Why do elderly people continue to work when they could have retired years ago?

Some people feel needed at work. That need keeps them going.

Some people continue to work because they enjoy it. Being retired can be BORING!

To paraphrase the BeeGees, staying engaged keeps ‘em “Stayin’ Alive!”

The society is geared such that people are incentivised toward working themselves to death. I believe the pandemic is the great event in my lifetime altering that fact. The disease actually forced people to examine the previously assumed myth that working long and hard is the guarantee for success.

My sister is almost 75 and she continues to work simply because she enjoys it. She enjoys what she does and she enjoys being busy and engaged.

My husband simply likes working.

They ENJOY working & it gives them a PURPOSE in their lives!!!

Much like turning 18 doesn’t automatically turn you into an adult…turning 65 doesn’t automatically make you useless!!! There are many societies where the elderly are considered a gem because they are wise with knowledge that young people need.

All of the people I know who do that, within the context you mentioned, are still working because they enjoy it.

Some people love being in charge. They hand handle not being in charge. They are lost if they retire. Their job is all they have and they are too weak to let go.

I had a friend who worked into his early 90’s doing something he enjoyed.

With a perfectly straight face he told me: “Working gives me a reason to put a shirt on.”

The people you mention don’t leave because they don’t want to lose power. Normal people often continue to work because they enjoy it or because they have no close friends and being at work keeps them around people.

My dad just retired and has been miserable without a job. He’s bored, and driving my mom nuts. We’re trying to find the right job/volunteer position for him that allows him to fill his days with meaning and activity. Without it, he’s been lost.

@gorillapaws I have heard that many times. I, however, have found my calling…I’m great at being retired. ;)

All great answers above.

I had a student once who was a 72-year old, retired, hand surgeon from Mass General in Boston. Made oodles of money over a long and successful career.

He was home retired for a handful of months until he was bored and his wife wanted to kill him.

He went back to school (in my program), graduated, got a job as a web designer at his local library. Still works there now three days a week and about 88 now.

Like many have already said, they like their jobs and keeping busy, using their brains. Also, a lot of men, especially my Dad’s generation (WWII) defined themselves by their jobs. When retirement came along, unless they had plans for it, they suddenly had nothing to do and no way to define themselves. I’d bet that many felt lost.

Just something to do a few days a week and a little extra money for a rainy day. For me anyway. But I’ll probably retire permanently in one more year. Part time work isn’t bad, it’s just that the traffic in my area is a pain in the butt.

Some people their whole identity is wrapped up in their work and they don’t do much outside of work so they keep working. They fear being nobody without their work. It’s not too far off base. Now that I haven’t worked full time in years a lot of people assume I never had any sort of a career.

A jelly above said the people you mentioned in your Q like their powerful positions. I agree with that. Power and the money they can make in their positions, and I don’t mean just their salary.

Some people simply keep doing what they have always done. It’s scary to make big life changes.

Some people are afraid of not having enough money even when they seem to have plenty of money.

I can’t imagine working full time now, let alone when I’m 70. I hope to God I don’t need to work into my 70’s.

I have seen reports that many employers prefer to hire the elderly who are willing to work because they make more stable employees. They don’t go out partying every night and come to work hungover. They won’t be taking maternity leave. They focus on their job instead of being on their phone all day. They aren’t afraid to work hard because they’ve worked hard all their life. They don’t expect a paycheck just for showing up as they expect to work.

Many do it because it fills their day with happiness and satisfaction of a job well done. Some to it because they “have to”.

@gorillapaws My dad went through much the same so my Mom decided that she needed flowers out her kitchen window & it expanded from there. I could tell when he was stepping on her last nerve because of ALL the gardening projects she suddenly needed done right away!!!

My husband’s dad started volunteering to deliver Meals on Wheels to the elderly in his community. It gave him people his own age to talk to & he felt useful by checking up on them daily. Of course every little old lady fawned all over him because he was delivering the ONLY meal she was getting for the day plus he wasn’t bad looking for his age!!!

One of my neighbor’s husband loved children so his wife volunteered him to babysit for the young mothers so they could keep their job & it got him out of her house!!! He grumbled at first but he fell in love with each & every child he kept. Now ALL the kids call him Pops & think of him as the grand dad they don’t have in their life!!!

People who retire and have nothing to do at home sometimes die within 18 months of retirement.

We just spent $1500 on new cabinets for the kitchen.

Following what RocketGuy said.

https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/workingpapers/wp93.html

@RocketGuy That makes sense. 50% of all people die before their average age of death.

@kritiper – average age of death is around 80, but people retire at around 65. It would be kind of early to keel over at 67.

@RocketGuy Average death for men 76.6. Women 81.6. But the 50% thing still applies.

At 50 years of age, 1 in 8 people won’t live to age 65.

This 95 y/o lady started this job at 68. She’s retiring from 1 but taking on 3 more. I don’t think that it’s mentioned in this article; but on the local news, she says she doesn’t want to grow bored!!!