Transforming retirement: Re-thinking models of retirement to accommodate the experiences of women

SynopsisLike other governments in the Western world, the Australian government is re-thinking its retirement policy in response to the ageing of the population. A ‘transitional’ model is being encouraged, which has the aim of extending the working life into the retirement period. This article unpacks the meaning of a transitional phase to women in different family and work situations. Drawing on a larger, Australian Research Council funded project, examining the shift in attitudes towards work and retirement in three generations of Australian women, three different models of retirement are developed which enable women's diverse pathways into retirement to be identified and compared, and policy options considered for enhancing women's transition to retirement. The models also highlight the different effects of workplace flexibility on different groups of women, exposing the economic vulnerability of single mothers.