Transition to Retirement

The Transition to Retirement (TTR) program aims to help older people with long-term disability gradually build an active and socially inclusive retirement lifestyle through volunteering and participating in mainstream community groups. Members of these groups are trained to act as mentors and provide support. The three-year TTR research project and subsequent years of TTR service delivery have shown that this approach is feasible and has enduring positive outcomes for people with disability, mentors and community groups. The TTR manual and video material aim to make these benefits available more widely. They provide implementation details for all components of the TTR program, as well as practical tips and accounts of individual participants experiences. DVD stories and video clips illustrate key issues. Planning forms are also included, together with an explanation of the process of teaching a person with long-term disability to use public transport independently. The TTR program is consistent with Australias National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) which focuses on building community participation and independence, and with the National Disability Strategys emphasis on promoting social inclusion in community settings.