Aging & Society: Eighth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

Retirement represents a challenging life transition for many working adults. These challenges are especially exacerbated among emergency services personnel because of the higher physical and emotional stress they experience on the job and a strong identification with the service. Research suggests that retirement involves an array of unique and complex challenges associated with physical and mental health, relationships with family and friends, life attitudes, and occupation identity. It was also found that organizations play a critical role in helping employees achieve more successful and healthy retirement (Kragt et al., 2017). To investigate the key factors that lead to a healthy and successful transition to retirement among career firefighters, our research involves two main stages of data collection. First, we conduct interviews with firefighters and their families in pre- and post-retirement stages. These structured interviews include questions related to work satisfaction and identity, conditions of exit, retirement role models, retirement adjustment, changes experienced, and evaluation of organizational retirement practices. Survey with research validated scales forms a part of the interview to enable additional insights and comparison. Second, we facilitate a number of focus groups with various stakeholders to discuss interview findings in the light of possible organizational interventions, assessing their feasibility and validity. Overall, research findings ensure better understanding of psychological, physical, and social issues that firefighters face in relation to their retirement. Findings will also be applicable retirees in other occupations characterized by a strong occupational identity and high physical/mental demands.