Retiring minds
want to know
What’s the key to a smooth retirement? Tend to your psychological
portfolio as much as your financial one, researchers say.
BY JAMIE CHAMBERLIN • Monitor staff
The questions most people think about before retirement are “How much money will I need?” and “Am I saving enough?” But while financial security is certainly critical, people need to
amass more than money for a successful retirement, experts say. They
need to stockpile their emotional reserves, as well.
Too few people consider the psychological adjustments that
accompany this life stage, which can include coping with the loss of
your career identity, replacing support networks you had through work,
spending more time than ever before with your spouse and finding new
and engaging ways to stay active.
Some retirees ease smoothly into retirement, spending more time
with hobbies or family and friends. But others, research finds, experience
anxiety, depression and debilitating feelings of loss, says Robert
Delamontagne, PhD, author of the 2011 book “The Retiring Mind: How
to Make the Psychological Transition to Retirement.”
