Americans retire later, are less healthy & die sooner

The latest data shows the overall health of Americans is consistently declining. At the same time, the number of retirees, who live less and are less active, is growing.

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According to the research by the Society of Actuaries, the US mortality ratio grew 1.2 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year. That is the first year-on-year rise since 2005, and only the second increase greater than one percent in over 37 years.

Experts say that almost one in three US citizens aged 65 to 69 are still working with nearly one in five working in their early 70s.

Later retirement for financial benefits makes it easier to afford a longer well-earned rest does not necessarily extend the pensioners’ lifespan.

According to the Health Affairs Journal, Americans in their late 50s already have more serious health problems than people at the same ages did 10 to 15 years ago.

A recent survey carried out by HwaJung Choi and Robert Schoeni, economists from the University of Michigan (UM), revealed that 25 percent of Americans aged 58 to 60 rated themselves in “poor” or “fair” health.

The survey was based on a key measure for identifying if respondents have trouble with the activity of daily living (ADL), including walking across a room, dressing and bathing themselves, eating, or getting in or out of bed.

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The UM researchers revealed that the number of middle-aged Americans with ADL limitations has jumped with 12.5 percent of people at the current retirement age of 66 had had an ADL limitation in their late 50s. The figure is up from 8.8 percent for people retired at the age of 65.

The study also shows the decline in cognitive skills with 11 percent of those retired at the age of 66 already had some kind of dementia or another cognitive decline at age 58 to 60. The figure is up from 9.5 percent for the group of Americans who are a few years older and retired between 65 and 66.

Life expectancy for pensioners has declined 0.2 years since the last calculation, provided by the Society of Actuaries. The data shows that an average 65-year-old man is expected to live to 85.6 years with an average a woman to probably make it to 87.6.

Declining health and life expectancy may decrease a typical pension plan’s obligations by up to one percent.