Experiences of the transition into retirement: An interview study

Abstract

Retirement is one of the most important transitions in a person's life, which also might affect health and well-being. Adjustment to a life as retiree does not follow a uniform pattern, which emphasizes the importance of an individual perspective. This article uses transition theory as a theoretical perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 individuals newly retired, focusing on experiences from the last year of work and the time after retirement. Content analysis was used to analyze data. Two themes emerged: ‘become aware of’ and ‘become adapted to’. Nine subthemes describe the individual experiences reflecting positive expectations and outcomes but also feelings of grief and disconnectedness and fears about loss of social network and identity. Transition into retirement should receive more attention from a nursing perspective since experiences such as, for example, grief, disconnectedness and loss of identity if unaddressed could lead to an unhealthy transition.