The association of timing of retirement with cognitive performance in old age: the role of leisure activities after retirement

Abstract

Present data further corroborate the view that leisure activities even in old age may lead to further enrichment effects and thereby may be related to better cognitive functioning. The role of engaging in activities in the context of major life events such as retirement is discussed.

Cognitive Reserve Moderates the Predictive Role of Memory Complaints for Subsequent Decline in Executive Functioning

“…Our observations corroborate the key role of leisure activity engagement as major contributor to cognitive reserve for modifying the pathways of cognitive aging [5][6][7][8][16][17][18] and thereby its public importance [19][20][21]. In this regard, the present study reveals cognitive reserve as crucial factor moderating the predictive role of memory complaints for subsequent cognitive development.…”

“…In both waves, we administered the TMT parts A and B (TMT A and TMT B, respectively [15]). In W1, participants reported memory complaints as well as current leisure activity engagement at that time (see [8] for further methodological details).…”

“…Respondents were first interviewed during 2011 (wave 1; W1) and again in 2017 (wave 2; W2) using face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviewing and paper-pencil questionnaires. For further details regarding the rationale, design, recruitment, materials, and procedures of the VLV survey, see [8,[11][12][13][14]. Mean age of these respondents in W1 was 74.33 years (SD = 6.50, range 64-96); 51.4% were men.…”

“…Cognitive reserve is built up through cognitive stimulation and serves later on as buffer for coping with brain alterations in order to preserve cognitive functioning in aging [5]. In this regard, leisure activity engagement is a major contributor to the buildup of cognitive reserve in old age [5] and has for example found to be related to better executive functioning in healthy older adults [6][7][8].…”

Cognitive Reserve Attenuates 6-Year Decline in Executive Functioning after Stroke

“…Disentangling the individual contributions to cognitive reserve accumulation across the lifespan, we found that (in contrast to education and cognitive demand of jobs) leisure activity engagement played the key role in this context. Thereby, our observations dovetail with findings that greater leisure activity engagement contributes to cognitive reserve and is associated with better performance and reduced decline in executive functioning [5,[14][15][16] and are therefore of public importance [17,18]. In this regard, the present study further elucidates leisure activity engagement as crucial cognitive-reserve proxy contributing to the build-up of a buffer prior to stroke that will be later instrumental for coping with stroke-related brain damage.…”