Delaying retirement is sometimes a financial necessity, but continuing to work may benefit more than just your bottom line. A study found that putting off retirement was associated with the delayed onset of Alzheimer’s disease: Each year of extra work forestalled Alzheimer’s for an additional seven weeks on average. From the data, it is impossible to say whether retirement somehow brought on the disease or people at risk for Alzheimer’s are unlikely to keep working, but the authors speculate that on-the-job challenges may help keep the mind healthy and agile in old age.
Source: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, published online May 20, 2009