Beyond the Retirement Age. How Pre-Retirement-Age Poles Envision Their Later Life

Author : Justyna Wiktorowicz, Piotr Szukalski

Abstract : Concepts of successful and healthy ageing, as well as the related idea of active ageing, which emphasize individual initiative and the engagement of older adults in social life, play an important role in shaping changing attitudes toward old age. In Poland statutory retirement age is low in comparison to other UE countries, thus interesting issue is the assessment of attitudes of people being in the pre-retirement age towards their activity after reaching retirement age. This presentation aims at assessing the Poles’ vision of own life after retirement, with emphasis on economic activity. The source of data was the individual data from the quantitative study (with CAPI technique) among Poles in the pre-retirement age (n = 1511), conducted within project titled "Preparing for old age. Poles of pre retirement age about their old age". Results indicates that people in pre-retirement age in Poland rather don’t tend to adopt a proactive approach to their old age. Most of people being 10 or less years before the statutory retirement age plan to retire upon reaching age 60/65 and do not intend to significantly extend their economic activity. The vision of own retirement is often associated with passive forms of leisure. On the other hand there are also individuals who declare willingness to remain moderately active and to engage in family caregiving and it is visible related with their current activity in the different area. Good health, independence, and strong family relationships are considered the key elements of successful ageing.

Keywords : Retirement, active ageing, attitudes, Poland.

Conference Name : International Forum on Gerontology and Policy Innovations (IFGPI-26)

Conference Place : Florence, Italy

Conference Date : 10th Apr 2026