Helping Couples Plan for Retirement: A Feasibility Test of Couple CARE in Retirement

Helping people to adjust well to retirement is important, as some retirees struggle. Most recent retirees are in a couple relationship, and the adjustment of spouses is interdependent. The current study is the first evaluation of the effects of couple-based retirement education on couples' relationships and retirement adjustment. Twenty-seven couples attended one of a series of 1-day workshops plus a telephone-based couple session. Content included couple communication and support, healthy aging, financial planning for retirement, and social engagement. Client satisfaction with the program was high, retirement self-efficacy and couple dyadic coping increased, but there was no increase in the already high couple relationship satisfaction. A couple-based approach to retirement education is promising and a randomized controlled trial with larger numbers and follow-up is needed.