Proposals to raise the age at which people qualify for the State pension could be good for our health. Under the National Pension Framework announced yesterday by the Government, the qualification age for the State pension will rise from 65 to 66 in 2014. It will go up again to 67 in 2021 and up to 68 in 2028.

At Home Instead Senior Care we believe spending your golden years on the job has benefits beyond bringing home a paycheck- it could be good for our health and delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Scientific research suggests extended employment will keep the brain active for longer and keep Alzheimer's at bay- this certainly adds weight to the proposal to raise the age to qualify for the State Pension.

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London found that each extra year of work delayed the onset of Alzheimer's by an average of 18 months. This research certainly presents a silver lining as Ireland's ageing population faces a longer working life to fund retirement. It also reveals the importance of staying mentally engaged to ward off Alzheimer's. Employment should provide much more than an income, it should be regarded as an outlet to enable people to stay mentally strong and healthy.

Continuing to work into retirement years also has a positive effect on our health and well-being. Work engages people physically and mentally and even wards off mental illness such as depression. Having a job helps us pass the time, it can be something we enjoy, and it gives us a sense of purpose- three things which contribute to a positive ageing experience. Having a job also keeps us socially connected which is very important considering so many older people are struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

We also recently conducted an online survey of 881 seniors revealing 80% of seniors were afraid of feeling lonely or isolated and 90% said their greatest fear was a loss of independence. A longer working life will help ease such fears by keeping older people active and engaged.

Our only reservation about the new pension framework is that some employers may need convincing of the value of the older worker. For people to enjoy a longer working life there must be organisations willing to hire individuals in their sixties, seventies or even older. Home Instead Senior Care needs no convincing- over half of our workforce is over 50 with several employees in their seventies.

There are many people who do not want to retire and are looking forward to a longer working life. Retiring in your sixties is not for everyone- there are many people older workers who want to stay active and engaged and continue working past the pensionable age. Retirement is not something that appeals to Ireland's ageing population which means employers will have to sit up and take notice of the experience and skills that age brings to the business.