Activities of the Elderly both Before and After Retirement

Thic chapter presents an inventory of the activities of the elderly before and after retirement. Retirement has been recognized as a critical turning point in determining physical activity behaviors in old age. Retirement may therefore present an important ‘window’ for targeting interventions to promote increases in, or maintenance of, overall physical activity levels. The paper is part of a larger study that aims to capture the changes that older people face before and after retirement and to capture ways in which older people adapt to these changes. The interview is the method used in data collection and the results are obtained from the qualitative analysis of the data: inventory of answers, their classification into categories, coding of answers and their interpretation. After retirement, the type and schedule of activities have undergone a significant change, and the satisfaction of the elderly with these activities varies depending on their health issues, financial situation, and relationships with their families. Most of the elderly people interviewed say that they try to stay active and satisfy their desires even if it is more difficult for them due to their health condition. They focus on helping and supporting the family, and they feel great satisfaction when it comes to helping them. The satisfaction of the elderly in relation to the activities carried out is related to the freedom they have when doing these activities and to the appreciation they receive.