Preparation is also important to do around the relationship between partners. Although there has been little empirical support that retirement will actually benefit the relationship, many couples anticipate that this will be the case [23]. Although some go into retirement with assumptions of an improvement in their relationship as a couple, ultimately couples who enjoy each other prior to retirement are more likely to enjoy each other during retirement as well [24]. Thus, it makes sense that enhancing marital quality before retirement occurs can have a long-lasting impact [25]. This can be facilitated by having shared activities and making concrete plans for leisure together [10, 12], and by simultaneously maintaining independence and keeping a full life, especially to avoid being oversaturated with the other [13]; and by striving to improve on or at least maintain sexual intimacy [26, 27]. Supporting and helping to facilitate your retired partner as he or she creates some structure for life in retirement is important early on, as is communicating concerns or fears about retirement and aging [12].
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