Dr. Lorraine Mangione and Dr. Kathi Borden of the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program in New England, along with alum Dr. Elizabeth Fuss ‘21 (New England, PsyD), have published their article “Changing focus, shifting tasks, reworking relationships: Highly educated professional White women nearing retirement age in the workforce” in the prestigious journal Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, for which Dr. Borden also serves as editor.
Women’s roles in the workplace have undergone major changes starting in the early 20th century and continuing to this day, and the meaning of retirement has changed dramatically for those in the workforce over the last few decades.
Mangione, Borden, and Fuss explored the prevalence of stereotypes that abound about aging, what older people should or shouldn’t do. This qualitative research project points to a more helpful, hopeful, and positive view of women in the workforce around the traditional retirement age and the meanings that work holds for some women. The variety of work/careers the women did included teacher, academic administrator, therapist, corporate senior vice-president, research editor, academic tutor, nurse practitioner, artist, writer, and salesperson. Ultimately, their work demonstrates that age is a part of identity and diversity that is often overlooked, and this brings attention to older women in particular.
