Retiring Lives

Edited by Eileen Carnell and Caroline Lodge

"...Organisations and institutions could also turn to this as a resource if they decide to take some responsibility for preparing those who are contemplating changes to their working lives.   Essentially, the book is a very valuable resource, providing stories that are 'positive and upbeat' whilst acknowledging some of the 'dark side' associations with retiring...." Helen Owton (March 2011) International Journal of Lifelong Education

"...It will be of interest to people thinking about their own retirement, and to others who  give advice about retirement.  ...Retiring Lives offers thought-provoking material for gerontologists concerned with the development of personal retirement narratives."
Jonathan Hughes (July 2010) Ageing and Society

"Retiring Lives will be helpful to anybody considering pre-retirement planning, for individuals themselves and for course providers. The 'live cases' add richness and colour to planning for retirement."
Anthony Chiva, Head of Education and Training, Life Academy, UK

"Although retirement is a transition commonly experienced by people as they reach the end of a work cycle, it is nevertheless a highly individualized experience. For many, it can also be the start of new beginnings. Retiring Lives gives a wonderful insight into the personal reflective process that retirement involves and allows readers to reflect in a meaningful way on their own retirement experience."
Tatiana Schifferle-Rowson, Social Gerontologist, University of Keele, UK

Retiring is a challenging transition, or series of transitions.  It affects social, economic, emotional and physical lives, and decisions about relationships, places to live, indeed all aspects of being alive.

Retiring Lives presents fourteen personal real life stories from people at various stages of retiring.  Each author recounts their own story about retiring, bringing together many aspects of the experiences: the social, psychological and practical.   These inspirational and illustrated stories will encourage the reader to hold up these experiences to their own, learn from comparisons and similarities and extend their own thinking.

The book also includes chapters on setting up and running a retiring group; the process of retiring as an aspect of professional development and reoccurring financial themes; and the benefits, allowances and privileges of becoming older.  These contributions will stir the reader into becoming actively involved in the planning for their own retirement

This book is essential reading for those working within the education sector.  It will also  benefit all those considering retiring or changing how they view their working lives, whatever their professional background.  It will be useful for those who want to set up or advise on retiring groups and workshops both within and outside their organisations.

November 2009 • 978-0-85473-848-9 • 200 pages • £15.99