The article is devoted to post-labor stage of life of Russians, who have reached retirement age and stopped working. Life goals as a criterion of successful adaptation, two basic spheres (the family and the health) of life goals’ realization, strategies of spare time filling are discussed. The results of the study based on series of in-depth interviews showed that pensioners are more likely to be satisfied with their lives in general and look to the future with optimism. Life satisfaction in this case is caused primarily by the employment of pensioners (both women and men) in the family sphere.