Retiring from ‘University Life’: Critical Reflections on a Retirement Lifestyle Planning Program

Abstract

While assisting individual workers to prepare or plan for a successful transition to retirement is a key responsibility of human resource (HR) departments, within many large organizations (including universities) preparations related to financial planning are prioritized, with limited evidence of consideration for the lifestyle preparations needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a series of leisure education-based webinars focused on supporting university employees to engage in lifestyle planning associated with the transition to retirement. In addition to live sessions, a learning management system provided access to discussion boards and resource materials with senior students available to provide individualized assistance. Participants (n = 44 across two implementations) indicated wanting assistance to make retirement fulfilling or rewarding. Participants were very-to-highly satisfied with the sessions, with the most highly valued focused on self-exploration (e.g., considering values, beliefs and strengths to bring into retirement). Participants also valued opportunities to reflect on what aspects of their work life they want to bring with them into retirement, and what they want to leave behind. Although a ‘readiness’ for self-exploration seemed important, opportunities for leisure -related self-reflection and assessment seemed particularly beneficial. Findings are discussed in relation to considering HR departments’ responsibilities to assist university workers to prepare for the retirement transition. Leisure education as a tool for facilitating retirement planning in the university context is warranted. Possibilities for incorporating peer-to-peer education and support—as well as tailored educational sessions—are discussed.

On Time, Leisure, and Health in Retirement: Implications for Public Health Services

“…Despite this endorsement of the need for more retirement intervention programs, Leandro-Franca noted that there is a continuing need for a more robust evaluation of them [59]. Relatedly, while there is some evidence of the effectiveness of leisure education interventions to address the needs of people living with ongoing health problems and more generally in preparing for the transition to retirement [64,[68][69][70], there is a need for the continued development and evaluation of innovative individual or group leisure education programs and services that address the complex needs of some individuals facing this transition.…”

“…Kleiber and Linde reviewed a wide range of retirement and leisure-related evidence to suggest that leisure education address two key goals to support successful adjustment in retirement: (1) consider what is lost in the transition to retirement (e.g., opportunities to express competence) and how leisure can serve as a context for meeting these enduring needs (i.e., to compensate for or replace what is most valued about work); and (2) focus on examining the various ways different forms of leisure can be a 'restorative resource' for health and well-being, including a focus on addressing social needs [63]. To address both goals, Kleiber and Linde suggested that retirement planning programs focus on helping people: (a) deepen self-awareness and clarify values, (b) identify resources or opportunities (e.g., within one's neighborhood or community), (c) have the chance to 'experience' leisure (e.g., leisure sampling), and (d) engage in problem solving that supports making decisions and commitments [64]. The first recommendation is particularly important for people whose attitudes toward time use and leisure may serve as barriers in the transition to retirement and the latter is essential for people experiencing challenges identified earlier.…”

“…Recently Woodford and colleagues applied Dattilo's and Kleiber and Linde's ideas to the development of a brief (six sessions) retirement lifestyle planning program delivered in a university context [60,63,64]. In the context of the program, participants were encouraged to identify personal, social, and health-related resources needed to live a fulfilling life in retirement; to assess their personal strengths; to consider time use (including the importance of finding purpose and the ways leisure/recreation can be resources for living a fulfilling life in retirement); and to identify potential barriers and strategies to taking action on life priorities (now and in retirement).…”

“…Each of these program goal areas are relevant for helping people develop knowledge, skills (e.g., life management strategies), and attitudes (including awareness and confidence) for time use in retirement. Program participants reported feeling both more confident and prepared following the program [64]. Although their program addresses general lifestyle planning needs in the retirement lifestyle planning process, there was limited attention paid to the unique challenges people may be experiencing.…”

“…The development and delivery of group-and individual-based leisure education focused on planning for time use in retirement. The topics proposed by Carbonneau and colleagues and Kleiber and Linde and incorporated within the program developed by Woodford and colleagues are examples of content that could meaningfully address participants' needs to develop greater self-awareness and knowledge as well as to learn and practice strategies to overcome constraints impacting both time use and health and well-being in preparing for the transition to retirement [62][63][64]. As suggested above, there would also be merit in developing specialized workshops targeting specific health or wellness challenges (e.g., caregiving, widowhood, and health limitations) and, for those with unique or complex needs, it would be helpful if they could be referred to wellness navigators or life coaches who would be ideally positioned to support people whose needs cannot be addressed in a group education context [67].…”