Retirement and Barriers to Survival

Abstract

In contemporary society, the term 'Retirement' is gaining greater attention than ever before. This has opened up a great deal of controversy, also. Various definitions could be given depending on the perspective adopted. Usually, retirement is a condition where the mind and body are either unable to work or unwilling to work. At a certain age, especially as old age shows up, a person retires. By that age, he or she must have completed vital responsibilities of life, such as educating children, constructing a house, marrying off the children, etc. This strengthens the notion that retirement is a stage in life to relax and be idle. Retirement is associated with fitness to perform work. It is an economically unproductive condition. By this definition, a person can retire anytime, provided they are not seriously intending to work. It is a stage of life with weak physical health and unable to contribute even if he wishes to do so, just because he has become too old. This calls for reorienting social relations and changes in social roles. He is shifted slowly to the back side. Psychologically, retirement is a state of mind characterised by either complete relief from work and responsibilities or passivity in performing work, doing it merely for the sake of the remuneration. Professionals retire at different ages. It depends on the statutory norms in force. Some jobs deprive entitlement just because of discrimination in age. It is just like age defines fitness. Here, an attempt is made to examine retirement as an inevitable condition in life, conceived differently, and the various approaches to understanding it. Some prominent models are discussed, along with the barriers to survival.