EMBARGOED TO: 12:01 a.m. Friday 17 September 1999
RETIREMENT PLANNING IGNORES MENTAL HEALTH:
New research from USA published at British Society of Gerontology conference
Bournemouth, England and Wilmington, North Carolina -- While many people plan for financial security in retirement, few prepare for changes in how they spend their time, according to a major study of retirees in the USA. With increasing numbers of people retiring at younger ages, researchers say that more emphasis must be placed on the mental health aspects of adjusting to retirement in developing pre-retirement programs.
The research results are to be presented by Dr. Marlene Rosenkoetter, professor of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, at the British Society of Gerontology's 1999 Annual Conference in Bournemouth today (17 September 1999) .
Dr. Rosenkoetter and Dr. John Garris, associate professor of production and decision sciences at the UNC Wilmington Cameron School of Business, studied 1565 retirees from an international company living in seven southeastern states in the United States. Of the total, 764 responded to the survey and were included in the study which focused on the "psychosocial adjustment" of retirees following retirement. 33 percent said they participated in no planning for retirement.
Respondents were asked to check nine activities they had done to prepare for retirement. Later they were asked to check each of the same nine activities that people planning to retire need to do to prepare.
Vast differences were found. What they said they had done to prepare was very different from what they said people need to do to prepare. There were differences in: financial planning; investment planning; adjustment to retirement planning; knowing financial benefits; planning with family members; planning for use of time after retirement; stress management; planning for life after retirement; planning for later life.
While the respondents were primarily healthy, living on their own, and adjusting effectively, numerous psychosocial adjustment problems were noted.
Respondents were asked to check 12 activities that they did more, the same, or less after retirement. Significant differences were found in 10 of these activities. There was a tremendous increase in the amount of time watching television and a number of other activities. There was no change in the amount of exercise or social activities.
The findings suggest that many of the retirees "traded" their work time for watching TV and doing sedentary activities. This has obvious ramifications for health, pre-retirement planning, and health care professionals.
Dr Rosenkoetter said: "The importance of these findings is not only that planning for financial security was important, but planning for all of the psychosocial elements was essential. The latter is frequently if not customarily overlooked in retirement planning in the US, at least."
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The British Society of Gerontology aims to promote the understanding of human aging and later life through research and communication. It seeks to foster the application of this knowledge to the improvement of the quality of life in old age.
The BSG's 1999 Annual Conference on 17-19 September will focus on 'Tradition and Transition - Aging in the New Millennium'.
To celebrate the United Nations International Year of Older People, the conference will look at aging in other countries and culture, spirituality, oral history and education. Keynote speakers include:
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church in Britain for almost 50 years, on the spiritual challenges of aging and frailty
Dr. Jim Birren, professor at the University of South California and one of the pioneers of gerontology, on the influences of education throughout life
Dr. Fereshteh Ahmadi from Uppsala University, Sweden, on the adaptation to a modern society of a traditional culture by the Iranian Sufis in Sweden
The media are invited to attend the British Society of Gerontology's 1999 Annual Conference at the Moathouse Hotel, Bournemouth on 17-19 September.
For further information including interviews with Dr. Marlene Rosenkoetter, contact:
Stephen Burke, Press Office, British Society of Gerontology, tel: 0181-740 7877.
Dr. Rosenkoetter can be reached in Wilmington, NC, USA at 910/4284 or contact:
Mimi Cunningham, assistant vice chancellor for university relations, UNCW, 910/962-3171 or at [email protected].
RSS