Physical and Mental Health Changes in Retirement Age

Abstract

Effects of retirement on health were studied in a prospective follow-up study (TURVA project). The subjects were examined when they were 62 and 66 years old. At the beginning of the study more than half of the subjects were still working and the rest of them pensioned. Retirement had no clear effect on the subjects’ physical health. Mental health of the subjects who retired at age of old-age retirement became better than that of the subjects who retired before the study. Diminished work stress may explain positive changes in mental health during retirement process.

Health and health care utilization among early retirement pensioners with musculoskeletal disorders

“…The retirement has only small effects on health and well-being (5). The beneficial effects of retirement are however pointed out by those who retired for reasons of illness or disability (6), while other studies show that mental health deteriorates in early retirees even if no effects on physical health are found (7).…”

Does Retirement Induced Through Social Security Pension Eligibility Influence Subjective Well-Being? A Cross-Country Comparison

“…In the U.S. both positive (Charles, 2004) and negative (Dave, Rashad, & Spasojevic, 2008;Szinovacz & Davey, 2004) retirement effects have been found. In contrast, consistently positive effects are found in England (Johnston & Lee, 2009;Mein et al, 2004) and Finland (Okasanen et al, 2011;Salokangas & Joukamaa, 1991), while no effect is found in the Republic of Korea or continental Europe for depression measures (Lee & Smith, 2009;Coe & Zamarro, 2011), suggesting potential cross-country variations in retirement effects on subjective well-being. 1 Continued improvements in life expectancy and fiscal insolvency of public pensions have led to an increase in pension entitlement ages in several countries, but its consequences for subjective well-being are largely unknown.…”

Leaving the labour market: the impact of exit routes from employment to retirement on health and wellbeing in old age

“…In support of this perspective are a number of studies showing that people feel neither better nor worse when they retire. This implies that retirement per se has no significant effect on the subsequent wellbeing of pensioners (Salokangas and Joukamaa 1991;Kim and Moen 2001;Midanik et al 1995).…”