Leisure Education for retirement preparation in the United States and Spain

Aging populations and extended lifespans have drawn increased attention to factors affecting the quality of later life. The assumption the education is primarily about youth has consistently been challenged and this paper argues that one of the greatest educational needs of the lifecourse is in managing the retirement transition. Specifically, this transition involves a dramatic shift of focus from work to leisure, but both of those concepts are subject to limited understanding and interpretation in western cultures especially. This article takes as its purpose the tasks of clarifying the meaning and potential of leisure in adjusting to retirement; elaborating the effects of different national retirement systems, specifically those of the United States and Spain, on adaptation to retirement; identifying the current status of retirement preparation programs in these two countries; demonstrating the value of giving greater attention to understanding leisure in these programs; and offering strategies for doing so.