Unmet occupational needs of first responders transitioning to retirement

Abstract

ABSTRACT First responders have high-stress jobs, identify with their professions’ crisis management actions, and yet are highly communal in their work life. They are often unprepared for retirement and transition to civilian life. As a result, their occupational needs are mostly unsatisfied. We employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to understand the lived experience of retirement transition among first responders. Data were collected in four focus groups with 15 first responders. A hermeneutical spiral guided the exploration of the data in a back-and-forth and parts-to-whole-text approach to search for new insights via a three-step thematic analysis process. Four themes and nine subthemes emerged from data analysis. Supersuit painted a picture of self-identity tied to the first responder role. Civilian detailed first responders’ transition from public safety to civilian life. The Door Shuts described accounts of a fast work exit without proper retirement preparation and post-retirement care. Staying Busy explained the importance of occupational engagement in retirement. The research findings pointed to unmet occupational, human needs of doing, being, becoming, and belonging, and struggles in retirement transition among retired first responders. Occupational engagement and social participation in retirement appeared to be crucial in meeting those needs and alleviating substantial challenges of retirement transition. We conclude with recommendations for future research and program development to assist first responders to an occupationally rich retirement.