Researchers in America have concluded that complete Retirement is actually bad for you. A study of 12,189 retirees found that those who undertook part-time or temporary work after retirement were actually physically and mentally healthier than those who gave up work completely.

The study, carried out by the University of Maryland, examined 12,189 people who were aged 51 – 61 at the outset of the trial. Those individuals were interviewed every two years over a six-year period beginning in 1992 about their health, their finances, employment history and work or retirement life.

It concluded that those who gave up work altogether were less able to function on a day-to-day basis than those who continued to work in some capacity. They also suffered more major diseases. Conversely, even allowing for the individual’s mental and physical health before retirement, those who continue to work in some capacity have fewer major diseases and are better able to function on a daily basis.

Importantly however, the most beneficial post-retirement work would seem to be work similar to that which the individual undertook before retirement. Perhaps as a result of the stress involved in adapting to new work environments or different job conditions, the mental health of those interviewed was not improved by continuing to work after official retirement.

Ironically it seems, the fact that so many in their Third Age will now be forced to work later in life because of the economic recession might actually be a good thing after all. Providing that is that we continue to do similar jobs to that which we did before.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (6) Posts