Factors Affecting Well-Being Among Retired Older Adults: An Umbrella Review

Retirement is a major later-life transition, yet existing reviews have often examined selected dimensions of well-being rather than integrating evidence across physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual or meaning-related domains. This umbrella review synthesised systematic review evidence on factors and interventions influencing well-being among retired older adults. Following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews guidance, five databases were searched for systematic reviews published from 2015 onward. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251158970). Screening, quality appraisal and data extraction were completed independently by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Eleven systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria. Findings showed that retirement well-being is multidimensional and context-dependent, shaped by social participation, physical health, psychological resources, retirement preparation, voluntary retirement, financial security and meaningful engagement. Social participation and social integration were among the most consistent determinants, while financial and spiritual or meaning-related well-being were less frequently examined. Intervention evidence was limited and focused mainly on physical activity, health behaviours and volunteerism. Retirement well-being is influenced by interacting personal, social and structural factors, highlighting the need for multidimensional interventions and more consistent measurement across well-being domains.