Through this study we sought to understand the complex experience of retirement and the meaning of identity for women who recently retired from a professional career. Through the use of qualitative methods, including photo elicitation, journaling, and a series of two in-depth interviews with each of six women, a fluid description of the meaning of identity among a small, homogenous sample of retired professional women was constructed. Salient themes included consistency of significant identity components from work to retirement, importance of social connectedness, engagement in continued learning; involvement in aspects of former work roles, and the importance of helping others.
Keywords: aging; career; identity; professional; retirement; women; work.