Lifestyle changes after retirement: a Grounded Theory.
Sonia Silva Marcon, Verônica Francisqueti Marquete, Thiago Privado da Silva and 5 others
PMID 40561259WHAT IT FOUND
After retirement, 18 former professors described using freed time for exercise, diet, hobbies, appearance and social ties.
Some first feared stigma, then saw retirement as a chance to care for themselves.
Key findings
01Retired professors said having more time let them prioritize themselves, including exercise, appearance, memory, diet, social life and hobbies.
02Retirement was described as having two poles: fear of stigma first, then recognition of benefits that encouraged them to envision more consistent self-care.
03Interaction with healthcare professionals and family members highlighted the importance of self-care for retirees.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included only 18 retired professors from one public university, all with doctoral degrees, so it may not apply to other retired people. Seven participants were from the nursing department, and the university had no formal retirement preparation program, so the setting may shape the themes. The participants were retired professors, not patients or families, so the study does not describe care delivered to a clinical population. Interviews were remote because of pandemic restrictions, so people without internet or a device were excluded. Participants were invited by telephone and some were recommended by peers, and willingness to share may have selected people more interested in talking about retirement. The study is qualitative, so it describes experiences and cannot show that retirement caused self-care changes or that self-care improved health.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that retirement or self-care improves health. It interviewed 18 retired professors about their experiences, so it describes themes, not measured outcomes.