The lived experience of well-being in retirement: A phenomenological study.
This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the general meaning structure of the experience of well-being after retirement. We interviewed nine retirees about their lived experiences with well-being and analysed the data with Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological method. The general meaning structure described well-being in retirement as a phenomenon that interweaves four constituents: (1) an awareness of and gratitude for a healthy and functioning body, (2) a new experience of time presenting possibilities for action, (3) a heightened sense of agency, and (4) being-in-place in relationships. We discuss these findings in relation to relevant literature of successful aging, the perception of time, eudaimonic and hedonic well-being and generativity. Our findings contribute to the field by comprehensibly describing the phenomenon of well-being as it is experienced by retirees, which we conclude to be a valuable contribution for initiatives promoting well-being in retirement.
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University College of Southeast Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway; lars.bauger@hit.no.
Lars
L
Bauger
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University College of Southeast Norway, Porsgrunn, Norway.
Rob
R
Bongaardt
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006262:Health; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057181:Pleasure; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012179:Retirement / Q000523:psychology; D013995:Time
Retirement; agency; aging; generativity; perception of time; phenomenology; qualitative methods; well-being