NBER research finds leaving work causes cognitive decline before 65

8 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 5

The working paper linked retirement to worsening cognition among Americans aged 51 to 75, using data on 40,000 Health and Retirement Study participants and local labour-demand shocks.
UC Irvine economists said sustained employment preserved cognition, while negative employment shifts produced substantial score declines, strengthening evidence that early retirement harms health as well as finances.
The findings add to concerns over older-worker job losses, Social Security dependence and rising dementia costs, which estimates put at $781 billion for the US economy in 2025.

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