Do working seniors continue to work in the same occupation after retirement? CDH publishes a focus paper

News 100 redBy Staff

January 26th, 2019

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Community Development Halton, an community agency funded in part by the Hamilton Halton United Way and the Region of Halton regularly delivers a series of research papers on issues that matter to the health and social welfare of the Region.

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The most recent paper focuses on the number and proportion of working seniors.

This sector of the working population continues to increase. Over one in five (22%) seniors in Halton worked at some point during 2015 compared to about 16% ten years ago (2005). The number of working seniors grew from 9,000 to 16,700, a 86% increase. Working seniors between 65 and 74 years old increased by 91%.

Do working seniors continue to work in the same occupation after retirement? Is there any difference between senior men and senior women? What are the most common occupations for working senior men and women?

Community lens male labour

For working senior men, the most popular occupation is sales and service (e.g. insurance, real estates and financial sales, retail salesperson and cleaners). About one in five (20.5%) seniors aged 65 to 74 and almost one in four (24.4%) seniors aged 75 and over are in that occupation. This occupation only accounts for 15% of older men working between 55 and 64 years of age.

Management is the most common occupation for men aged 55 to 64 years and is also a popular occupation for seniors aged 65+ (e.g. senior managers in various industries). About 17% of working senior men (65-74 years) work in trades, transport and equipment operator occupations. Many work as motor vehicle and transit drivers (e.g. taxi, limousine, bus drivers, and transport truck drivers).

For working senior women, the most popular occupation is business, finance and administration (e.g. general office workers, administrative officers, office administrative assistants – general, legal and medical). About 33% of working senior women aged 65 to 74 and 37% aged 75 and over are in that occupation. This is also the most common occupation for women between 55 and 64 years old.

Community lens Female labour

Sales and service is the next popular occupation (e.g. retail salesperson and insurance, real estates and financial sales). Almost one in three (30.4%) working senior women aged 75 and over work in this occupation.

Over one in ten working senior women are employed in education, law and social, community and government services. Many work as secondary and elementary school teachers and educational counsellors, home care providers and elementary and secondary school teacher assistants.

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