Leaving the land: an exploratory study of retirement for a small group of Australian men

Retirement from paid work is a major life change for men and women. It has been suggested that, for men, self-identity is more strongly associated with paid work than is generally the case for women. If this is so, then the retirement transition for men, in which not only the behaviours of a lifetime but also the sense of self must be substantially recast, is of particular interest for the challenges it can present to their wellbeing. Research into male retirement has concentrated on the experiences of urban dwellers. Little is known of the retirement experiences of rural men and particularly of those who, after a life of farming and of close affiliation with the land, have moved from their farms in retirement. Thus, this qualitative study aimed to explore the retirement experiences of a small group of rural men who, in retirement, have left the land.

Using a phenomenological approach, data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with seven men: all retired farmers from the New England area of New South Wales, Australia. All men had left their farms between 1.5 and 7.0 years prior to commencement of the study. All were married and living with their spouses, some of whom were present during the interviews. Data were analysed inductively to identify themes which characterise aspects of their retirement experiences.

Three themes were identified addressing: (1) the meaning and significance of the land to these men, and the associated challenges in adjusting to retired life; (2) the significance of spouses, families and social contacts to the retirement experience; and (3) the role of hobbies or interests other than farming in making the transition to retirement. Farming and living on the land had been important to all of the men, some of whom found making a gradual transition from full-time farming aided their adjustment to retirement. Spouses played an important role in the decision to retire and most of the men reported that they accepted retirement for the sake of their spouses. Those men who developed alternative hobbies or interests prior to, or post-retirement, and who maintained or developed social networks, reported satisfaction with the retirement experience.

The findings from this study reflect those from the literature regarding the importance for men of social interactions and having a sense of purpose in life after retirement. The results are similar to those for retired men in urban settings. However, the particular ramifications of retirement for rural men with a strong attachment to the land need to be considered for their potential health implications: an issue for further research.