Some of us may still feel shame or discomfort because we are not
doing what we have done habitually for so long. Going to work, being engaged,
and being productive embody traditional values that may take time to fade,
especially if these activities have high intrinsic value in terms of personal
meaning.
Such values can create ambivalence for those who are making the
transition to retirement. The avoidance of shame caused by wrongly perceived
dependency on a partner may also motivate some retirees to seek part-time
employment.
The percentage of seniors in care is low, but because ageism is so
prevalent in our society as we age, we have an increased fear of too much
dependency on caretakers be they, relationship partners or professionals.
Inability to take care of oneself with increasing age can bring feelings of
shame and guilt. Physical dependency restricts life choices and can overburden
caretakers. The deterioration of vision, hearing, and memory can also threaten
personal autonomy. The possibility of incurring the wrath of caretakers for the
inability to control bodily functions can also be a source of potential shame,
even though the odds are against this happening we have an overwhelming fear of
being too dependent.
After the initial excitement of being retired, we may settle down
to making necessary adjustments. Some of us find that a busy schedule of
recreational activities does not provide long-term meaning. But the question
arises: What do I do in retirement apart from recreation, hobbies, and travel?
Perceived exile from the former workplace can produce feelings of
powerlessness and isolation. Now that retirees no longer have the backing of a
job to enhance their credibility in their area of expertise, they may find
themselves in no mood to “chase ambulances” again in order to find full- or
part-time work. Underlying the attempt to find new activities and projects to
replace those lost to retirement is a feeling of having gone through the
work-life cycle once and a resistance to having to work hard, be it paid or
unpaid, to develop new projects.
These feelings make it more difficult for some of us to look for
projects and activities that are not a rerun of what we have already
accomplished. The loss of the stimulation and meaning provided by their former
employment, however, may draw some retirees back to their former work role,
either in a part- or full-time capacity.
The basic question of What do I do with my retirement? is difficult to answer. Some of us find that taking it easy only prevails for a
while until dissatisfaction mounts and the search for some meaningful activity
occurs. The search is made more difficult by the large number of possibilities
from which choices can be made. Because this choice dilemma occurs in the
afternoon of life, it may not be faced with the enthusiasm of a younger person
who is just beginning a career.
Time frames initiatives differently in later life. Having expended
so much energy in earlier life, we may be less willing or unable to summon the
energy and enthusiasm for a twilight repeat of earlier life initiatives. As we
look to reinvent ourselves we may gaze upon the accoutrements of our prior
employment, such as tools, books, and credentials and may struggle to come to
terms with the probability that these will no longer be needed. These props of
a past life can evoke nostalgia and grief for the end of a career even though
they may be retained in the faint hope that they might once again become
useful.
Nonetheless, there are those who do not encounter this weakening of
initiative. Some do not retire. Others shift to part-time work and thereby
avoid some of the difficulties experienced by those who leave their former
careers completely behind.
Because of the high value placed on work and effort in North
American society, those retirees who have problems developing new initiatives
may experience guilt about whether they are doing enough. But it can be
difficult to follow through on initiatives because many in our society expect
seniors to confine/herself to lives centred on recreation, relaxation, and
travel.
The coincidence of ageing and retirement can reduce the kind of
motivation to achieve what may have characterized retirees’ younger years. It
is important, nevertheless, for retirees to search for meaningful projects and
recreational activities, be they old or new. Meaningful initiatives in later
life are different from those of the earlier stages. If retirees’ finances are
adequate, meaning and life satisfaction–rather than economic necessity and
ambition–are more likely to be the criteria that influence their choice of
activities, projects, or employment.
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