Delaying retirement has benefits beyond the paycheque!

Suzanne Cook is a postdoctoral fellow at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute and member of the BRAVO project.

Volunteering may also be good for your health.

Last December, The Globe & Mail ran a story about the surging employment levels of older women (Dec. 12, 2011, front page).

With increases in life expectancy, we can look forward to a second stage of adulthood, after age 55, that can last 30 years or longer. Finding meaningful paid and unpaid work for the mature labour force will become increasingly urgent.

As a gerontologist who studies aging, I am interested in the reasons behind the choice to pursue paid and unpaid work in the later years and the health and psychosocial impact of doing so. In my research, I see lots of incredibly accomplished older women who are educated, skilled and experienced. They want to continue to work and they recognize that they have something special to offer employers, potential employers and nonprofit organizations. They are inspiring as role models for healthy, successful and positive aging.

The most common reasons older women stay in the workforce, rejoin or enter the workforce for the first time - they need the money, want to stay mentally active, engaged and challenged, utilize their skills, like the social contact.  It's also interesting that women experience different career paths compared to their male counterparts.

• Women may not have worked as many years as men and they are generally paid less.
• They tend to be employed in the service and healthcare industries in part-time positions without benefits.
• Their employers likely did not offer a pension plan.  
• If they have a pension, the fact that women make less than the average man means that their pensions tend to be smaller.
• Mature women may be divorced or widowed and thus be the main source of support for themselves and any children living in the household.

Over the past two weeks, I've been paying particular attention to who is behind the counter during my errands and shopping. I've noticed that I'm often being served by older women over age 55. This has been the case not only at the department store at my local mall, but at a variety of retail stores - from the book store to the drug store, and from the grocer to the jewellery store and post office. In every case, these mature women have demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and were nurturing and wise. They gave me exceptional service and treated me well, thus ensuring that I will be a repeat customer.

I hope more employers will see the value in providing mature women employees with on-going training and development as well as promotion and advancement opportunities. Some of these mature women would make excellent mentors to younger generations in the workplace and they would likely embrace this kind of challenge.

The talented and skilled mature women quoted in the Globe article reminded me of the individuals who are volunteering and participating in the BRAVO research project at Baycrest. Led by a cognitive scientist at Baycrest's world-class Rotman Research Institute, this cutting edge study is scientifically measuring the physical, psychosocial and cognitive benefits of engaging in volunteer work at the centre. Can specific volunteering activities actually improve older adults' cognitive functions, such as memory and attention? This research aims to answer that question. The BRAVO study may interest those who are ready for retirement but want to remain active, engaged and give back to the community.

If you or someone you know is not currently volunteering and may be interested in participating in BRAVO, please contact Syrelle Bernstein, Director of Volunteer Services at Baycrest, 416-785-2500, ext. 2575 or by email: sbernstein@baycrest.org.

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Suzanne Cook is a gerontologist, adult educator, and a life course, developmental researcher. She is an advocate for healthy, successful and positive aging. Her research interests are in lifelong learning, adult development and aging, and adult career development. Suzanne is a postdoctoral fellow at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute where she is working on the BRAVO Project with scientist Nicole Anderson and the BRAVO Team. She recently completed her PhD in adult education and community development at OISE at the University of Toronto.