A study by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research based on 429,000 self-employed workers indicates that there is a 3% reduction in Alzheimer’s for every extra year worked. Prior research has shown that exercise, social engagement, positive outlook and diet have positive effects on staving off the disease. Now working longer could be added to that list — perhaps proving the “use it or lose it” theory.
The French study may be good news for people who need to work longer, but it also shows that retirement as most people have imagined it is being reinvented as longevity increases. The need to achieve financial independence is different than stopping working altogether — many people start second careers or continue to work in their field but under different circumstances. There’s also the need to prepare for health crises, which can prevent a person from working at all. But is seems clear that retirement will be different for Baby Boomers and succeeding generations that work longer — and perhaps healthier.
