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Healthcare has shifted from a curative approach to more of a preventive one,
which focuses on health promotion and holistic health practices (vanderPloeg, 2001
p.46). Health promotion programs have been found to be effective in reducing medical
costs (Sterns, Lax & Chang, 2009 p. 319), preventing illness and enhancing wellness
(Wilson & Palha, 2007 p. 330) and improving function and quality of life (Scott et al,
2001 p-4) of the individual and the community (vanderPloeg, 2001 p-45). Good health is
important for social, economic and personal development of an individual and can impact
ones quality of life (Scaffa, Reitz & Pizzi, 2010 p-123).
Health promotion and wellness is important at all ages, including older adults
planning to retire (Wilson & Palha, 2007). Retirement is a major life change affecting
roles, relationships, support groups, life structure and use of time (Rosenkoeter & Garris,
1998). Preparing for major life changes improves success in dealing with them (Sterns,
Lax & Chang, 2009 p. 322). Retirement is a time for learning; retirees will need to learn
to deal with new situations, new opportunities and new restrictions (Hodkinson, P., Ford,
Hodkinson, H. & Hawthorn, 2008). Retirement requires the individual to find a new
personal identity, new value, and meaning of their personal life (Rosenkoetter & Garris,
2001).
Planning for retirement usually focuses on use of time and financial needs
(Rosenkoeter & Garris, 1998). Leisure involvement of retirees has been found to indicate
greater life satisfaction (Rosenkoeter & Garris, 1998). However, many retirees struggle
with identifying meaningful leisure activities (Choi & Dinse, 1998), and many elders are
not interested in merely pursuing leisure activities for the remainder of their years
(Sterns, Lax & Chang, 2009 p-323). Financial preparedness eases adjustment to
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retirement due to increased ability to pursue hobbies and outside interests (Rosenkoeter &
Garris, 1998). Inadequate financial preparedness may require retirees to re-enter the
workforce (Sterns, Lax & Chang, 2009 p. 321), which may require retirees to explore
alternative employment opportunities.
Retirement planning was associated with positive attitudes about retirement
(Rosenkoetter & Garris 2001) and should include health promotion to maintain and
improve health of the retirees (Wilson & Palha, 2007). Exploration of leisure and work
activities enables retirees to continue being productive members of society (Rudman &
Molke, 2008). Retirement satisfaction has been linked to good health and increase in
volunteerism (Rosenkoetter & Garris 2001). Retirement can involve many losses for the
individual such as loss of role, structure, support groups, status and meaningful activities
(Rosenkoetter, 1988), therefore, retirement planning should provide methods for the
retiree to prepare for and deal with these losses.
Occupational therapy practitioners will play a vital role in preparing the retirees
for the challenges of retirement (Zecevic, Magalhaes, Madady, Halligan & Reeves,
2010). Occupational therapy was founded on the belief that occupations provide meaning
in life through the engagement of the mind, body and spirit (Scott et al, 2001). The
achievement of individual and community health in latter life will require an expanded
identification of productive occupations that are valued and idealized (Rudman & Molke,
2008). Occupational therapy practitioners will promote health and wellness for retirees
through health assessments, identifying personal and environmental barriers, providing
skills for stress and time management as well as providing education related to
incorporating healthy routines and new role identification (AOTA, 2011).
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Health promotion and wellness will continue to be an important aspect of the
current preventative healthcare system at all ages including older adults preparing to
retire. Retirement preparation is important for improving satisfaction and should go
beyond financial planning to include identifying meaningful leisure activities as well as
social supports, role identity and time management to support structure and improve
retirement satisfaction. Occupational therapy practitioners are qualified to guide retirees
through the process of preparing for retirement and will play a vital role in health
promotion and wellness programs.
Reference:
AOTA (2011). Occupational therapy’s role in health promotion.
http://www.aota.org/work/fact-sheets/health-promotions.aspx?FT=.pdf
Choi, N. G., & Dinse, S. (1998). Challenges and opportunities of the aging population:
Social.. Educational Gerontology, 24(2), 159.
Hodkinson, P., Ford, G., Hodkinson, H., & Hawthorn, R. (2008). Retirement as a
learning process. Educational Gerontology, 34(3), 167-184
Rosenkoetter, M. (1988). Is retirement making your patient sick?. RN, 51(7), 17-19
Rosenkoetter, M., & Garris, J. (1998). Psychosocial changes following retirement.
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 27(5), 966-976.
Rosenkoetter, M., & Garris, J. (2001). Retirement planning, use of time, and psychosocial
adjustment. Mental Health Nursing, 22, 703-722.
Rudman, D., & Molke, D. (2009). Forever productive: the discursive shaping of later life
workers in contemporary Canadian newspapers. Work, 32(4), 377-389.
Sterns, H., Lax, G., & Chang, B. (2009). Chapter 13: work and retirement. In B. Bonder,
V. Dal Bello-Haas, M. Wagner (Eds.) , Functional Performance in Older Adults
(3rd Edition) (pp. 311-331). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: F.A. Davis Company.
Scott, A. H., Butin, D. N., Tewfik, D, Burkhardt, A., Mandel, D., Nelson, L., (2001).
Occupational therapy as a means to wellness with the elderly. Physical
&Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, 18(4), 3-22.
Scaffa, M. E., Reitz, S. M.. & Pizzi, M. (2010). Promoting health and occupational
participation with caregivers. Occupational therapy in the promotion of health
and wellness (pp. 208-224). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis
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vanderPloeg, W. (2001) Health promotion in palliative care: An occupational
perspective. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 48, 45-48
Wilson, D., & Palha, P. (2007). A systematic review of published research articles on
health promotion at retirement. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 39(4), 330-337.
Zecevic, A., Magalhaes, L., Madady, M., Halligan, M., & Reeves, A. (2010). Happy and
healthy only if occupied? Perceptions of health sciences students on occupation in
later life. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 57(1), 17-23.