As a result of longevity and work-exit patterns, Americans are spending more years in retirement than ever before. Importantly, research has shown that productive activity can contribute significantly to health and well-being. The intervention phase of the project is well underway. Findings from the first wave of the survey have been disseminated to employers and to the general public. Men are more likely to retire as a result of early retirement incentive packages than are women.
Women are more likely to retire as a result of their spouse's retirement than are men.
Further, husbands and wives have very different assessments of the spouse's influence on the retirement decision, with wives of retiring husbands feeling they had less influence and husbands of retiring wives feeling they had more Retired men and women have very different experiences of retirement. Women tend to retire later, have fewer financial resources, and view retirement as more problematic than do men. In addition, retired women are less likely to take on a postretirement job than are retired men. Retired women are thus more likely to have lower incomes, and to perceive their income as less adequate than are retired men. Men and women in blue-collar jobs are both less likely to be volunteering or to be interested in learning about volunteer opportunities.