Hi Guys,
The question of retirement often crops up in various posts.
Yesterday's newspapers quote Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer, saying older people are healthier if they work longer, apparently she will publish a report, but as ever the newspapers don't actually give us any hard facts, just hints couched in language like 'the report is expected to say...' I find myself wondering are there actually any facts, and is the research behind those facts sound research?
In my own case I retired earlier than I had anticipated because: a) I had a pension which made it feasible, b) I had PCa which made me confront my own mortality, and c) My mother was infirm, needed looking after, and had I stayed at work I would have been working effectively to pay her care home fees, while by retiring I could provide her with better care.
Let us assume that there is actually some research that shows people who retire later in life actually live longer, how can that research differentiate between those who retired early in apparent robust good health, and those who retired early because of a preexisting medical condition?
The newspapers might just as well headline the fact that those in poor health opt to retire earlier.
So I think that the important thing for those of you trying to decide whether to retire, is that like me you probably have a variety of factors which apply to you, like can you afford it, how long do you expect to live, are others dependent upon you, or your work, etc. Your decision will be your own personal decision and shouldn't be influenced in the sort of half-baked science reported in the newspapers, which are after all merely tomorrow's chip paper.
Of course if any of you know of any real research which suggests I will live longer if I go back to work I would be pleased to hear about it.
:)
Dave