Biology Forums - Study Force

Briefly describe the early retirement problem faced by older adults.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Forced retirements often create financial and psychological burdens that retirees usually face without much assistance or preparation. Being without a job in our work-oriented society is often a reality shock for older people. For the retiree, it means facing a new life and status without much preparation or assistance. Retirement often removes people from the mainstream of life. It diminishes their social contacts and their status and places them in a roleless role.
Even though employers can no longer force a worker to retire, many exert subtle pressures on their older employees. Retirees who are not worried about money and who are healthy are happier in retirement than those who miss their income and do not feel well enough to enjoy their leisure time. Many recent retirees relish the first long stretches of leisure time they have had since childhood. After a while, however, they may begin to feel restless, bored, and useless. Retirement appears to have little effect on physical health, but it sometimes affects mental health. Workers who are pressured to retire before they want may feel anger and resentment and may feel out of step with younger workers. Also, workers who defer retirement for as long as possible because they enjoy their work may feel that no longer working is an immense loss after they have been pressured to retire. On the other hand, some people's morale and life satisfaction remain stable through both working and retirement years. The effect of retirement on the lives of people has positive consequences for some and negative consequences for others. The two most common problems associated with retirement are adjusting to a reduced income and missing one's former job. Those who have the most difficulty in adjusting tend to be rigid or overly identify with their work by viewing their job as their primary source of satisfaction and self-image. Those who are happiest are able to replace job prestige and financial status with values stressing self-development, personal relationships, and leisure activities.