective views of 45 adults (aged 62 to 94 years) in Norway who had already crossed the retirement threshold. Interviews were taped, transcribed and analysed (separately) by the two authors. Findings, extrapolated from the interview data, demonstrated an array of interacting factors influencing individual pathways into retirement and adjustments to various retired life-styles. Furthermore, three broad themes were identified; namely, 'there is life beyond work'; 'work as a life-style'; and 'there is not much left to live for' with individually different routes within these. Importantly, it became clear that these pathways were initiated long before retirement. Given the range of influencing factors and of the psychosocial resources shown by the participants, it was proposed that future research should focus more innovatively on interactive, ecological approaches with a longer time-span perspective., Present-day Western societies are undergoing rapid social changes and demographic shifts, making developmental transitions and signposts more problematic. Older adults, experiencing transitions towards retirement, with accompanying possibilities of opportunity and [...]