🧓 Retirement without retirement: 17% of older adults in Argentina continue to work, and the figure is growing

The loss of the purchasing power of pension funds and the need to cover basic expenses push thousands of retirees to remain active. Experts warn about the physical, emotional and social impact of this growing trend.

Buenos Aires — In Argentina, retiring is no longer equivalent to retiring from the labor market. An increasingly widespread phenomenon reveals that approximately 17% of older adults continue to work despite being of retirement age. The figure, which is constantly increasing, reflects the economic tensions that the country is going through and highlights the limitations of the pension system.

According to official data and surveys by specialized organizations, about 1.2 million people over 65 years of age remain economically active, either in formal jobs, informal jobs or their own ventures. This reality contrasts with the traditional image of the retiree who enjoys his rest after decades of contributions.

💼 More obligation than choice

"In most cases, it is not a choice linked to the desire to stay active or socialize, but an imperative economic need," explains sociologist María Elena Rodríguez, a specialist in the elderly. "Retirement benefits have lost much of their purchasing power, and many older adults are forced to continue working to cover essential expenses such as medicines, food and services."

The situation is especially critical for those who receive the minimum pension, which represents only a fraction of the minimum living and mobile wage. With health expenses that increase with age and constantly rising rates, the pension is insufficient to sustain a dignified life.

🧰 Sectors and work modalities

The older adults who continue to work are mainly concentrated in the service sector, commerce and independent activities. Many work as caregivers, shop employees, cleaning staff, taxi drivers or in various trades. There are also professionals who continue to practice autonomously or provide advice in their areas of specialization.

Roberto Fernández, 68, is one of them. Retired three years ago as an administrative employee, today he works as an application driver. "What I receive from retirement is not even enough for medicines and basic expenses," she says. "I work six hours a day, Monday through Friday. It's not what I dreamed of for this stage of my life, but it's what I have to do."

⚠️ Health and quality of life at risk

Gerontology specialists warn about the physical and emotional consequences that this situation generates. "The body no longer has the same resistance, and many jobs involve physical effort or long days on their feet," says Dr. Javier Martínez, a geriatrician at the Italian Hospital. "We frequently see symptoms of exhaustion, stress and aggravation of pre-existing pathologies."

In addition, the need to work limits access to recreational activities, regular medical check-ups and the necessary rest time. "A vicious circle is generated: they work to pay for medicines, but the work itself deteriorates their health," Martínez adds.

🌎 A regional trend

The phenomenon is not exclusive to Argentina. In several Latin American countries, population aging combined with insufficient pension systems is generating similar situations. However, Argentina has its own particularities, such as persistent inflation and successive economic crises that eroded the real value of retirement benefits.

According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), poverty among older adults is on the rise in the region, and the need to supplement pension income is one of the main causes of permanence in the workforce at an advanced age.

📣 Claims and proposals

Retirees' organizations have been demanding for years improvements in pension benefits and retirement mobility that recovers lost purchasing power. "We are not asking for privileges, we are asking for what we are entitled to after 30 or 40 years of contributions," says Graciela López, a leader of a group of retirees from the Buenos Aires suburbs.

From the academic field and social organizations, alternatives are proposed: updating of salaries above inflation, protected employment programs for the elderly, subsidies for medicines and expansion of health coverage.

📊 An expanding demographic challenge

With a progressively aging population – it is estimated that by 2050 more than 20% of Argentines will be over 65 years old – the sustainability of the pension system and the quality of life of older adults are emerging as one of the main social challenges of the coming decades.

"It is not just an economic problem or isolated public policies," concludes Rodríguez. "It is a question of the model of society: what place do we want our older adults to occupy and how do we guarantee that they can live with dignity after a life of work."

Meanwhile, thousands of Argentine retirees continue to get up every morning, not to enjoy their retirement, but to earn the livelihood that their retirement no longer guarantees.

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