Introduction
Retirement is a significant life event that is accompanied by changes in daily routines, social roles, social connections, and income in later adulthood. Older people are spending more time in retirement as their life expectancy increases. Pension and savings schemes have alleviated the financial demands of retirement in many nations. Much discussion has raged about how and whether the move to retirement affects a person’s subjective well-being. Researchers referenced throughout the paper agree on the presence of unavoidable stress stemming from the significance of changes introduced. However, the discussion still remains on the degree and details of this stress, its direct health and well-being consequences and available ways to address it constructively and effectively.
Aim
This article aims to re-establish the concept of retirement and the permanent life changes that follow older adults into their newly transformed life. A significant shift in routine is noticeable stress for physical and mental health alike, and thus, it is worth analyzing the ways in which an individual might adapt efficiently. The article aims to support its conceptual clarification of retirement as a phenomenon by relevant scholastic research and discuss it within the Tanzanian retirement system. It also aims to handle the subject matter with due care since the topic of retirement is relatively rarely brought up in the public discussion of a person’s life cycle outside of its economic side.
Conceptual Clarification
Retirement is a social transformation that affects a person’s life economically, occupationally, and psychologically. It has been notoriously difficult for scholars of multiple fields to conceptualize the exact characteristics and implications of this process outside of the core fact of terminating employment due to a certain age. However, the prevalent issue that takes a mental and physical toll on the retirees after the fact concerns the lack of structure in their lives. Retirement promises relaxation and independence, but it also carries the potential of boredom and loneliness. When retirees remove themselves from the standard work commitments, they notice an often unsettling lack of order in their calendars.
Retirees comment on being bored, aimless, and lonely instead of feeling free, calm, and pleased. They are saddened by the passing of their old life, worried about how they will occupy their days, or concerned about the impact staying at home all day is having on their relationship with their spouse or partner.
Discussion
It is reasonable to first consider the correlating factors that might increase or decrease the effects of entering retirement on a person’s mental and physical health. The challenges retirees have in adapting to the loss of their employment position are frequently considered to be based on previous life events. Missing work after retirement is linked to earlier life experiences in both the job and family arenas. Regarding work histories, the data suggest that retirees with a strong upward career path in their midlife years are less likely to miss money/income, similarly likely to miss social contacts, and more likely to miss status than those who did not.
Employment, according to sociological role theory, is a core function that is vital to an individual’s identity. As a result, retirees are likely to feel as though they have lost a significant position in society, which can contribute to psychological discomfort. Similarly, continuity theory suggests that retirement may be psychologically unpleasant due to the loss of a primary position. Often, retired people feel robbed of purpose if they are unable to replace their lost job role with other hobbies. As a result, continuity theory predicts a general fall in well-being following retirement.
From a different perspective, divorced seniors without a spouse are more likely to struggle with adjusting to the social adjustments that come with losing a job. They are not only more likely to miss social contacts and status when compared to continuously married retirees, but also when compared to single, never married retirees, suggesting that it is crucial to consider marital history variation among people living alone.
Furthermore, it is relevant to mention that the provided social context for this paper concerns Tanzania, with the subsequent age of retirement at 60 years. This appears to be a relatively standard mark for many English-speaking and European countries, meaning that most of the research concerning retirements under similar systems should be applicable. However, when implementing recommendations, it will be beneficial for healthcare and Social workers to familiarize themselves with local infrastructures in advance.
Conclusion
It may be concluded that, although being a tremendous stress owing to the structural change significance, retirement is not a uniform transition. Depending on the external circumstances of retirement (e.g., transition from unemployment or work) and accessible individual resources, different trajectories of life satisfaction might be seen (e.g., SES, being married, physical health). Second, existing theoretical models of well-being change throughout the retirement transition are appropriate for characterizing changes in life satisfaction in subgroups of retirees rather than in all retirees. Third, in periods when pension systems are adequate, there are rarely negative impacts of retirement on life satisfaction. However, as society’s graying has prompted concerns about cuts to pension plans and medical services, the corresponding losses in older individuals’ resources may result in even more negative consequences of retirement on future generations’ health.
Recommendation
Considering the identified trend of gradual reduction of available financial and social support for retirees, it is now more important than ever to design a set of comprehensible recommendations. Several tips might be successful in assisting the retirees with adaptation to their new life circumstances. Reasonable exercise and sport practicing might be a great suggestion, especially due to their structural potential. Regular exercise is impossible without a routine, which might help retirees with their sense of loss and disorientation. However, it is also essential to consider the limitations of retirees’ elderly age, and thus any potential programs should be ideally discussed with a doctor.
From a mental point of view, it is advisable that retirees engage socially with their peers, looking for common ground and shared interests outside of work. At this new stage of life after employment, the careers define them less than ever, and, thus, unlikely meetings might occur. By proactively forming a social circle with diverse individuals that, still, share a significant common experience with them, retirees will be able to feel in greater control of their lives. Emerging friendships might be successful in dealing with loneliness and isolation, while also broadening the horizons of their participants. As a result, retirees are likely to find a new interest and hobby, using their newly free mental energy to dedicate themselves to areas of life they enjoy. Now, after years of hard works, they finally have the time to try the beautiful yet impractical interests that has fascinated them throughout their youth.
Bibliography
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