Most research on psychological reactions to retirement considers adjustment as the main dependent variable. This paper suggests that enjoyment of retirement may be another psychological reaction to this phase of life. Differences between adjustment to and enjoyment of retirement for a sample of retired professional men are explored with respect to different phases of retirement. It was found that these two dependent variables are related but somewhat different reactions to retirement. Two independent variables, attitudes toward retirement and family interaction, contribute to both adjustment to and enjoyment of retirement. However, income was a significant predictor of adjustment whereas personality was a significant independent variable for the prediction of enjoyment of retirement. These results suggest that further research should consider other dependent variables in attempting to understand the psychological complexities related to the retirement role.

This paper examines changes in functional ability and mental functioning among participants (aged 50 and over) of Adult Day Care programs in Manitoba, Canada. It compares those who improve, remain stable, and deteriorate on each of these two dimensions in terms of their condition at time 1, a host of demographic factors, subjective and social factors, characteristics of their participation in the program, and diseases as coded from their medical claims records. In doing so it explores whether or not it is possible to identify who will benefit while in the program. The results provide only a potential answer to the question, but do suggest that the ADC program is performing an important social function which is related to improved functional ability, especially among those living alone and with fewer relatives. For mental health, the findings suggest the program works in conjunction with the existing marital relationship, benefiting most those still married. Research efforts are ongoing.

The present investigation represents a re-validation of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) and its Negative (NAS) and Positive Affect (PAS) subscales in an institutionalized sample of elderly urban residents. Self-ratings of happiness (AVHT) and judges' ratings (JR) were used as criterion measures. Correlations between MUNSH scales and AVHT ranged from 0.75 to 0.86, while those between MUNSH scales and JR fell between 0.37 and 0.55. The findings indicate that the MUNSH is as valid for residents of large urban centres as for the smaller centres in which it was initially developed.

This paper presents a synthesis of some ideas that emerged from a recent symposium on the transportation needs of the elderly and programs which might meet these needs. Implications for government policy are discussed