The percentage of 70-year-olds still working varies by country, but recent data suggests it's a growing trend, with estimates ranging from around 15% in New Zealand to nearly 9% employed in the U.S. for ages 75+ (implying a figure for 70+ is higher), while in the UK, over 400,000 people aged 70+ were working in 2023, a significant increase from previous years, showing more people are staying in the workforce longer for financial or personal reasons.
Chronological age alone is not a reliable determinant. With proper medical assessment, functional testing, workplace modifications, and ongoing health management, some people over 70 can safely perform hard labor; others will need task modification or alternative roles to protect health and safety.
Normal retirement age, also known as full retirement age, is 67 years old for those born in 1960 or later. It's when you can get full Social Security benefits (assuming they still exist). It's common for people to stop working before this age, but they're veering older.
In the 75+ age group, the leading cause shifts to heart disease, and injury drops below Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cerebrovascular diseases, and pneumonia.
Finding a job at 70 is feasible and often rewarding when approached with clear strategy, updated skills, and realistic expectations. The following steps and tactics increase the likelihood of landing paid, part-time, contract, or flexible work that fits experience, energy level, and goals.
Not Saving Enough
If there's one regret that rises above all others, it's this: not saving enough. In fact, a study from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies shows that 78% of retirees wish they had saved more.
37+ Best Jobs for Seniors (For All Situations)
The fear studies show that children's fears can be grouped into five categories. One of these categories is death and danger. This response was found amongst children age 4 to 6 on the KFQ, and from age 7 to 10. Death is the most commonly feared item and remains the most commonly feared item throughout adolescence.
Early Death - Ages 65-74.
While about a third say the ideal age is between 60 and 64 (36%), substantial shares think it's best to retire between 65 and 69 (21%) and at 70 or older (22%).
Summary. It is possible to retire with $600,000 if you plan and budget accordingly. With an annual withdrawal of $40,000, you will have enough savings to last for over 20 years. An expert financial advisor can help you manage your finances and ensure your retirement savings align with your goals.
Indeed, more than half a million people over the age of 80 are currently in the US workforce, more than twice as many as during the 1990s. According to projections, workers who are 80 and older will make up nearly 12% of the workforce by 2030, up from 9% in 2020.
The biggest retirement mistake is often failing to plan adequately, which includes underestimating expenses (especially healthcare), ignoring inflation's impact on purchasing power, not starting savings early enough to benefit from compound interest, and leaving retirement savings in the wrong place (like not converting super to a tax-free pension), leading to running out of money or living a constrained lifestyle. A lack of a clear budget, not understanding investment options, and neglecting lifestyle/purpose planning also rank high.
At age 70, staying active, engaged, and mentally stimulated is key to maintaining health and quality of life. A balanced daily routine might include: Physical activity: Gentle exercise like walking, stretching, or yoga supports mobility, strength, and heart health.
Methods to estimate how much you need to retire
A general rule of thumb is to have at least 10 to 12 times your annual income saved by age 67 if you plan to retire at this traditional retirement age. For instance, if you earn $150,000 per year, the retirement savings target would be between $1.5 and $1.8 million.
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults — seven to nine hours each night. But older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger. Getting enough sleep helps you stay healthy and alert.
In six months before death, patients show a number of physical and mental changes. Some of the most common changes include progressive fatigue, loss of appetite, emaciation, and social withdrawal. Also, some patients lose some memory and other cognitive changes.
The Impact of Lacking Caregivers for the Elderly
Without someone to help and watch their health, elderly individuals are more vulnerable to medical emergencies. Minor injuries or health concerns that may be manageable to others can quickly grow into serious conditions for those without caregiver support.
You shouldn't fear death because it's a natural, inevitable part of life, and accepting its impermanence helps you focus on living fully in the present, find peace by letting go of attachments, or find hope in spiritual beliefs about an afterlife, with philosophies suggesting it's just the end of experience, making the fear itself pointless. Many find liberation in understanding that all things change and by focusing on leaving a positive legacy, as suggested by existentialists.
Do All Seniors Fear Death? Interestingly, some studies suggest that older adults may fear death less than younger people do. Seniors often have had more life experience and more time to process and accept their mortality, according to a study published in the Journal of Aging and Health.
Late Adulthood: Contrary to the belief that because they are so close to death, they must fear death, those in late adulthood have lower fears of death than other adults. Why would this occur? First, older adults have fewer caregiving responsibilities and are not worried about leaving family members on their own.
The "easiest" high-paying jobs often involve leveraging existing skills (like sales or IT) or finding niches like insurance broking, high-level tech roles (remote/deliverable-focused), sales, truck driving, personal training, or specialized roles like medical coding or elevator mechanics, balancing ease with good income depends on your definition of easy (low stress, low formal education, or flexible) and industry demand. Roles like sales representative, IT support, or even transcription can offer good returns, especially when remote or freelance, but building up clients or expertise is key to high earnings.
There's no single #1 happiest job universally, but Firefighters consistently rank high for job satisfaction due to their sense of purpose, while Care Workers, Counsellors, Content Creators, and IT roles (Java Devs, Systems Analysts) also appear frequently on "happiest" lists for fulfillment, autonomy, or good pay/balance. Overall, jobs with meaning, helping others, nature connection, strong coworker bonds, or good work-life balance tend to be cited as happiest.
Teaching and tutoring
Pay range: $26 an hour. Teaching and tutoring are among the best gigs for retirees. Many younger workers can't take teaching jobs that conflict with their 9-5 hours, or because they're busy with their young children in the evening and at weekends.