Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) - 1st and 2nd Wave

The survey ´Transitions and Old Age Potential: Transitions and Age Potentials (TOP)´ is based on a representative sample of 5,002 persons for the German-speaking resident population aged 55 to 70 (born between 1942 and 1958). The study focuses on the life plans and potential of older adults on the labour market, in civil society and in the family, as well as their transitions into retirement. In spring 2013, a 40-minute telephone interview was conducted on the basis of a standardised survey instrument. It covers instruments in the following areas: sociodemography, employment and retirement, informal work in civil society and the family, age images, health and well-being, and personality. In 2015/2016, the first-wave respondents who were ready to be interviewed again were interviewed. A total of 2,501 interviews were completed in the second wave. In terms of content, the second wave TOP focuses on the transitions into retirement, the realisation of job intentions, particularly in the labour market, as part of a multi-stage model of action, and the change in the potential of older adults over time. Like the first wave, the repeat survey was conducted by the Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) on behalf of the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). In addition to measures to reduce the bias from panel mortality and to increase utilisation, longitudinal weighting methods were used which, among other things, adjust for selective participation probabilities in the second wave.

Telephone interview: CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interview)

German-speaking resident population between 55 and 70 years of age (born 1942-1958) in private households with landline phone