Abstract
This study is a survey of the activities of retirees of a Fortune 500 manufacturing company. The objective was to provide a baseline description of activities as people adjust to changes associated with retirement and decremental changes of aging. A sample of 40 retirees was interviewed to obtain information on 1) demographics, living conditions, and health; 2) distribution of time over activities of work, recreation, family, and volunteering; 3) changes associated with aging and socio-economic factors. It is intended to provide an activity picture that will be a context for identifying behavioral problems and devices, organizations, and supporting aids to enhance quality of life.
Respondents represent the gamut of occupations and skill levels, socio-economic conditions, and ethnic diversity characteristics of a large, midwestern manufacturing corporation. The distribution of ages in the retiree population and sample were equivalent The activities surveyed include reading, watching television, household chores and maintenance, skill or craft hobbies, intentional exercise, care-giving, volunteer work, and work for pay. Analyses include differences and changes in activities as a function of gender, age, length of retirement, health, and living situation. Volunteer work is analyzed in detail concerning type, location of the work, and time spent on it.
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