How to stay working in your 70s and beyond
“Working into old age gives me purpose and satisfaction,” says 77-year-old swimming coach, Ellery McGowan. “I never quibble about setting off at 8pm to start my 8.30pm sessions – even on dark, damp nights. I get a real buzz from the interaction.”
McGowan, a world record-breaking ice swimmer no less, is part of a growing band of workers clocking in well past the state pension age of 66, casting aside ageing stereotypes as they go. Increasingly, they are represented in the public eye: Dame Zandra Rhodes, 83, has just released her autumn/winter 2023 capsule collection with John Fluevog and is the face of the Debenhams Christmas campaign; Dame Esther Rantzen, 82, still writes, campaigns and broadcasts, all while battling stage four lung cancer; Jeffrey Archer, 83, continues to write bestseller after bestseller; and the King, who started one of the most prestigious jobs in the world at the age of 73.
The evidence shows that far from missing out on carefree retirements and long hours on the golf course, older people continuing in employment could be on to a good thing. A 2021 BMC Public Health study showed full-time and part-time workers scored higher in mental health tests compared with retirees, while another study, published in the Harvard Health Review, tracked 83,000 older adults over 15 years, and found that people who worked past the age of 65 were about three times more likely to report being in good health.
The health benefits of working into old age are, in fact, considerable. A Japanese study of adults aged over 65 found that those working either full-time or part-time had significantly better mental health (as measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale), compared with those who had retired, while another Japanese study found that being employed in later life reduced a person’s susceptibility to stroke.
None of it comes as a surprise to Dr Lucy Pollock, a consultant geriatrician and author of The Book About Getting Older. “In my own field of medicine, many consultants retire and return. There are multiple advantages to working beyond retirement age in that they can often negotiate their hours and go on to train and teach younger doctors, which for some is one of the best elements of the job. People often allude to having found themselves bored in retirement – they value an ‘encore career’ and for many there’s a real dividend in being busy and active. Most of us like to feel useful.”
Tim Drake, 79, author of anti-retirement bible Generation Cherry would likely agree. He set up and chairs two think tanks for chief executives and also does ad hoc charity work as a trustee.
“It feels terrific to be working at this age,” he says. “It keeps me involved in the industries I love and am keen to see developing well. It also brings very welcome money that can make a subsequent slowing down a lot more comfortable. It keeps you current and involved in the lives of people around you. You can have conversations with younger people as an equal, not an old fart. You may not be familiar with the latest pop songs, but you know what issues are challenging people, and may be able to help, having been there before.”
Rest Less, a digital community that offers advice to older workers, notes that there has been a 61 per cent increase in the number of over-70s working today compared with a decade ago. For some, like Tim and Ellery, the main motivation is sheer enjoyment, job satisfaction and a desire to keep mentally agile and engaged. But for others, working beyond retirement is a necessity rather than a choice, with pensions all too often proving insufficient and roles that fit well with an older workforce not always being available – or offered.
“It’s not all roses,” says Dr Pollock. “Some people keep working because they are hard-up and although they might have enough to live on, there’s nothing left over for treats, or they may be supporting other family members financially.”
Sometimes, too, older workers suffer discrimination in the workplace, centred around the idea that they are slower than younger workers. Just look at the public hilarity every time Joe Biden makes another gaffe. Or consider how often you’ve used the term “senior moment” – either about someone else or yourself.
When a younger person makes a mistake, there’s no derogatory jargon for that. A mistake is simply a mistake. And the ramifications of such contrasting treatment between generations can have startlingly negative effects.
Dr Pollock points to a study by Prof Becca Levy in the US which shows that older people who are shown positive phrases about ageing, even when those phrases flash up too fast to consciously read, perform better on subsequent cognitive tests.
“We need to move past stereotypes,” says Pollock. “For example, time and again, older people demonstrate that they can be adept at using new technology. And for many companies, older workers are great news. They have skills learned over decades, they’ll often be able to work flexible hours, and having older workers who aren’t trying to get away during school holidays is a real bonus.”
Today, the average 65-year-old is in pretty good health, with about 20 years of life ahead of them. That’s as long as our childhood, our teen years and first job or university years. Considering the best way to spend that time seems like a no-brainer.
“We want our later years to be as fulfilling and contented as possible. They might include travel, grandchildren and hobbies but for an increasing number of people, work also can play a key role,” says Dr Pollock. “Living in a society in which older workers are valued – that’s an important goal and we’re definitely making progress towards it.”
Ellery is certainly an example of an older worker who feels valued. “I have only ever had positive feedback from my students and fellow coaches,” she says. “And I have always been firm on flexibility. My employers are aware, for example, that I will be travelling to Antarctica in February to swim near the South Pole and going to Estonia in March for the World Winter Swimming Championships. I feel guilty letting the swimming club down but the youngsters love me bringing in medals.”
