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Counselling Connections Across Australia

SELF ESTEEM egalitarian ideology retire they tend to to education, cognitive therapeutic
invest more time in routine tasks which techniques would aid those retirees who
Development theories by Erikson (1982) is not so for men of a similar ideology. consistently anticipate the negative while
maintain the major task for later years is Research suggests transitioning to overlooking the positive aspects of the
dealing with ego integrity versus despair. retirement is not a significant event situation.
The older person must maintain the that changes the division of labour in
wholeness, the adequacy and meaning household tasks (Solomon, Acock and Post retirement programmes may also
of self in the face of stress and loss that Walker, 2004). be helpful for those people experiencing
can readily bring about despair. Research ongoing or new and unexpected
in 1970 in the USA (Kaplan and Pokorny, difficulties. (Keating and Marshall,
1970) indicated that where disruptive INTERVENTION 1980). Ekerdt (1985) and his colleagues
forces exist in someone’s life, where found that in the first few months post
an anticipated standard of living was Research suggests that a person who is retirement most people were highly
not realized or where strong fears exist better educated, has enough financial satisfied with life and optimistic about
about being isolated or being alone the resources and has the capacity to access the future. Men who were then retired
older person is more vulnerable and less suitable resources is more likely to be from 13 to 18 months were found to be
likely to increase their self-esteem in old better adjusted as they progress into somewhat disenchanted and then later
age. (Kalish, 1975). retirement (Kalish, 1975) (739) While still seemed to regain a sense of relative
most individuals experience retirement satisfaction. It may be that retirees have
as a positive life transition 32% found the different concerns such as their everyday
MARITAL STATuS process difficult or somewhat difficult. activities, social relationships or the
(Braithwaite, Gibson, and Bosly Crafts, use of time rather than concerns about
For women there is a five times greater 1986). These retirees complained about finances or health (Glass and Grant,
incidence of the person giving up their financial difficulties, missing friends from 1983).
work to care for a disabled partner work, being bored or having difficulty in
than there would be for a man in adjusting to change. 16% saw nothing
similar circumstances (Dentinger and good about retirement. CONCLuSION
Clarkberg, 2002). Similarly, the type
of work of the husband, the division of Ekerdt and Bosse (1982) suggested that Although gerontologists advocate
labour in the home, the social support retirees who expect health problems the use of longitudinal research very
and pre-retirement factors affect or other factors may be less anxious little has been done and with limited
marital quality after retirement (Myers if educated on the benign or positive duration to determine meaningful
and Booth 1996). When women with an impacts of retirement. In addition trends. Furthermore, there is a lack

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edition 12 november 2020