Retirement does not necessarily make older Australians lonelier, according to a Monash University-led study that challenges the common assumption that leaving the workforce leads to social isolation.
Researchers tracked 7,434 Australians aged between 55 and 75 over nearly two decades, using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. The findings showed no measurable change in loneliness during the three years before or after retirement.
Lead author Dr Johannes Kunz, from Monash University’s Centre for Health Economics, said the research challenged the idea that retirement creates a sudden increase in loneliness.
“Many people see leaving work as a ‘loneliness cliff’, where you lose colleagues, routine and identity, but our study did not find this to be the case,” Dr Kunz said.
“We followed the same Australians for nearly two decades, and we found that their loneliness didn’t change in the three years before retiring or in the three years after.”
Study Challenges Assumptions About Retirement
The findings are particularly relevant as large numbers of Baby Boomers transition into retirement across Australia and other countries.
The research also contributes to ongoing discussions about retirement and pension eligibility ages, with Australia and countries such as Denmark raising eligibility requirements.
Dr Kunz said that while there are several considerations in debates about retirement age, the study suggests loneliness is not necessarily a reason to delay retirement.
The research found that approximately one in six older Australians, or 17.5 per cent, reported high levels of loneliness, describing themselves as often feeling very lonely.
Loneliness Increases With Age, Not Retirement
Although retirement itself was not associated with a measurable increase in loneliness, the researchers highlighted ageing as an important factor.
Dr Kunz said loneliness tends to rise continuously from the late 60s, suggesting that greater attention should be given to social connection throughout later life.
He also pointed to other life events, such as losing a spouse, which can have a profound impact on how people experience loneliness.
“We know, for example, from other work that losing a spouse has profound effects on the perception of loneliness, therefore addressing such events and supporting a social safety net more generally is likely to be more beneficial in addressing loneliness,” he said.
The findings suggest that programs supporting older Australians should focus on maintaining social connections as people age, rather than treating retirement as the main cause of loneliness.
Findings Consistent Across Different Groups
The study’s results remained consistent across demographic and socioeconomic groups, including people with different income levels, wealth and occupational backgrounds.
Researchers also found no evidence that retirement increased loneliness more significantly among people who were single, unwell, on lower incomes or leaving blue-collar occupations.
The results were similarly consistent regardless of whether participants had grandchildren, volunteered or belonged to clubs.
The research highlights the importance of understanding loneliness as a broader ageing-related issue and developing support systems that help older Australians maintain meaningful social connections throughout later life.
Read the research paper: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-64288-z
