The Impact of Working Beyond Retirement on Cognitive Function Among the Retirement-Transition Population

Abstract

With accelerating population aging and retirement-policy reforms, post-retirement work participation and its health effects have attracted increasing attention. Using data from the 2013–2020 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), this study examined the effect of working beyond retirement on changes in cognitive function among the Retirement-Transition Population using a staggered difference-in-differences approach. Cognitive function was decomposed into episodic memory and executive function, and robustness checks were conducted using parallel trend tests and propensity score matching combined with difference-in-differences (PSM-DID). The results showed that working beyond retirement was positively associated with improved cognitive function. This effect was mainly observed in episodic memory, whereas its effect on executive function was limited. Heterogeneity analyses indicated that the cognitive effects were more pronounced among men and urban residents. Individuals without chronic diseases, without depressive symptoms, and with better self-rated health exhibited greater cognitive benefits. Among individuals with work-type change, those experiencing an agricultural-to-non-agricultural transition showed more pronounced cognitive benefits. The findings suggest that the cognitive effects of working beyond retirement are dimension-specific and heterogeneous across population groups. Future delayed retirement policies should recognize the health value of work participation, incorporate health benefits into policy considerations, and promote age-friendly employment through health assessment, job matching, and follow-up service mechanisms.