Sep 19 2012
Introductions
Before I get into really blogging on this website, I wanted to take a moment to explain why I find this field of study so fascinating and why I have this book and this blog in the first place.
In the same way that couples marital dynamics change following the birth of a first child, they change again in retirement. Yet, unfortunately, people are often totally unaware and unprepared for these changes. Research from various academic domains all consistently report that at least 1/3 of retirees experience difficulties with the transition to retirement and often tend to be depressed and lost. Often, for the first 2 years in retirement, there is a notable decline in marital satisfaction for both husbands and wives. Newly retired individuals report the highest marital conflict and lowest marital satisfaction scores compared with those who are retired for a long time or are not yet retired. While most people put a lot of effort and energy into financial planning for retirement, they often neglect planning for the psychological aspects of this life stage which, thanks to modern technology and medicine, can last 20-30 years, or even more!
Planning for retirement is the second most important factor after health according to people who express satisfaction with retirement. The planning must involve financial and psychological/emotional aspects. In order to avoid being part of the” gray divorce” phenomenon (divorce among those 50 years old and older) I strongly recommend that you start preparing and planning. Informing ones’ self, by reading books and other materials about this life stage, is the best way to begin preparing for this important life change. “A Couple’s Guide to Happy Retirement” is my contribution, and I believe a terrific resource, for those looking to better prepare themselves for the transition into retirement. “A Couple’s Guide to Happy Retirement” will be available October 2012. And, of course, there will be plenty of information about the book, as well as other retirement related resources, made readily available on this website/blog. I genuinely am excited and look forward to sharing some of the important and intriguing insights I collected through my research and the development of the book.
