Retirement is lasting longer than it once did. For many people, it is no longer a brief period after work, but a distinct stage of life that may span two or even three decades. That shift is changing the way we think about everything from health and housing to money, learning and social connection.
Ireland’s changing demographics reflect that. In 2025, an estimated 861,000 people were aged 65 and over, an increase of 37 per cent since 2016, according to the Central Statistics Office: by 2057, that figure is projected to reach almost 1.9 million. Ireland also has one of the highest healthy life expectancies at age 65 in the European Union, meaning many people can expect to spend more than a decade of later life in good health. Together, those figures reflect a significant shift in how later life is experienced and planned for.
Prof Rose Anne Kenny, founding principal investigator of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (Tilda), says the research presents a far more positive picture of later life than many people expect.
“Life gets better after 50. I don’t think that’s out there. I’m not sure that people are aware of that. Quality of life improves. All of the different measures that we look at in terms of quality of life and happiness, on average, get better after 50.”
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She says the challenge is to ensure that healthspan keeps pace with lifespan. “If you can keep what we call healthspan, that’s how long you’re healthy for, in line with lifespan, that would have a huge impact on the experience of older age in Ireland.”
Living well, however, is about much more than physical health alone. Tara Byrne, arts programme manager with Age & Opportunity, believes people should have opportunities to participate fully in later life regardless of their circumstances.
“While good physical health is really important, it is a fact that many older people do live with health challenges. No matter how we arrive to older age, living well means having opportunities to stay connected, participate in our communities, continue learning and being active, and have our rights, independence, and contributions valued at every age, especially if we are struggling with health issues.”
Rather than measuring later life simply by longevity, the emphasis has increasingly shifted towards maintaining independence, purpose and participation.
High blood pressure is one example of where earlier intervention can make a significant difference. “It becomes really, really common as we get older because of the way that our systems age,” says Kenny. “We’re still not identifying this early enough because it usually starts in midlife.” It’s an area where small changes could have big impact: “It’s so easy to treat, and treatment is so effective when it’s done properly. We’re still missing the mark there.”
The evidence, she says, also challenges long-held assumptions about ageing.
“We assume that, say, after the age of 65 we all start to go downhill. We know now that that’s not the case, that there’s a proportion of people whose physical and mental health improves after 65.”
The factors that make the biggest difference, she says, are straightforward.
“How physically active you are. How socially active you are. And how good your diet is.”
Research from Tilda has also found that loneliness is associated with poorer physical and mental health among older adults, reinforcing the importance of maintaining meaningful social connections throughout later life. Retirement, bereavement and children leaving home can all alter social networks, making it more important to seek opportunities to stay connected.
Byrne believes creativity, movement and community all have an important role to play.
“Regular physical activity supports health and independence, while creativity encourages self-expression, lifelong learning and emotional wellbeing. Strong social connections help reduce loneliness, build resilience and create a sense of belonging. Together, these elements give people purpose, confidence and opportunities to continue participating and contributing to their communities in a meaningful way.”
Retirement also brings psychological change. While leaving work may offer welcome freedom, it can also involve adapting to the loss of routine, professional identity and daily social interaction.
“Retirement is much more than a financial transition – it’s an identity transition,” says clinical psychologist and author Malie Coyne. “For many people, work provides purpose, routine, social interaction and a sense of achievement.” Rather than viewing retirement as an ending, she believes it helps to see it as the beginning of something new. “Instead of asking, ‘What have I lost?’ we might ask, ‘What new opportunities does this create?’”
The implications extend beyond individual choices. As our population continues to age, Kenny believes society must adapt. “We are the fastest ageing country,” she says. “We’re ageing in an ageing society.” As a result, she says, “We have to radically change our institutions, our infrastructures, our attitudes to accommodate that.” Kenny believes this means rethinking healthcare, transport, education, employment and lifelong learning, recognising that the traditional progression from education to work and retirement is already changing.
There is no single blueprint for ageing well, and health, finances and personal circumstances will shape every person’s experience. Yet the evidence consistently points towards the value of protecting our health, maintaining strong social connections and remaining engaged with life.
As Kenny says: “There is a wealth of research supporting positive attitudes, and people who have a positive attitude actually have a slower biological ageing pace.”
