Research Highlight: Social Involvement and Physical Health

Retirement can be an opportunity to improve health, with more time for (better) sleep, eating healthier, and exercise. In fact, maintaining health is a top priority for retirees, next to finances. But studies are starting to suggest that we need to look beyond diet and exercise for living a long and healthy life in retirement.

A 2016 study by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia found that retirees’ social involvement was comparable to physical exercise in terms of its association with physical health and mortality.* These researchers compared the number of social groups both before and after retirement: “In showing that it is group memberships following (rather than prior to) retirement that determine long-term life and health quality, findings also indicate that group memberships play a unique role in the transition to retirement by affecting people's health and quality of life once they cease formal employment.”

We know that social involvement is a critical part of general wellbeing, and now we are seeing more and more evidence of the impact it has on physical health (including brain health). With so much of our time spent at work, our social lives tend to also revolve around work. This means that, with retirement, we need to seriously consider changes to social networks and the quality of social interactions, in order to maintain or improve wellbeing following retirement. For some, retirement will mean leaving behind toxic relationships and having more time for healthy and supportive relationships. For others, it will mean leaving behind relationships that have very much been a part of one’s sense of community, belonging, and sense of identity.

At Retirement Life Plan, our research-based programmes take a deep dive into issues such as this, to ensure that the transition to retirement is about supporting enjoyment and wellbeing. Whether you are preparing for retirement yourself, or working with pre-retirees, we have solutions to support you.

*Steffens, N. K., Cruwys, T., Haslam, C., Jetten, J., & Haslam, S. A. (2016). Social group memberships in retirement are associated with reduced risk of premature death: Evidence from a longitudinal cohort study. BMJ Open, 6 (2). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010164