Systematic review of co-occurring transition of retirement and migration: An occupational perspective

Abstract

Introduction: Retirement signifies a major life transition, affecting daily structure, identity and social connections. Migration in retirement is a growing societal phenomenon with significant implications for daily life, affecting retirees’ occupations, identity, cultural adaptation, social networks and well-being. This review explored how international retirement migration is represented in the literature, focusing on motivations, its dual role as retirement and migration, and its examination through an occupational lens. Methods: Six databases were searched for relevant studies on retirement migration, resulting in the inclusion of 13 studies. Reflective thematic analysis was used for coding, leading to the identification of three major themes representing retirees’ experiences. Results: Three broad overarching themes were identified from the thematic analysis: (i) Factors in decision-making for retirement migration, (ii) Healthcare and well-being in retirement migration and (iii) Settling in the retirement country. Conclusion: Permanent international retirement migration is driven by factors including lower living costs and favourable climates and significantly impacts retirees’ economic conditions, integration and well-being. This review contributes insights into the occupational, social and well-being aspects of retirement migration, emphasising the importance of community integration and calling for further research on international retirement migration from an occupational perspective.