Retired men have found to be happiest when they are working and their wives stay at home. They are even happier than couples who are both at home. Many men really don't like being at home after retirement while their wives continue to work. They become bored and lonely. They resent the amount of time that the jobs take their wives away from them and perceive it as keeping them from doing what they want to do.

It is also interesting to note that whether the wife stays at home, or is still employed, she is expected to continue to do all that she has been doing to run the household as she did while he was employed. It would seem that some men are not as evolved as previously thought. The idea of being the house husband while his wife continues to work, chafes a bit. Why is this?

Perhaps this is one reason for the newer retirement trend of retiring to start a new business or career. Having a new job restores a sense of purpose and identity to those that have no other social or support network. Some retirees begin to seriously pursue special interests. Other couples plan for the day that they can enter a service career, such as going on the mission field or becoming involved full time in other causes that give them a united sense of purpose and fulfillment. Some couples find retirement a time to reorganize their relationship and become stronger and better than ever.