Life Satisfaction of Retired Individuals

Life meaning and satisfaction can be achieved when ones goals are met or if individuals have life they intend to have and dreams to fulfill ,which might affect them negatively or positively. Most individuals take time to adjust to retirement since they had relationships and life styles they build which they have to loose or adjust. Kane and Kane (2000) define life satisfaction as the expectation and perceptions of outcomes for salient components of life such as social situatios, reltionships , self- worth, and finances across multiple and broad domains and longtime periods. Life satisfaction according to Mishra, 1992 indicates the older person’s happiness with his or her enviroment, existing conditions, activities and lifestyle. Financial challenges comes in where in the case of them supporting their families and children and yet they are not financially stable. They mix and visit families but after vacation ,alone they become depressed and lonely. If no activities conducted during the day, they might be bored and depressed than a person who is actively involved . An individual satisfaction with life in retired individuals is related to gender, age, religiousity, retirement income, health, mobility ,maritas status, years in retirement.

The end of working life may be associated with the loss of a P a g e 3 | 14 role fundamental to personal identity and social status.This can disengage from society due to loss of social support and networks. Social support is one aspect which many older adults have vested interest in continuing their involvement in society after reaching retirement age , by remaining productive and having social connecting. They seek meaningful post-retirement and productive activities in or outside their former work enviroment in which to spend their time. The study revealed that nothing or very little is done by the local goverment and other related departments , and including their former employer to use their expectise and knowlegde to adress the current underperformance and work delivery. According to Newsom and Schultz, 1996 ,low reported social support contributes to lower life satisfaction and increases depressive sympoms in older adult populations.the study conducted revealed that retired people do not demonstrate regular physical acitivities which is associated with general feeling of well being and which also reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Method Due to the nature of the objective a grounded theory, quantitative- qualitative , descriptive and exploratory study was adopted ,with a view to understand and description of the charactaristics of the population in question and establishment of the relationship between the variables. Participants The sample used will be random selection of three retired teachers from the department of education Free State, who volunteered themselves and are from the ages of 60 years to 90 years. Individuals are between post levels 1 to post level 4.

One educator who is 84 years old and have achieved her Diploma in primary school teaching (PTCand Diploma) and post level 1 educator, maried with one daughter not working and supporting three grand children, the second participant is 76 years old and she obtained a diploma in secondary education (PTC , Diploma and ACE) post level 2 educator- not maried, with one daughter , with two grandchildren and the third one being a male at 64 years who managed to obtain his PTC, Diploma and Degree, two grand children to assist with. The individuals are from rural , semi-urban and urban areas ,who felt comfortable making their own retirement decision and preferred to trust the state system to act on their behalf.