[Older age vitality and retirement (literature review).]

The article provides a review of research literature on the social and psychological peculiarities of working and non-working pensioners with additional new data on their life quality. Six psychographic profiles of pensioners based on their post-retirement activities and motivations for new life path choices were described and examined, enabling identification of the subjects' personality types. These data are essential for psychologists and social workers consulting people approaching retirement age and recent retirees on their retirement lifestyle, ways to organize their working life and effective (creative) pastime, including career development later in life, without sacrificing their physical and mental health. The article looks at the main reasons behind continuing work after retirement thereby supplementing the existing knowledge on post-retirement work motivations. It is important to consider the data obtained when designing public policies on post-retirement work promotion. In its psychological aspect, the process of settling into retirement is similar to the emotional phases associated with the transitional periods of human life. After quitting work, almost all retirees face them in one form or another. Their ability to navigate the process is what will eventually determine how they will spend this stage of their lives. The article analyzes five stages of retirement.