Editing Retirement (section)

==Life after retirement==
{{see also|Retiree}}
Retirement might coincide with important life changes; a retired worker might move to a new location, for example a [[retirement community]] (Kamal et. al, 2024), thereby having less frequent contact with their previous social context and adopting a new lifestyle. Often retirees [[Volunteering|volunteer]] for charities and other community organizations. Tourism is a common marker of retirement and for some becomes a way of life, such as for so-called [[Tourism#Grey nomads|grey nomads]]. Some retired people even choose to go and live in warmer climates in what is known as retirement migration.

It has been found that Americans have six lifestyle choices as they age: continuing to work full-time, continuing to work part-time, retiring from work and becoming engaged in a variety of leisure activities, retiring from work and becoming involved in a variety of recreational and leisure activities, retiring from work and later returning to work part-time, and retiring from work and later returning to work full-time.<ref name="auto1">Cox, H. (2012). Work/retirement choices and lifestyle patterns of older Americans. In L. Loeppke (Ed.), Annual editions: Aging (24th ed., pp. 74–83). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill</ref> An important note to make from these lifestyle definitions are that four of the six involve working. America is facing an important demographic change in that the Baby Boomer generation is now reaching retirement age. This poses two challenges: whether there will be a sufficient number of skilled workers in the work force, and whether the current pension programs will be sufficient to support the growing number of retired people.<ref>Hardy, M. (2006). Older workers. In R. Binstock & L. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences (6th ed., pp. 201–218). Boston, MA: Academic Press</ref> The reasons that some people choose to never retire, or to return to work after retiring include not only the difficulty of planning for retirement but also wages and fringe benefits, expenditure of physical and mental energy, production of goods and services, social interaction, and social status may interact to influence an individual's work force participation decision.<ref name="auto1"/>

Often retirees are called upon to care for [[grandchildren]] and occasionally aged parents. For many it gives them more time to devote to a [[hobby]] or [[sport]] such as [[golf]] or [[sailing]].

On the other hand, many retirees feel restless and suffer from depression as a result of their new situation. The newly retired are one of the most vulnerable social groups to become depressed most likely due to retirement coinciding with a deteriorating health status and increased care-giving responsibilities.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Jinkook |last2=Smith |first2=James P. |date=2009-06-01 |title=Work, Retirement, and Depression |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12062-010-9018-0 |journal=Journal of Population Ageing |language=en |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=57–71 |doi=10.1007/s12062-010-9018-0 |issn=1874-7876 |pmc=3655414 |pmid=23687521}}</ref> Retirement coincides with deterioration of one's health that correlates with increasing age and this likely plays a major role in increased rates of depression in retirees. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have shown that healthy elderly and retired people are as happy or happier and have an equal quality of life as they age as compared to younger employed adults, therefore retirement in and of itself is not likely to contribute to development of depression. Research around what retirees would ideally like to have a fulfilling life after retiring, found the most important factors were "physical comfort, social integration, contribution, security, autonomy and enjoyment".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Stephens |first1=Christine |last2=Breheny |first2=Mary |last3=Mansvelt |first3=Juliana |author-link3=Juliana Mansvelt |date=2015-06-03 |title=Healthy ageing from the perspective of older people: A capability approach to resilience |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2014.904862 |journal=Psychology & Health |volume=30 |issue=6 |pages=715–731 |doi=10.1080/08870446.2014.904862 |issn=0887-0446 |pmid=24678916 |s2cid=24424011}}</ref>

Many people in the later years of their lives, due to failing health, require assistance, sometimes in extremely expensive treatments – in some countries – being provided in a [[nursing home]]. Those who need care, but are not in need of constant assistance, may choose to live in a [[retirement home]].