IL PENSIONAMENTO È UNA QUESTIONE DI LEGAMI. Reti familiari, aspettative e benessere nella transizione verso l’età anziana

The transition to retirement is not merely an individual or economic shift, but a profoundly relational process. Drawing on mixed-method research involving focus groups, intergenerational interviews, and a survey with senior workers, this paper explores how family ties influence retirement timing, well-being, and life planning. Results show that strong family expectations are correlated with robust relational networks, but they often compromise individual work-life balance. Retirement intentions and postretirement activities appear shaped not only by personal attitudes but also by caregiving duties, intergenerational roles, and social belonging. Volunteering, physical activity, and openness to learning emerge as protective factors. We argue that retirement must be understood as a social metamorphosis – negotiated within relationships and requiring supportive policies that consider the diversity of family responsibilities and aspirations.