Self-Care Preparedness throughout Pre-retirement, Retirement Transition and Retirement Period (The Retirement Study)
Principal Investigators: Dr Khadizah Haji Mumin, Dr Sarena Hj Hashim, and Dr Evi Nurvidya Ariffin
Project Period: 2024-2026
Funding Amount: BND $18,180.00
Executive Summary
Transitioning into retirement is a significant and critical life change that profoundly influences an individual’ mental well-being (Amani et al., 2023). This shift from a working lifestyle to retirement demands substantial adaptation, and many individuals may find themselves unprepared, requiring time to adjust to this change. While retirement can be seen as an opportunity to pursue previously unrealised aspirations, a time of relaxation and free from the pressure of work (Pedreiro et al., 2016), it can also induce retirement shock due to the sudden loss of one’s primary source of financial support (Caliendo et al., 2023). The transition to retirement can lead to a loss of social connections, a sense of purpose, and financial stability (Pedreiro et al.,2016), all of which can significantly impact mental well-being. Mental well-being is crucial as retirement can be a stressful period, especially for those who may have identified strongly with their roles as breadwinners (Caliendo et al., 2023). Hence, it is important to explore self-care preparedness even during pre-retirement to support retirees in maintaining their mental well-being during this challenging transition. Such preparedness can empower retirees to take control of their health and happiness, enhancing their quality of life as they enter a new chapter of their life.
Objectives
a) To investigate needs, expectation and plan for retirement
b) To describe experiences throughout the transition from work to retirement
c) To investigate experiences of retirement
d) To describe their mental well-being throughout the process of transition and retirement
e) To describe self-care preparedness and practices that retirees adopt to counteract these changes and enhance their mental well-being.
f) To develop a model facilitating self-care awareness/preparedness that facilitates the transition to retirement in the context of mental well-being
Significance
a) Development of educational program that can be used by the nation for enhancing self-care preparedness in the context of mental well-being during the retirement transition and retirement period
b) Documentation of self-care practices undertaken during the retirement transition and retirement period that can be developed into a leaflet or poster for dissemination to those in the pre-retirement and retirement period
c) Strategies to enhance retirees’ mental well-being during the retirement transition and retirement period that can inform multisectors’ policy-makers in Brunei