Can we really work for longer? Study asks how feasible a higher retirement age is for people with arthritis

With retirement ages going up and the value of pensions and savings going down, more and more people with arthritis will need and want to work for longer. Arthritis can be a barrier to working at any age, with thousands losing out in the world of work every year because of their condition. That’s why we're funding health and work research to help people with arthritis find or stay in work, inspire changes in the workplace and influence and inform policy-makers and employers.The Health and Employment After 50 (HEAF) study at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work has recruited more than 8,000 people, aged between 50 and 64, to complete annual questionnaires about their work and their health. Using this data, the HEAF team are investigating the health risks and benefits of working for longer, while exploring the impact health and the working environment have on working life after 50.Keith Palmer, Professor of Occupational Medicine at the University of Southampton, who is leading this long-term study, explains: "Our research is asking, is working longer good or bad for you? And is it feasible for people to work longer? Though these big questions will only be answered when we’ve followed this group through to retirement age, we’re already seeing clear indications of the impact musculoskeletal health has on our working lives."We’ve found evidence that people in this age group often drop out of work for health reasons and arthri...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news