I described the French research project in my previous post which reported people were happier not working after retirement. In this post, the flip side of the coin. Research that says people are happier and healthier when they are working and staying active after retirement.

In fact there is a 6-year study of 12,000 people which found that there were definite health benefits for people who keep working beyond the age of 58 and beyond retirement. This study was a joint project of the University of Maryland and California State University and published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

This study reported on what they called “bridge employment” which is part-time employment, self-employment or temporary employment after retirement. The major finding was that retirees who continued to work in a bridge job experienced fewer major diseases than those fully retired. They also found improved mental health but only when the person was working within their career field. Even considering the health of the participants before retirement, employment status caused a difference in health.

What does that mean for you? My suggestion is that if you are not retired just yet, you may want to seriously consider looking for full or part time employment when you do retire. It seems reasonable to assume that what is called bridge employment is certainly justified when it comes to your health.

Are you thinking about working full or part time after you retire? If your decision is your choice and not because you can’t afford to retire, tell us why you made that choice. I am betting it will help others make their decisions.

To your success and healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

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Filed under: Retirement

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