Author Topic: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"  (Read 4451 times)

ficarrot

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Age: 38
  • Location: Washington, DC
"Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« on: May 16, 2013, 09:33:19 AM »
A fairly surprising claim from this BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22550536

It seems like they mean something different by retirement then folks around here do, but I'm interested in some other perspectives on the issue.

matchewed

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4422
  • Location: CT
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2013, 09:35:54 AM »
When we're discussing the term "Retirement" please see - http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/02/13/mr-money-mustache-vs-the-internet-retirement-police/

While I personally prefer to use a different term (FI), I do intend to keep "working". It just might not pay.

matchewed

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4422
  • Location: CT
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2013, 09:47:52 AM »
And this is an article highlighting the traditional concept of retirement. Although an interesting and important concept to study as it affects the vast majority of "developed" nations. I'm not sure how interesting it is for this particular slice of the population (us).

Furthermore since it is an analysis of the traditional concept it has the flaw of looking at people who have defined themselves by their jobs (I'm making one hell of a leap here please bear w/ me). Once that identity is taken away, their purpose if you will, what is left? I believe that the conclusion of employment for older people = good is flawed in thinking that employment is the only way to stay engaged.

Also since I enjoy discussing the meat behind brief and shallow articles here is the link for the paper they're discussing.

http://www.iea.org.uk/sites/default/files/in-the-media/files/Work%20Longer,%20Live_Healthier.pdf

Jamesqf

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4038
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2013, 11:08:58 AM »
A fairly surprising claim...

What's surprising about it?  It's been observed for years: retirement kills.  I could point you to my two neighbors.  One retired a couple of years ago at 66, and sits around the house all day drinking & watching TV.  The other was working up until a year or so ago, and will be 99 this summer.  If you looked at them side by side, observed their activity levels & general health, you'd think they were pretty close to the same age.

It's also why I think a lot of the people planning on early retirement are not going to be as happy as they think they will be - unless, like MMM, they redefine "retirement" as finding more congenial work.

velocistar237

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1424
  • Location: Metro Boston
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2013, 12:05:01 PM »
Studies are divided on whether retirement is beneficial for health. You have to sort out people who retire due to health issues, whether the retirement was forced or not, whether you have enough saved to provide for a good retirement, etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18952037
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11820660

The only study I've seen that attempts to separate out cause for retirement showed a slight boost in life expectancy for early retirees.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19467567

Any general conclusions would be pretty speculative at this point, but I think Jamesqf is on the right track, though maybe not necessarily about work, maybe just activity. If you stay active, then you'll be better off. If you retire and become inactive, then you'll be worse off. If the best way to stay physically, mentally, and socially active is to keep working, then do that. Even if you don't retire, you'll probably benefit a little from reducing your hours, working on your own terms, etc.

velocistar237

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1424
  • Location: Metro Boston
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2013, 12:43:28 PM »
Also since I enjoy discussing the meat behind brief and shallow articles here is the link for the paper they're discussing.

http://www.iea.org.uk/sites/default/files/in-the-media/files/Work%20Longer,%20Live_Healthier.pdf

That report is based on this working paper.
http://www.ifn.se/wfiles/wp/wp928.pdf

matchewed

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4422
  • Location: CT
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2013, 12:47:34 PM »
Thanks

Jamesqf

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4038
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2013, 02:05:17 PM »
...I think Jamesqf is on the right track, though maybe not necessarily about work, maybe just activity. If you stay active, then you'll be better off. If you retire and become inactive, then you'll be worse off.

Sure, if a person can manage to keep involved & active, both mentally & physically, without having the sort of external goads (both carrots & sticks) that come from actually working, that's fine.  But I don't think many people manage to do that. 

And besides, they give you money for working :-)

MrsPete

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3505
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2013, 02:24:52 PM »
I'm not retired, but I do not believe this for a minute! 

What I do believe is that sitting around doing nothing, never getting out of the house, having no goals, and not contributing to society in any way IS bad for your health! 

No Name Guy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 448
  • Location: Western Washington
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2013, 02:40:12 PM »
Were I a conspiracy theorist, I'd say this article and the one at

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/antimustachian-wall-of-shame-and-comedy/health-care-costs-when-retiring-early-today-on-cnn/

were just the powers that be trying to sucker the non-stache, consumerist masses into working longer to buy more crap to allow more profits and taxes to be milked from the consumer / tax donkeys, AND then to say "its good for you!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Live
Obey.  Consume.  Work.  ;-)

Jamesqf

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4038
Re: "Retirement is Bad for your Health!"
« Reply #10 on: May 16, 2013, 04:32:59 PM »
What I do believe is that sitting around doing nothing, never getting out of the house, having no goals, and not contributing to society in any way IS bad for your health!

Exactly!  And it's a lot easier to do that if you're retired.

I wonder if anyone has ever studied the health &c of lottery winners, people who inherit (or otherwise come into) large amounts of money, and others who for one reason or another stop working long before the usual retirement age.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!