To work or retire, that is the question. Many baby boomers and even younger people are contemplating this question. While many factors are involved, some new research provides interesting evidence supporting the continuation of work.
A recent study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health reported healthy adults who retired one year past age 65 had an 11 percent lower risk of death from all causes, even when taking into account demographic, lifestyle and health issues. While there have been other studies regarding the economic impacts of continuing to work past retirement age, rarely had the health impacts been studied. This study shows that even when accounting for variants, the pattern of benefit for those who remained active and engaged through working had a lower mortality rate.
Now this issue is a personal one on every level. But this research speaks to what MemoryMinders programming advocates-staying mentally and socially engaged. Many will choose to do this through extending their professional lives past age 65. But even if retirement is the path chosen, the critical factors of remaining mentally and socially engaged is key.
Being with others and specifically engaging our minds with others provides a clear benefit as noted by this study and others. Thus, the key is to remain engaged: mentally, physically and socially.
How does or will this look like for you? Will you keep working past age 65? If you are already in retirement, how can you continue to stimulate your mind and body, ideally in a socially active way?
These questions are worth taking a few moments to consider. This is one of the main reasons that MemoryMinders exists: to provide additional options to engage the mind and body toward wellness.
To work or retire-what is your answer? Stay tuned for some additional resources we are working on at MemoryMinders to help in this area! In the meantime, keep working your brain and memory, however that works for you!
Journal Reference: Chenkai Wu, Michelle C Odden, Gwenith G Fisher, Robert S Stawski. Association of retirement age with mortality: a population-based longitudinal study among older adults in the USA. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2016; jech-2015-207097 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2015-207097