Unanticipated consequences: a comparison of expected and actual retirement timing among older women.
The present study adds to the growing body of literature on women and retirement by means of a comparative analysis of the factors associated with anticipated retirement timing (among pre-retirees) and actual retirement timing (among retirees). Adopting a political economy of aging perspective, we argue that socially-structured patterns of gender inequality related to women's multiple roles across the life course affect patterns of retirement timing. Specifically, we hypothesize that the gendered nature of women's work-retirement decision-making is unanticipated during pre-retirement years. Logistic regression analyses are performed on data drawn from a sample of 275 women aged 45 and older living in the Vancouver area of British Columbia. A central finding is that while actual timing of retirement is affected by family caregiving responsibilities and by health/stress factors, pre-retirees do not perceive these to be important in their own expected retirement timing. Implications for social policy, education, and women's financial and psychological well-being in old age are elaborated.
Zimmerman
L
L
Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University at Harbour Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Mitchell
B
B
Wister
A
A
Gutman
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011640:Public Policy; D012179:Retirement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health