Effect of changes in social participation on cognitive functioning evolution in retirement: Influence of social support and residential setting

Project Summary

Although people often eagerly await their retirement, some individuals show a greater cognitive decline upon retirement compared to individuals of the same age who are still working. This decline could be due to a reduction in social participation, as these activities have been found to positively affect cognitive functioning. However, social participation of retired people appears to be affected by residential setting; for example, urban areas would be more favourable to the social participation of retired people. Conversely, social support would promote cognitive functioning in individuals living in rural areas. The goal of this project is to test, using CLSA data, the effect of social participation on cognitive decline associated with retirement as a function of social support and residential setting, and to evaluate the longer-term consequences of these changes on cognitive aging.