As Trump turns 80, what's it really like to work as an octogenarian?

Arthur Rose, a Michigan native, stepped into his office as an internist doctor for the last time in February, retiring at age 95 after practicing medicine for over 65 years. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.

"The job was really not pleasing me anymore," he said. "I just wasn't getting that same kind of exhilaration." His retirement was a birthday gift to himself on his 95th birthday, partially inspired by his brother who passed away at 95 during the Covid pandemic.

Rose is part of a growing population of Americans working well past the typical retirement age of 67. Chief among them is President Donald Trump, who turns 80 on Sunday, making him the second oldest US leader behind Joe Biden, who left office aged 82. Trump is also one of the oldest world leaders, according to Pew Research Center data.

The percentage of those 65 and older in the US workforce has quadrupled since the mid-1980s, according to Pew, with about 19% of the age group holding a job. They work in a range of positions, including high-powered jobs like lawmakers, presidents and company executives. This year, 24 members of Congress were older than 80, including Senator Chuck Grassley, the oldest lawmaker at age 92.

Several factors may be leading more people to work into their later years, aging experts said. For one, more people have access to health care, meaning more Americans are making it to their 80s. For some, the move may be financially necessary, as the cost of living in the US continues to rise. A recent survey by Indeed Flex, a job search site, says almost 30% of retirees are considering part-time or temporary work. Over 60% of those cite the rising cost of living, while about half attribute it to a desire for more social interaction.

Another reason is a change in attitude about age, said Gordon Lithgow, a professor with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. "I hope that people are beginning to think, it's really who's qualified for the job, it's not what age they are," Lithgow said. "There's no question that people can function well into their 70s and potentially their 80s as well."

For Harriet Newman Cohen, a 93-year-old matrimonial lawyer who still goes to court and just wrote a memoir, some of the most interesting and rewarding years of her life have been her later decades. "Working has kept me young, vigorous, energetic, knowledgeable, fun," said Cohen, who has represented celebrities in their divorces, including former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "I just can't imagine living any other way."

While being older often means being more experienced, some think it can be a liability if serious age-related illnesses like cognitive decline and loss of stamina get in the way. The issue of aging is what eventually led Biden to drop his re-election bid in 2024 after a dismal debate performance. Some lawmakers and members of the public have also raised concerns about Trump's health as he turns 80. At a congressional hearing this month, Democrat Ted Lieu showed videos appearing to show the commander-in-chief dozing off in meetings, saying it showed "something very wrong." Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the line of questioning "absurd" and said he had never seen Trump fall asleep in public. "On the contrary, the guy doesn't sleep, which is a big problem."

Trump's physician has said the bruising regularly seen on the president's hands is down to "minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking in the setting of aspirin use for cardiovascular prevention." After a medical exam two weeks ago at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Capt Sean Barbabella said the president was in "excellent health" and that his "demanding daily schedule, including multiple high-level meetings, public engagements and regular physical activity continues to support his overall well-being."

But rest can be critical for an older person working in a stressful environment. Lithgow said the effect of life stressors, such as sleepless nights, can be detected in cellular activity. "It's actually real biological stress, and it accelerates aging," he said. "Chronic stressors daily can have a really ravaging effect on people." Lithgow said sleep was one of the most important factors, as it turns on molecular processes that initiate repairing and recovery in the body.

Cohen said one of her secrets to longevity is sleeping more than eight hours a night, as well as being an avid reader and conversationalist. Her family has always worked past retirement age, including her grandmother, who died while in her 80s in a hallway of the building she owned on her way to fix the plumbing in a tenant's apartment. "I always knew I would work forever," she said, adding that her work has allowed her to be generous with her family and travel when she wants.

Cohen's career in law, including the new firm she founded with her daughter at age 88, has given her a sense of purpose, which Lithgow said can often be a benefit for people working in their later years. That purpose is what drove Rose to keep practicing medicine for so long. What he loved most about his job was seeing patients, some of whom started coming to him when they were teenagers and stayed well into their adult years. "They were still coming to see me 50 years later, which shows you what a bad job I did," he joked.