| The meaning of retirement living may be undergoing a | | | | (1990) showed that older workers continued to work |
| serious change in the 21st century. Retirement normally | | | | at peak capacity. There was proven to be more |
| connotes a period of rest and leisure at the end of the | | | | variation in work efficiency within age groups rather |
| working cycle. In the new age with lower birth rates it | | | | than between age groups. According to Farr, Tesluk |
| may be difficult for people to retire without seriously | | | | and Klien (1998), there was no consistent relationship |
| affecting productivity. The meaning of retirement living | | | | between age and performance across settings. |
| may undergo a change. It may be substituted by the | | | | With declining birthrates expected to cause a shortage |
| concept of continuous working in various stages of life | | | | of workers in the coming years, the issue of early |
| for varying amounts of time. Retirement living may | | | | retirement has come into focus. There will be |
| involve periods of work punctuated with periods of | | | | consequences to profits and productivity with the wise |
| leisure and learning. Sheppard and Rix (1977) forecast | | | | and talented elders exiting the workforce. There will be |
| that keeping older adults in the work force would | | | | costs of supporting a talented nonworking population |
| make sound economic and social policy sense. | | | | fully capable of productive work. |
| Due to inflation and rising health care costs, older adults | | | | There needs to be a rethink on allocating |
| are choosing to remain in the workforce past the | | | | responsibilities to older workers. There has to also be a |
| traditional retirement age. Retirement living as | | | | change in the attitudes of managers and younger |
| permanent separation from work has become a | | | | workers to the number of older employees. There is a |
| matter of choice. The idea of bridge employment is | | | | growing interest in re-engineering the work |
| coming in. In this model, older workers perform - | | | | environment to account for physiological aging |
| temporary, part time occasional work activity. Bridging | | | | changes. The concept of retirement living is changing |
| involves work in a job other than career. Career jobs | | | | completely. Only some positions in today's society |
| take up a substantial portion of working life, usually | | | | remain static and do not require continuous education. |
| under a single employer. | | | | Adult education has its own implications to the new |
| Bridging is often described as a second career. | | | | concept of retirement living. Adult education views |
| Reasons to return to work include the liking for work, | | | | older workers as active agents capable of negotiating |
| financial need and to keep busy. Work is more than | | | | different roles within the workplace. The role might |
| earning a living. It provides us a reason to live. Workers | | | | involve remaining in or parting from work situations or |
| tend to remain in the workplace past the age of quiet | | | | being in a position where they return to work in part |
| retirement living because of better health, mental and | | | | time or full time jobs interspersed by periods of the |
| physical and due to the need to remain occupied. Rix | | | | traditional concept of retirement living. |