Biographical Processes in the Analysis of the Adaptation of Priests to Their Residential Environment When Being Retired

Abstract

The aim of the article is to show how important for the adaptation of priests to their retirement can be the psycho-social aspects of residential environment. The author presents his research on biographical processes, including trajectories, which have led the catholic priests of two chosen dioceses to special house for the retired priests, to living in a parish or in a private house when they retired. In the theoretical part of the article, it is explained how great is the significance of social aspect of place attachment (social insideness) for the biographical processes which shape the attitudes of the respondents for their present residential environment. The research presented has shown how important is social insideness for the priests’ concept of their retirement and to what extend it can shape the choice of residential environment when they retire. The trajectories of losing ability and increasing dependence on others disrupt even well-organized biographical schemes of priests mentioned above and of other senior citizens. In the era of increasing demographic ageing, when more and more special care settings for the elderly are needed, those organized for senior priests, actors, or retired teachers should be the pattern for those created for other elderly people. The similarity of biographical and professional trajectories of the groups mentioned should be part of the pattern so that the residents of care setting could maintain their social identity, which facilitate their adaptation to the problems of old age they experience in everyday life.