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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 The study found that retirees who were struggling financially were more likely to work in a different field after retirement.
"When you're working in a similar field, you don't need to adjust to it. You're familiar with the rules and the social network," Wang said. "When you're working in a field you have not worked in before, you have to adjust to a new identify, a new social environment and a new work context. You may face challenges you never faced before."
All signs point to the trend of older workers staying on the job continuing. According to a 2008 survey from the AARP, 70 percent of 1,500 workers ages 45 to 74 said they planned to continue working into what they considered their retirement years.
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Finances are a primary motivator, said Colin Milner, chief executive officer of the International Council on Active Aging in Vancouver, British Columbia. Baby Boomers -- the generation born in the post-World War II years -- have taken some financial hits recently, from the rising cost of health care to the housing bust to job losses.
But many also stay on the job because they want to, Milner added. Working provides a sense of purpose, which research has shown is key to maintaining mental and physical health in older age.
The study isn't the first to show that structured activity improves the lives of retired people. In May, research presented at a meeting of the American Geriatrics Society found that retirees over 65 who worked as volunteers had half the death risk of those who did not.
"What the [new] study does is reinforce a few things we already know," Milner said. "If you are involved in society and have purpose in life, whether that's through a job or as a volunteer, your health and your mental outlook is much better than if you're not."
More information
There's more on healthy aging at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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