The purpose of this study was to determine what levels of community satisfaction and personal and household characteristics would result in a model of retirees and pre-retirees and their propensity to move. This study assessed the relationship between certain socio-demographic variables and feelings of overall satisfaction as well as satisfaction with specific aspects of their current community. Community size and tenure, preferred community size, and the preference of staying or moving were also explored. Satisfaction was measured by both a global question of satisfaction and through the construction of a Community Satisfaction Scale (CSS) and three subscales. A hypothesized model was tested using logistic regression. Age, gender, duration in community, agreement between current and preferred community size (metropolitan or nonmetropolitan), overall satisfaction, and satisfaction with quality of life factors in the community and environmental quality were statistically significant in the prediction of likelihood of moving at retirement. Variables, some of which were significantly related to the dependent variable in preliminary analyses (chi-square and t-tests), that were not found to be significant in the logistic regression model of the propensity to move were: education, marital status, employment, household size, health, previous moving experiences, and the subscale community safety. Three measures of personal and household economic resources were also not found to be significant. According to final model in this study, in the sample of 50 to 70 years in Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming, those who were younger, had lived in the community fewer years, were living in a community size not in agreement with the stated size of community they preferred, and were male were more likely to response a preference to move. The results indicate small-urban and semi-rural communities are the most preferred places to move. The open areas outside the incorporated towns and cities were most favored locations. A benefit of elderly migration research in the past, discussed at length in the review of the literature, is that retirees bring with them to the community the benefits described as the "mail box economy." Understanding the levels of satisfaction of current residents ages 50 to 70 may be as important as policies to attract new inmigrants. / Graduation date: 1995

Our thesis focus on how retirees perceive Tv4s news casts of economy news where we focused on five different aspects: What is the relationship between the news cast and the viewer and how does the viewer express their understanding of the news cast and the way it is constructed? What are the viewers attitude towards the news content and how do they find the news cast useful for them personally? We choosed retirees as our target group due to their vulnerable economic position in today’s society and TV as an important medium for them due to the digital divide. The study was performed with twelve qualitative interviews and one group interview where six retirees took part. We discovered a big interest for economic news in the target group. The majority had a sympathetic view of the news cast they saw but they also expressed skepticism toward the economy segment and/or news castings. The majority expressed a lack of trust for the journalists and the experts brought in to share observations and make announcements, and the financial business overall. The majority of the interviewees spoke of a hypothetic and/or possible usefulness but no one could express how the news castings affected them personally.

Retirement affords retirees increased time for participation in salutary activities like physical activity. Yet, evidence is mixed as to whether or not retirees use this time to increase their participation in physical activity. Greater knowledge of the factors affecting physical activity participation in retirement is needed. Retirement is also a life transition ripe with opportunity to redefine one's identity and place greater attention on health-enhancing behaviours. Thereupon, this dissertation was rooted in the self literature, as self perceptions such as identity and possible selves may be particularly relevant for understanding physical activity in retired individuals. As a result, the first aim of this dissertation sought to confirm, in a preliminary study (Study 1), the relationship between possible selves, physical activity identity and physical activity in retirees. Through questionnaire data collected concurrently, Study 1 showed that identity and possible selves were related to physical activity (Article 1). Moreover, positive associations were found between possible selves focused on physical activity and physical activity identity. Subsequently, the relationships between these variables were further probed to determine whether exercise identity mediated the relationship between physical activity possible selves and physical activity (Article 2). Questionnaire data collected across three time points (one month apart) showed that identity mediated the relationship between possible selves and behaviour - all related to physical activity. Together, these findings represented an important first step toward designing a relevant intervention for retirees which informed the second aim of this dissertation (Study 2). A possible selves intervention designed to increase physical activity identity and physical activity was tested (Article 3). Changes in these variables were compared across three groups of an experimental design: a repeated possible selves intervention, a one-time possible selves intervention, and a control group. All groups reported marginally higher levels of physical activity and physical activity identity, inconsequential to group assignment. Overall, the present dissertation makes contributions to the self literature especially with regards to new retirees. Nevertheless, limitations are acknowledged and discussed. Finally, future research avenues are presented.

Pension fund investments have been under the spotlight lately, particularly on the back of the recent global financial and economic crisis that resulted in a significant reduction in pension fund assets across economies. Increased poverty levels and high financial indebtedness abound, as workers grapple with retrenchments, reduction in retirement benefits and reduced wages. This is causing a re-assessment of investment strategies of pension funds across the globe, and increasing support for the argument that, the traditional equity/government bond asset allocation is out - fashioned in a world of lower returns and wider choices. Pension funds by virtue of their size, can impact the society directly and/or indirectly through investments in companies that incorporate environmental, social and governance issues in their corporate behaviours, or in dedicated socially responsible investment funds or other forms of alternative investments. This study sought to provide a link between the investment patterns of pension funds and national economic development. An in-depth literature review was undertaken, and investments impacts were assessed by looking at published reports of select funds and corporations. Pension funds are an integral part of a nation‟s economy. This research work established the various dimensions in which pension fund investments can impact the socio economic development of a country, especially in developing countries, where there exists a huge infrastructural and economic gap among different sectors of the economy. Pension funds are workers capital, and therefore should be invested in a manner that will benefit workers, and these benefits cannot be restricted to mere financial benefits, it should be able to generate social, financial and environmental benefits, and in a sustainable way.