Spending leisure time in retirement

The purpose of this article is to get an insight into ways of spending leisure time in retirement and satisfaction with it. The differences in the ways of spending leisure time as related to adjustment to retirement and income per member of household have also been examined. The sample consisted of 100 respondents (53women and 47men) fromthe area ofNovi Zagreb. Themen andwomenwere between 60 and 92 years old, themean valuewas 71.6. The samplewas convenient. The datawas collected by a survey which consisted of questions on socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, their ways of spending leisure time and their satisfaction with it,as well as questions on their adjustment to retirement and their household income. Although a large number of participants estimate their adjustment to retirement as easy, their satisfaction with leisure time is very low. Statistically significant differences have been found for sports activities, social games and reading. These activities were pursued mostly by people who did not know what to do after they had retired or those who said their adjustment to retirement was very difficult and who would have preferred to continue working. Participating in activities of religious communities and watching television were highest among people who said their adjustment was very good or easy. Cultural events were significantly more often attended by respondents with higher income, while watching television and taking part in activities of religious communities were higher among respondents with lower income. The results point to the conclusion that what is needed is a better preparation and a higher awareness of retirement as a period in which we can develop our personal potentials through leisure,which should be filled with a higher level of activity and an increased satisfaction