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“Ikigai” and the Benefits of Working after Retirement
In Japan, they call it “ikigai,” a subjective measure of well-being. In the west, they call it quality of life.
Whatever you call it, quality of life of the elderly links clearly to working after retirement. No longer unusual, no longer limited to jobs as greeters at WalMart, working after retirement offers benefits often ignored before retirement. Scientific studies show that work and a purpose for living play an important role in the continuing health and well-being of the elderly.
Here are four benefits of working after retirement to consider:
Added Income
A 2006 study1 from the journal, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, reported that income correlates positively with “ikigai.” In this study, older Japanese men came to the Silver Human Resources Centre, Osaka, Japan, seeking employment. As part of the employment process, they answered questionnaires about physical and economic factors related to their “ikigai.” Men with higher annual incomes reported significantly higher “ikigai” than men with lower annual incomes. The authors of the study suggest that providing work opportunities for older people will strengthen their “ikigai” through the added income employment brings. The study’s authors believe that a better quality of life will lead to fewer problems associated with aging.
Longer Life
A second study from Japan2 focused on the effect of “ikigai” on mortality. Researchers found that lacking a sense of purpose or a feeling of well-being related to an increased risk of death.
Better Health
A study conducted in Sweden3, reported in the European Journal of Public Health (2007), found that men who retired early rated their health as significantly poorer than men who did not. In addition, being inactive was another indicator of poor health. Having a job to do, regardless of whether the job involves physical labor or not, moves the older person away from inactivity. Thus, having a job may create a significant improvement in the health of the employed elderly worker.
In addition, studies of the relationship between health and wealth, performed in the US4, Great Britain5, and Germany6, showed similar results. Health is unevenly distributed by wealth and employment with wealthy individuals being much healthier than poorer individuals. Again, working and augmenting income may contribute to a better level of health in the elderly.
Social Contact
Isolation often occurs among retirees who do not take a job, create a second career, or become active participants in community activities. Longitudinal studies show that social isolation is an important factor in the later development of dementia. By continuing to work, whether at home or at an outside location, older people receive the social stimulation known to promote continuing brain health.
Many people look forward to retirement as an escape from the drudgery of the workplace, but working after retirement opens up a host of opportunities that may not have been present earlier in their lives. Rather than working simply to support a family, individuals who work after retirement can choose or create their new occupations to fulfill their life purpose as well as supplement income. Retirement can be the best time to create a “dream job” that is fulfilling monetarily, mentally, and spiritually.
References
1Kokoro Shirai, Hiroyasu Iso, Hideki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Toyoda, Toshio Takatorige, and Kozo Tatara. Factors associated with “Ikigai” among members of a public temporary employment agency for seniors (Silver Human Resources Centre) in Japan; gender differences.Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2006; 4: 12.
2Sone T, Nakaya N, Ohmori K, Shimazu T, Higashiguchi M, Kakizaki M, Kikuchi N, Kuriyama S, Tsuji I. Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study. Psychosom Med. 2008 Jul;70(6):709-15.
3Siegrist J, Wahrendorf M, von dem Knesebeck O, Jürges H, Börsch-Supan A. Quality of work, well-being, and intended early retirement of older employees: baseline results from the SHARE Study. Eur J Public Health. 2007 Feb;17(1):62-8. Epub 2006 Jun 14.
4Jiang Y, Hesser JE. Patterns of health-related quality of life and patterns associated with health risks among Rhode Island adults. Center for Health Data and Analysis, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
5Lecluyse A. Income-related health inequality in Belgium: a longitudinal perspective.Eur J Health Econ. 2007 Sep;8(3):237-43.
6Michaud PC, van Soest A. Health and wealth of elderly couples: Causality tests using dynamic panel data models. J Health Econ. 2008 Apr 16.