While many people dream of the day they can retire, especially on days when the boss is particularly annoying, those that are retired aren’t painting a great picture of that time. A new poll shows one in four retirees think life is worse after retirement than it was before.
The new attitude of the retired
As the baby boomers retire, their sentiments about the life change seem to be the opposite of what is expected. The poll, conducted by NPR and Harvard School of Public Health, shows stark differences between what retirees hope for in health and financial security and what actually happens.
“Those of us over 50 and working are optimistic about our future health and health care, but that optimism is not necessarily shared by those who have already retired,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Many people who have already retired say their health is worse, and they worry about costs of medical treatment and long-term care. Insights from the poll can help policy-makers and others think about how to meet the needs of aging Americans. There are changes we can make to our health care system, finances, and communities that might help ensure that our retirement years will be as fulfilling as we hope.”
Findings also show that pre-retirees expect to retire later than those who are already retired and some expect never to fully retire.
Other key findings:
- A substantial minority of pre-retirees say it is very likely they will have trouble paying for health care insurance premiums (31%) or long-term care (30%)
- Pre-retirees are more likely than retirees to say they have changed their diet and much more likely to say they have increased the amount of physical activity they get.
- About one in four pre-retirees (27%) and one in three retirees (35%) say they won’t have the annual income they need to live comfortably in retirement
- Many people who retire may move from their current home to a new community, or reconsider the characteristics of their existing communities from a new perspective
