A national poll reveals that while health challenges can hold some older adults back from working, those who remain employed—especially past 65—report significant mental and physical health benefits, financial security, and a strong sense of purpose.
Study: Open label vancomycin in primary sclerosing cholangitis-inflammatory bowel disease: improved colonic disease activity and associations with changes in host-microbiome-metabolomic signatures. Image Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock.com
In the recently published National Poll on Healthy Aging, researchers asked older Americans (those aged 50 and over) about their perspectives on working, including what motivates them, what holds them back, and how they feel work has impacted their quality of life.
Their findings show that even though health-related barriers can hold older people back from working, those who continue to work, particularly those over 65, overwhelmingly say that it has a positive effect on their overall physical and mental well-being.
Background
Since the early 2000s, there has been an increase in the number of people who have continued to work past the age of 65.
In 2018, a survey by the Pew Research Center found that 29% of the generation known as ‘Boomers’ between 65 and 72 were either working or actively looking for work, which exceeded the labor market participation of previous generations at the same age.
Better health and increasing life expectancy allow people to pursue their careers long past the age considered normal for retirement. Sometimes, they work because they cannot afford to retire, but they could also have professional goals they still want to fulfill or enjoy the social interactions that come with their job.
The connections between health and work are complex. An individual’s work can affect their well-being negatively or positively. However, health concerns can also become a barrier to working.
With more older adults working than ever before, either because they want to or because they have to, understanding their motivations is important. Their perspectives can guide labor market and company policies.
About the study
The research team administered poll questions over the phone and online in 2024 to 3486 randomly chosen American adults between 50 and 95. Groups such as Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans, Hispanic individuals, and non-Hispanic Black people were oversampled to reduce sampling bias and ensure that the findings represented the American population. 36% of those invited to participate completed the survey.
Respondents were asked to describe their employment status; if they worked, they reported whether they were self-employed or were paid employees, and if they were not working, they noted whether they were disabled, retired, actively looking for work, or had been temporarily laid off.
They reported on whether they had worked in the past five years and described whether their positions were hybrid, fully remote, or office-based.
The questionnaire then asked them whether their work impacted their overall well-being, physical health, and mental or emotional health in a very positive, somewhat positive, somewhat negative, or very negative way.
Respondents spoke of their ability to maintain a healthy work-life balance and take time off when needed or for vacations, why their work was important to them, and their level of satisfaction with their jobs. They were also asked to describe the barriers and challenges they faced that held them back from working.
Findings
An estimated 42% of Americans 50 and above work, including 18% over 65. Among those who work, only 17% are self-employed, and nearly 70% have fully office-based positions.
People with household incomes of $60,000 or more and those with college degrees were more likely to have hybrid or fully remote working arrangements.
Two-thirds of working adults aged 50 and above said that their work positively impacted their physical health, 71% said it was beneficial for their mental health, and 78% said it improved their overall well-being; 71% noted that it kept them physically active.
Approximately 92% reported that they were able to take time off for health-related appointments, particularly those with good or better mental health.
Financial stability, retirement savings, health insurance, support for family members, and maximizing their Social Security benefits were the five most important reasons to work, said older Americans. However, 46% also said that their work gave them a purpose in life, and 26% worked because they wanted to contribute to society.
Many noted that working kept their brains sharp and helped them maintain their social connections, stay focused, and gain new skills. Approximately 88% felt satisfied with their work, and 78%-90% felt their employers, supervisors, and colleagues valued them.
However, nearly 30% said they were unable to work due to poor health, chronic illness, and disability; others were hindered by lack of skills, limited transportation, caregiving responsibilities, or legal troubles.
A substantial number of people felt that they were underutilized or underpaid at their jobs; nearly one in five reported having inadequate health insurance. For 13%, the physical demands of their work were too great, and 11% reported experiencing age discrimination.
Conclusions
As the workforce contributions of people aged 50 and over increase, employers can play an important role by supporting their needs.
Programs and policies such as flexible working options and skills training can help older adults work for as long as they want (or need) to.
Social and health disparities drive brain aging in Latin America