Work Hours, Retirement and Supportive Relations among Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Occupational Health
• Sociology of Work

Background:

• Social support is crucial for older adults' health, well-being, and performance.
• Limited understanding exists regarding how occupational conditions, like work hours, influence social support access over time.
• The long-term effects of work hours on social support and their persistence post-retirement require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the long-term effects of work hours on social support from coworkers, family, and friends among older individuals.
• To investigate whether retirement attenuates or intensifies these effects.
• To inform policy implications regarding work and retirement transitions.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study design utilizing data collected 6 months before retirement eligibility (T1) and approximately one year after (T2).
• Sample comprised of members from nine unions.
• Analysis focused on the relationship between work hours at T1 and subsequent social support received.

Main Results:

• Retirement attenuated the positive association between work hours and subsequent coworker support.
• Retirement attenuated the negative relationship between work hours and subsequent non-work friend support.
• Retirement did not attenuate the negative effect of work hours on subsequent family support.

Conclusions:

• Work hours have differential long-term impacts on various social support networks.
• Retirement alters the relationship between past work hours and social support, particularly for coworker and non-work friend support.
• The negative impact of longer work hours on family support persists even after retirement, highlighting a critical area for intervention.