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Retirement Transitions and Spouse Disability: Effects on Depressive Symptoms

¹ Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.
² Polisher Research Institute (formerly Philadelphia Geriatric Center), North Wales, Pennslyvania.

Address correspondence to Maximiliane Szinovacz, Glennan Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 825 Fairfax Ave., Hofheimer Hall, Rm. 201, Norfolk, VA 23507-1912. E-mail: maxres{at}visi.net

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of type of retirement (forced, early, abrupt) and spouse's disability on longitudinal change in depressive symptoms.

Methods: The analyses rely on Waves 1–4 of the Health and Retirement Survey (N = 2,649). Generalized estimating equations models with bootstrapped standard errors and adjustment for survey design and non-independence of dyad members estimate effects of retirement, type of retirement, and spouse's disability on depressive symptoms, controlling for relevant covariates.

Results: The results suggest that depressive symptoms increase when retirement is abrupt and perceived as too early or forced. Women retirees who stopped employment and were either forced into retirement or perceived their retirement as too early report significantly more depressive symptoms with increasing spouse activities of daily living (ADLs) limitations. There is no similar effect for men. In contrast, for working retirees who retired on time, depressive symptoms decrease with increasing spouse ADLs.

Discussion: These results highlight the importance of retirement context on postretirement well-being. They suggest that both type of retirement transition and marital contexts such as spouse's disability influence postretirement well-being, and these effects differ by gender.