ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the journey of retirees, through planning and decision-making, expectations, early experiences, pleasures and disappointments. It describes the retirement experiences of both men and women, exploring similarities and differences in their resources and coping styles. The book draws on contemporary qualitative and quantitative psychological research, positioning this research within its social context. There are at least three different styles of retirement. First is the traditional 'cold turkey' approach, where paid work ceases altogether. A second retirement style is the transitional approach, where people gradually withdraw from the workforce through part-time or casual work. The third retirement style has been labelled 'transformative'. Retirees in this group start on new projects that fill a good proportion of their day and provide a new identity, a new self-description.
