Il pensionamento è una questione di legami. Reti familiari, aspettative e benessere nella transizione verso l’età anziana/Retirement is a Matter of Ties. Family Networks, Expectations and Well-being in the Transition to Old Age

Abstract

The transition to retirement is not a mere individual or economic shift but a profoundly relational process. Drawing on mixed-method research involving focus groups, intergenerational interviews and a survey with senior workers, this paper explores how family ties influence retirement timing, well-being, and life planning. Results show that strong family expectations correlate with robust relational networks but often reduce individual work-life balance. Retirement intentions and post-retirement activities appear shaped not only by personal attitudes but also by caregiving duties, intergenerational roles, and social belonging. Volunteering, physical activity, and openness to learning emerge as protective factors. We argue that retirement must be understood as a social metamorphosis - negotiated within relationships and requiring supportive policies that consider the diversity of family responsibilities and aspirations.

Keywords: Retirement Transition; Family Networks; Work-life Balance; Intergenerational Relation; Active Ageing.