Retirement is bad for your health?

[stephenholmes]

Good morning everyone
I wonder if you agree with the following article?
Kind regards Stephen

Retirement has a detrimental impact on mental and physical health, a new study has found.

The study, published by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a think tank, found that retirement results in a "drastic decline in health" in the medium and long term.

The IEA said the study suggests people should work for longer for health as well as economic reasons.

The government already plans to raise the state pension age.

Philip Booth, programme director at the IEA, said the government should go further to deregulate labour markets and allow people to work for longer.

"Working longer will not only be an economic necessity, it also helps people live healthier lives," he said.

Edward Datnow, chairman of the Age Endeavour Fellowship - a charity that published the report alongside the IEA - said: "There should be no 'normal' retirement age future.

"More employers need to consider how they will capitalise on Britain's untapped grey potential and those seeking to retire should think very hard about whether it is their best option."

The study suggests there is a small boost to health immediately after retirement, before a significant decline in the longer term.

Retirement is found to increase the chances of suffering from clinical depression by 40%, while you are 60% more likely to suffer from a physical condition.

The effect is the same for men and women, while the chances of becoming ill appear to increase with the length of time spent in retirement

[CaptainBazza]

Let me pick the bones of it, Stephen.

The study suggests people should work for longer, (the government) plans to raise the state pension age, deregulate labour markets, there should be no 'normal' retirement age future, those seeking to retire should think very hard about whether it is their best option. Hmmm, work or die, or die of work?

The study suggests there is a small boost to health immediately after retirement, before a significant decline in the longer term. It's called 'old age'.

Retirement is found to increase the chances of suffering from clinical depression by 40%, while you are 60% more likely to suffer from a physical condition. To quote the late Private Fraser (Dad's Army) "We're all doomed from the effect of too many surveys telling us we're doomed!"

The effect is the same for men and women, while the chances of becoming ill appear to increase with the length of time spent in retirement. I'm just so thankful that even bad news must be PC and Equal Opportunity.

To sum it up, again: The government already plans to raise the state pension age.

Cheers Bazza

[eyore]

Bazza has it right, its old age that increases the chance of ill health, retirement only increases the opportunity to moan about it.

[stephenholmes]

Good afternoon Bazza and Phil
I'm sure you are both correct about old age leading to eventual ill health
Neither of my parents lived to see their retirement my Dad was 39 when he died and Mum 52
A friend of mine retired three years a go and for some reason he just spends his time in the pub each day
Like you both say the Government would like us all to work until we drop
Kind regards Stephen

on a slightly lighter note

If you work hard and try your best
You'll just be put upon like the rest
But if you laze and mess about
You'll live to see the job right out
The work is hard the pay is small
So take your time and sod 'em all
Or else on your grave stone neatly lacquered
These three words
He wasn't tired "Just bloody knackered"

[lenfish]

"The think-tank (IEA) estimated that by 2015 some £1.3bn could be saved by abolishing free bus travel, £700m from stopping free television licences, £2.1bn from scrapping the winter fuel allowance, £5.6bn from inflation-indexing state pension rises, and £5bn from raising the state pension age to 66 in 2015 instead of 2020 as currently planned."(Daily Telegraph).

No friend of us pensioners then! When I worked I used to joke that the space in front of our rooms in the office was being reserved for our Zimmer frames. Many a true word.............

Regards,

Len

[CaptainBazza]

David Beckham could be a good test case?

Cheers Bazza

[TransportSteve]

Good Evening/Morning Stephen,

I needed a good laugh and you provided it for me with this thread, many thanks indeed, Squire.

Think Tanks need retiring.....then we can all get on with our lives without being spoonfed such drivel from Goverment Quangos.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

[rufuskins]

I believe a quote from Mrs Brown's Boys is apposite

Grandad says "I don't feel well!"
Mrs Brown replies "You're 90, you're not supposed to feel well!"

Retirement is different for each of us. I retire at the end of the year, and I'm convinced that my health will be much improved. I drive a total of 80 miles a day on some of the busiest motorways and it is proving extremely detrimental to my back. In addition I have a responsible job that induces significant stress, again detrimental to my well being.

I therefore believe that retirement will be beneficial to my health.

State pensions operate under a legal PONZI scheme in so far as much of my tax and NI goes towards pensions, etc. for the current crop of pensioners, and therefore my state pension will be paid for by the working population during the rest of my life after retirement. I have endeavoured to minimise my dependence upon that by contributing to private pensions, etc.

Alec

[gavo01]

I read about this article in the Metro the other day.

These types of surveys don't have any real truth about them, and my suspicions were confirmed, when the article underneath was also a survey, stating that blue is the best bedroom wall colour to have for a good nights sleep.

[scampispeedway]

Hi Everyone, can I just say that I retired early at the end of 2006 when I reached the age of 60, I know
that if I had continued on much longer, I would have died because of the strain on my health.
I've worked hard non stop since I left school and my works pension scheme allowed me to get out at that
age, I then had only another 5 years to go before I got the additional money from the State Pension.
I was lucky that I was able to do this and everybody I used to know in the past are all saying that I'm
looking great since I stopped working and certainly feel more relaxed as well.
Before this I managed to save a little money and I've carefully invested some of the money from my Pension
Fund by reducing my Works Pension a little and at the start of next year I will enjoy the rest of my life going
to places that I was unable to do whilst working.

Bob

[curate]

Out of interest, how many of us are being offered a free flight for a significant birthday this year?
Those of us who aren't young enough to think 150s are a good idea, of course.

Is the desire to join the National Trust a give-away?

David

[CaptainBazza]

Out of interest, how many of us are being offered a free flight for a significant birthday this year?

Interesting, after a certain age is reached, ALL birthdays are significant.

Cheers Bazza

[stephenholmes]

Good morning everyone
I envy those lucky enough to have reached retirement
If you are disabled and chronically sick and below retirement age then currently life is not great
What I fear most is destitution under the present regime
Kind regards Stephen

[rufuskins]

Stephen
You have a PM.
Alec

[CaptainBazza]

It's certainly bad for your wealth....