BABY-BOOMERS should consider staying in work until they are 70 to stay healthier for longer, according to one of the UK’s senior medical officers.
Staying in paid employment, volunteering or joining community groups can help people be physically and mentally active for longer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, England’s chief medical officer will say.
One in eight (12 per cent) of those older than pension age are also still working, with the over-50s expected to represent a third of British workers by 2020.
Dame Sally said: “People are living longer than ever and so retirement presents a real opportunity for baby-boomers to be more active than ever before.
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“For many people, it is a chance to take on new challenges.
“It is certainly not the start of a slower pace of life it once was.
“Staying in work, volunteering or joining a community group can make sure people stay physically and mentally active for longer.
The health benefits of this should not be underestimated.”
Caroline Abrahams of Age UK, said it was right that Dame Sally had recognised “the untapped potential of older people, and the expertise they possess.”
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