Meaning making in retirement transition: a qualitative inquiry into Slovak retirees

Exploring older migrants' meaning-making of 'happiness': "The main thing is health. Young people might say otherwise."

PURPOSE

As our ageing population is growing and diversifying, it is important to gain insight into the well-being of older migrants. However, the meanings of happiness can vary cross-culturally. Therefore, prior to exploring older migrants' happiness, their meaning-making of "happiness" should be explored. This way, cultural or individual variations can be considered when analysing older migrants' happiness. Not only migration background but also age could influence the meaning of well-being. For example, the meaning of well-being can change as people grow older. Therefore, both migration background and age are considered in exploring older migrants' meaning-making of happiness.

METHODS

To do so, in-depth interviews with older migrants (n = 22) from various ethnicities were conducted in which their meaning-making of happiness was questioned via a semi-structured interview guide.

RESULTS

After analysing the results via thematic analysis, three overarching themes are discussed: (1) happiness associations, (2) happiness-pursuing strategies, and (3) happiness obstructions. The analysis then further focuses on the role of migration background and ageing on the meaning-making of happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' meaning-making of happiness seems strongly imbued with age-related references. On the contrary, the impact of migration background is rather limited. To explain this difference, the value of incorporating participants' life course experiences emerged.

Older Adults Documenting Purpose and Meaning Through Photovoice and Narratives

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to explore how older adults perceived meaning and purpose in their lives.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Participants (N = 15) ranged in age from 66 to 89 years, and were asked to document purpose and meaning in their lives for 15 consecutive days by using photovoice and narrative methodologies. Latent thematic analysis was used to interpret the data.

RESULTS

Findings indicated 3 themes including: (1) mindful practices, (2) active participation in society with a subtheme on technology, and (3) goal-oriented mindset. Mindful practices involved spending time in nature and working to improve it and reflecting and engaging in creative endeavors to help understand the changing world. Active participation in society created feelings of usefulness and belonging among participants and ranged from taking care of and helping others to leaving a legacy. The subtheme on technology demonstrated it used to maintain social relationships, particularly during the pandemic. Examples of the goal-oriented mindset incorporated informal lifelong learning opportunities that encouraged physical and cognitive stimulation. In addition, possessions appeared to bring increased meaning and purpose to individuals who were more homebound.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Older adults identified purpose and meaning in their lives and demonstrated adaptability. For example, due to the pandemic or other personal dynamics such as declining mobility, some participants modified their activities to compensate. These findings have implications for policy and practice. Although older adults in this study demonstrated adaptability, others will need guidance and resources to successfully adapt and maintain levels of well-being.

"It's not that I don't have things to do. It just all revolves around me" - men's reflections on meaning in life in the transition to retirement in Denmark

Retirement may bring about significant changes for those who retire. Studies have shown that men find it harder than women to adapt to retirement, putting them at greater risk of identity and meaning loss, which may reduce subjective well-being and increase the risk of depression. While men may experience retirement as a challenging life event that triggers processes of meaning-making motivated by an appropriation of meaning to a new life situation, their experiences of meaning in retirement are yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to explore Danish men's reflections on meaning in life in the transition to retirement. Forty in-depth interviews were carried out with newly retired men between fall 2019 and fall 2020. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using an abductive approach informed by an ongoing interaction between empirical insights and psychological and philosophical perspectives on meaning in life. Six themes central to men's meaning-making in the transition to retirement were identified: family ties, social connectedness, structure of everyday life, contribution, engagement, and time. On this basis, it is suggested that reestablishing a sense of belonging and engagement are central to meaningfulness in the transition to retirement. Having a web of relations, a sense of being part of a social entity, and engaging oneself in something that provides intersubjective value may replace senses of meaning found previously in work life. A better understanding of meaning in men's transitions to retirement may provide a valuable knowledge base for efforts seeking to strengthen men's transition to retirement.