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Bridging the gap to a healthy retirement

15 October 2009: People who work after retirement, either on a part-time, temporary or self-employed basis, enjoy better health than those who fully retire, according to new research.

 

The US scientists followed the health of over 12,000 men and women aged between 51 and 67 at different stages of retirement. The researchers grouped the people into those that had fully retired, those still working and those who had retired but then carried on or started work again.

This last group were further categorised into those who had taken a job that was unrelated to their former occupation (bridge employment), and those who had taken a job in the same field of work (career bridge employment).

At the start of the study, each person took part in a lengthy interview. The researchers collected information about the state of their health, specifically whether they had any major diseases such as arthritis, heart disease or cancer, how capable they were of carrying out everyday tasks (such as dressing or bathing themselves), and their mental health. Follow-up interviews were carried out every two years over a six-year period.

The scientists found that people who worked after retirement, either in the same occupation or in a different occupation, had fewer major diseases and were more capable of carrying out everyday tasks than those who fully retired. The researchers believe that this is because they remained physically and mentally active, as well as keeping up their social contacts and normal daily routine.

However, only those people who took jobs in the same occupation had better mental health. This is thought to be because keeping a similar role leads to less upheaval, whereas taking on a new role in a different field may be more stressful and disruptive.

These findings stood even after the researchers took into account each person’s physical and mental health before they retired, age, gender, education level and how wealthy they were.

Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director for Bupa International, said: “This research is very much in line with what we already know – when it comes to aging you either ‘use it or lose it’. However, it highlights an extremely interesting point that it’s not just working that is of benefit to your health after retirement, but the type of work you choose is crucial.

“I would advise anyone considering working after retirement to think carefully about the occupation they choose. This research suggests that staying within the same field of work is of far more benefit to your mental health than choosing a different occupation altogether,” he added.

  • Read the full study

    Zhan Y, Wang M, Liu S, et al. Bridge Employment and Retirees’ Health: A Longitudinal Investigation. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 2009; 14(4):374–389. DOI: 10.1037/a0015285

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