Consumer Reports on Health

April 2006

THE NEW RETIREMENT: Staying 'engaged' can keep you healthier

By

Retirement isn't what it used to be. This "third age" of life is longer than ever; the average 60-year-old today will live to about age 83, and many will survive into their 90s. That means that most people can expect to be retired for about one-third of their adult lives.

That dramatic shift is creating a new view of the retirement years, in which people change directions but hardly stop or even slow down much. Numerous surveys conducted since 2000 show that people tend to look ahead to their retirement with some uncertainty, especially regarding their health, but also with a desire to make it something more meaningful than just an extended vacation.

The good news is that those two priorities - good health and meaningful lives - appear to go hand in hand. Research suggests that retirees who remain engaged by volunteering, learning, or working (albeit at a more relaxed, flexible pace) maintain better emotional, cognitive, and physical health.

Unfortunately, while many people painstakingly plan ahead financially for retirement, fewer think realistically about how they'll spend their days, beyond vague plans for traveling, playing golf, and maybe moving to Florida or Arizona. That's a mistake, warns Maddy Dychtwald, senior vice president and co-founder of Age Wave, a company that studies baby boomers and retirement trends. "Retirement usually starts with a brief period of exhilaration and liberation," she says, "followed by a long and steep decline as you cast around for meaning."

Here are some suggestions on how to avoid that trap:

STAY ENGAGED, STAY HEALTHY

"When you stop working you lose more than just steady income - you lose social connections, status, structure to your day," says Phyllis Moen, Ph.D., a sociologist at the University of Minnesota. "If you don't replace work with something meaningful and engaging, you could be in for a long, sad haul."

Research backs up Moen's point. A study published in July 2005 concluded that the most satisfied retirees were 1.5 times more likely than others to participate in multiple productive activities, including volunteering as well as paid work.

Such engagement not only helps people adjust to retirement but also improves their emotional and physical health. Purdue University researchers found that volunteering improved the moods of depressed older people. And researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that people age 60 to 86 who participated in an eight-month-long school mentoring program burned 20 percent more calories per week, were less reliant on canes, and experienced fewer falls than a matched group that continued with its regular activities.

Staying engaged seems to keep the mind sharp as well. A June 2004 Swedish analysis of 13 population studies found that mental stimulation from leisure activities improved cognitive function and reduced cognitive decline. And a 2002 National Institute on Aging study found that a five-week course on problem solving also boosted cognitive function.

WORK AFTER 60: NEW CHOICES

The average age for the start of full-time retirement, as well as the percentage of people over age 65 who remain in the workforce, started creeping up in the mid-1980s, reversing a decades-long decline. That trend seems likely to continue: Surveys suggest that about 80 percent of boomers now say they intend to continue some kind of paid employment after retiring from their primary career.

Those plans partly reflect new financial realities imposed by a combination of a longer life span and reduced retirement savings and pensions. But money isn 't the main reason most people want to keep working. "It's the social interaction and sense of doing something productive that primarily motivates them," says Marc Freedman, president of Civic Ventures, a San Francisco-based think tank that focuses on paid and volunteer work in the retirement years. "And they don't want an endless incarnation of their midlife work, or a job in a Wal-Mart or McDonald's. They want work that draws on the wisdom and experience they have, and that provides a much more flexible schedule, so they can do good work on their own terms."

Surveys have found that most boomers plan to retire from their current jobs around age 64 - but then launch second careers, often ones in which they cycle between periods of work and leisure. Moreover, nearly half of people who plan to continue to work into their retirement years say they want jobs that give back to their communities, according to a 2005 survey.

While it's admittedly tough to find a job that meets those requirements, more and more employers are beginning to recognize the value of older individuals' accumulated skills and experience. In 2003 Procter & Gamble and Eli Lilly jointly launched a new business called YourEncore that links retirees to companies that need scientists, engineers, and other skilled people for short-term projects.

Civic Venture's Marc Freedman identifies several fields that draw on older people's strengths, including education, health care, and community service (both nonprofit and religious groups). Freedman's organization has started a program, The Next Chapter, that works with libraries, community colleges, and other local organizations to provide counseling to older people who want to remain in the workforce.

Other paths to new jobs include going back to school or starting out as a volunteer in the field. Experts predict that more and more colleges and universities will develop simpler, fast-track versions of degree and licensing programs that take into account the background and experience of older students.

For a list of employment, volunteer, or educational opportunities for older people, see the table below.

Whether you stay engaged in work, volunteer, or educational programs depends in large measure on where and how you live. "It's hard to remain an active participant in life if you can't get out the door or around your community, or if your community doesn't provide the activities and services you need and want, " says Elinor Ginzler, who heads the AARP's initiative in making homes and communities more accessible to older people. For advice on what to consider in selecting where you'll live after you retire, see "Location, Location" below.

LOCATION, LOCATION: HOMES AND COMMUNITIES THAT KEEP YOU IN THE GAME OF LIFE

Most retirees prefer to stay close to home rather than decamp to Florida or Arizona. That can make sense, since that's where their social network - friends, family, and work - is usually strongest. That's why experts increasingly emphasize the value of "aging in place," or staying in your own home as long as possible.

Unfortunately, what seems like a fine living situation to a robust 65-year-old may be totally unsuitable for an 80-year-old recovering from a hip replacement. "People often don't think about these issues until they find they can't get out of their house easily because of too many stairs, or fall down and break a hip on a slippery bathroom floor," says Elinor Ginzler, director of Livable Communities at AARP. "Or too late they realize that they can't drive safely anymore and are trapped out in the suburbs or in towns with poor public transportation."

Here are some features that enable people to continue to enjoy their homes and communities despite the health and mobility issues that often come with advancing age.

AGING-FRIENDLY HOMES

Whether you're thinking of renovating your home or relocating, consider these characteristics:

* Easy entry. At least one outside entrance with no steps.

* One-level living. A bedroom and bathroom on the main floor.

* Safe bathrooms. Nonskid floors; grab bars near the toilet and shower; a telephone or emergency call system.

* User-friendly appliances and kitchens. Front-loading washers and dryers; a counter area where you can sit; base cabinets with slide-out shelves.

* Good ergonomics. Doorways at least 36 inches wide; levers on doors and faucets instead of knobs.

* Low maintenance. Easy-to-clean interior surfaces and someone to take care of exterior chores such as lawn maintenance and snow removal.

* Flexible layout. Room to accommodate a hobby or business or, if necessary, a live-in health aide.

LIVABLE COMMUNITIES

Look for a community that:

* Has stores and services reachable on foot or by public transportation.

* Provides ample opportunity for volunteer and civic activities as well as flexible employment.

* Includes a mix of generations.

* Offers a rich array of cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities as well as services such as home-delivered meals.

RESOURCES FOR NEW RETIREES

These organizations can help older individuals find interesting educational opportunities, work, or volunteer groups.

Elderhostel
Combines travel and education, often at universities around the world.
(www.elderhostel.org)

Institute for Learning in Retirement
Links to many college and university programs designed specifically for older learners on a wide range of practical and academic subjects.
(www.eckerd.edu/aspec/ein/ilr_usa.html)

University of the Third Age
Links to network of informal educational opportunities focused on older learners, mostly
(http://www.u3aonline.org/)

EMPLOYMENT

Civic Ventures
Lists resources for seniors seeking meaningful, flexible work, including links to nonprofit/organizations
(http://www.civicventures.org/nextchapter/overview.cfm)

Monster.com
General job site devotes special section to advice and resources for older workers.
(careersat50.monster.com)

Retired Brains
Connects retiring or retired seniors with employers
(www.retiredbrains.com)

Senior Job Bank
Lists occasional, part-time, temporary, flexible, and full-time opportunities.
(www.seniorjobbank.com)

YourEncore
(www.yourencore.com/jsp/index.html)

VOLUNTEERING

AmeriCorps
Includes local, state, and national service programs, working with nonprofit, public, faith-based, and community organizations.
(www.americorps.gov)

Executive Service Corps
Links retired executives to nonprofit and public-service agencies as volunteer consultants.
(www.escus.org)

Experience Corps
Focuses on literacy in public school and after-school programs in 14 cities.
(www.experiencecorps.org)

Habitat for Humanity
Helps build affordable housing in the U.S. and abroad.
(www.habitat.org)

Mentor
Links mentors with schools, civic associations, and other organizations.
(www.mentoring.org)

National Retiree Volunteer Coalition
Helps retirees volunteer with former employers, mainly large corporations, on a variety of educational, environmental, and community programs.
(www.nrvc.org)

Peace Corps
Provides opportunities for retirees to participate in this U.S. international service program
(www.peacecorps.gov)

Senior Corps
Connects volunteers to local service needs, especially foster grandparent and senior companion programs.
(www.seniorcorps.org)

USA Freedom Corps
Links retirees to volunteer opportunities throughout the country.
(www.usafreedomcorps.gov)

Volunteers in Medicine Institute
Links retired medical professionals to opportunities to provide free services to families and individuals without other access to care.
(www.vimi.org)