Volunteering in schools, retirement communities, day care centers or hospitals may be the answer. It's always good to know you're needed. Realize the marriage is still a partnership and not about power differences. If the wife keeps working after the husband retires, the husband needs to know that's okay. Don't fixate on changing the behavior of your spouse.
Willing compromise can effectively smooth out the differences in adjustment.
Roberts suggests good, simple communication. Psychologists stress that humor can also be the spice that both livens and eases the adjustment process for retirees. Taking a walk on the mild side sometimes make couples see things in a different light and brings to realization that their differences are no reason for divorce after all.