Seniors who delay retirement can lower their risk of Alzheimer's and dementia by employing the "use it or lose it" principle.
A study of more than half a million people in France found seniors who remain both physically and mentally active were less likely to develop degenerative mental conditions, The Olympian via the AP reported.
Almost three percent of the study subjects developed dementia, but the risk dropped every year elders put off retirement.
"For each additional year of work, the risk of getting dementia is reduced by 3.2 percent," Carole Dufouil, a scientist at INSERM, a government's health research agency in France, said.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia; in the U.S. one in nine people over the age of 65 suffer from the condition. Medical researchers have yet to pinpoint the exact cause of the disease.
Researchers looked at over 429,000 medical records of people who were self-employed, around the age of 74, and had been retired for about 12 years.
The researchers also analyzed people who developed dementia up to 10 years after retirement in order to rule out individuals who stopped working as a result of their mental state.
"The trend is exactly the same," Dufouil said.
France requires people of certain professions (such as civil servants) to retire by the age of 65, researchers think these new findings suggest "people should work as long as they want."
Ninety-year-old June Springer was hired as a receptionist at Caffi Plumbing & Heating only eight years ago.
"I'd like to give credit to the company for hiring me at that age. It's a joy to work, being with people and keeping up with current events. I love doing what I do. As long as God grants me the brain to use I'll take it every day," she said.
Retirement doesn't have to mean a decline in mental health. As long as seniors stay active they can increase their chance of maintaining cognitive function.
"It's more staying cognitively active, staying socially active, continue to be engaged in whatever it is that's enjoyable to you," Heather Snyder, director of medical and scientific operations for the Alzheimer's Association, said.
"My parents are retired but they're busier than ever. They're taking classes at their local university, they're continuing to attend lectures and they're continuing to stay cognitively engaged and socially engaged in their lives," she said.
France is a leader in Alzheimer's research because they keep thorough medical records of people who are self-employed and participate in a health system reminiscent of Medicare.
