Working Women See Slower Memory Loss Later in Life

People need to find a job and establish themselves, however, for women having a paying job is crucial for their mental health.

Research from the University of California, Los Angeles being presented at this year's Alzheimer's Association International Conference finds that having a paying job might shield women from memory loss decades later.

"That is because paid work may offer mental stimulation, financial benefits and social connections that could limit declines in memory as women age," said Elizabeth Rose Mayeda, who presented her findings on Tuesday at the International Conference of the Alzheimer's Association in Los Angeles.

The study collected data from over 6,000 women in their 50s about their family and employment histories.

The women had also undergone regular cognitive assessments from between 1995 and 2016.

The research team discovered that the rates of memory decline were similar in employed women, but memory decline was fastest for women who were never earned a wage.

The study showed that unemployed married mothers' memory declines 61% faster over 10 years than those with paid jobs.

"Women who worked for at least a significant period appeared to have slower rates of memory decline decades later," said Mayeda.

The research is preliminary and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, suggests that preventing Alzheimer disease may require more than drugs or medical interventions.