The theory that people who retire early enjoy longer lives has been refuted, according to a study published by the British Medical Journal. It is, in fact, reported here that the death rate of people who retire at 55 is nearly double that of those who continue working till 65.
Shan Tsai, Shell Health Services in Houston is one of the pioneers of the study which included more than 3,500 former workers at Royal Dutch Shell Plc between January 1973 and December 2003.
The study found that men were far more likely to die at a younger age than women and those who earned less died earlier compared to those with the higher incomes.
A few other researchers, who will endorse these studies, will agree with the fact that early retirement harms health because the workers are already ill before they retire or because of the change of life events.
They, however, could not entirely explain differences they found regarding factors such as sex and socioeconomic status.
Mervyn Kohler, of Help the Aged, said: "This raises the question of whether early retirement is actually bad for you. There is already a body of evidence that says that working longer is good for you". He also added that employers needed to be accommodating to older employees.
While Gordon Lishman, of Age Concern, says: "After stopping work it is vital for older people to stay mentally and physically active to enjoy a fulfilling retirement."
“Sudden retirement may not be the honeymoon we expect it to be,” avers Baroness Greengross, chief executive of the International Longevity Centre UK.
The study's publication is considered well-timed, as there is increasing concern over the increasing ageing population in developed countries like the UK. But, there is a fear that this could create more worries for the economy.
Meanwhile, the latest projections from the Office for National Statistics shows that the number of people of in pensionable age is expected to increase by 9.3% from 11.1 million in 2004 to 12.2 million in 2010, and to 15.3 million by 2031.
Posted
on : Sat, 22 Oct 2005 00:35 GMT | General News
By : Anne Philips
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