Need another reason to consider delaying retirement? New research suggests doing so may help you live longer.
The risk of dying from any cause among people who had delayed retirement one year was 11 percent lower than those who had retired at 65 — and the death rate continued to fall the longer retirement was delayed, according to a study published this month in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
The findings, by researchers at Oregon State University, indicated even those who retired for health reasons after age 65 had a lower risk of dying than those who had retired at 65. The benefits of working longer held true regardless of gender, education, income, lifestyle, and occupation.
The researchers explained that postponing retirement might delay age-related declines in cognitive, physical, and mental health, which may in turn reduce the risk of developing chronic, life-threatening illnesses.
To reach their conclusions, the researchers analyzed the medical records of 2,956 men and women who were employed at the start of a larger study in 1992, but had fully retired in 2010.
The results showed that those who retired in good health at age 67 had a 21 percent lower risk of dying than those who retired at age 65 or earlier? Those who had retired at age 70 had a 44 percent lower risk, those who retired at 72 had a 56 percent lower risk.
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