澳大利亚正出现越来越多老年人继续工作的现象。[1]73岁的凯丽·伊斯当（Keiri Easdown）目前正在进行她的第五次职业转换，现从事教师助理工作。[1]同样，77岁的律师苏珊·古德塞尔（Susan Goodsell）表示"年龄增长会变得无形"，继续工作帮助她保持相关性和个人身份。[1]
虽然澳大利亚人平均计划在65至66岁退休，但越来越多人的工作年限远超预期，有人甚至工作至80、90多岁。[1]最新数据显示，2024至2025财年共有156,000名退休者，平均退休年龄为63.8岁。[1]在过去20年间，60至64岁年龄段的退休人数出现显著下降：2003年时，女性中69.5%已退休，男性为48.5%；而到2023年，这一比例分别降至40.8%和27.4%。[1]
多重因素推动了这一趋势。[1]由于养老金不足和财务压力，许多人被迫继续工作以确保退休生活的经济安全。[1]女性因养老金水平较低，比男性更可能需要继续就业。[1]此外，养老金领取资格年龄于2023年从65岁提升至67岁，进一步延长了许多人的工作期。[1]工作本身也为一些人提供了目的感和身份认同。[1]
Australia is experiencing a significant shift in retirement patterns, with growing numbers of workers extending their careers well into their seventies, eighties, and beyond.[1] While Australians typically plan to retire between ages 65 and 66, an increasing proportion are remaining in the workforce much longer.[1] In the 2024-2025 financial year, the average age of 156,000 retirees was 63.8 years, reflecting broader demographic changes in the nation's approach to work and retirement.[1]
The transformation is particularly pronounced among older women. In 2003, approximately 69.5% of women aged 60-64 had already retired, compared to 48.5% of men in the same age bracket; two decades later, these figures have dropped significantly to 40.8% and 27.4% respectively.[1] Women are more likely than men to extend their working years due to lower superannuation balances, which leaves them needing continued employment to achieve financial security in retirement.[1] This trend has coincided with policy changes, including the eligibility age for the Age Pension rising from 65 to 67 in 2023.[1]
For many older workers, the decision to continue working extends beyond financial necessity. Keiri Easdown, at 73 years old, is embarking on her fifth career as a teaching assistant, exemplifying this broader pattern.[1] Susan Goodsell, a 77-year-old lawyer, states that "age becomes invisible," and she continues working to maintain her relevance and sense of personal identity.[1] These individuals are part of a growing cohort finding that sustained employment provides not only economic stability but also purpose and connection in their later years.