People in Switzerland have reported feeling young well into their golden years, a new study from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has revealed. According to the report, people in the alpine nation only start to feel their advancing age nearly two decades into claiming their pension.

Seniors in Switzerland feeling younger for longer

According to the report, the perception of being old has changed dramatically in Switzerland over the last 30 years. In the 1990s, those surveyed by the government reported that they started feeling old at 69 years old on average. Today, seniors say that they do not feel old until they reach 80.

The FSO explained that, unlike previous generations, “there is the prospect of several healthy years of life that can be used actively” once people retire. The current generation of elderly are “generally well educated and the majority have sufficient financial security. In addition, a large proportion of them remain healthy for a relatively long time.”

Health and finances of the over-80s in Switzerland remain an issue

However, the report drew a distinction between the “third age” - 65 years old to 80 - and those in the "fourth age" - those over 80. They found that while the health and well-being of those in the third age have improved dramatically in recent years, and life expectancy in Switzerland remains one of the best in the world, those over 80 still “increasingly experience illness or dependency.”

At the same time, retirement and nursing homes are having to handle changing preferences within the population. Though the number of people entering care has declined in recent years, the needs of those being admitted have increased because new arrivals are now much older than before.

“Despite the fact that the majority of the older population is in a good situation, poverty in old age is still present,” the report added. 4,9 percent of Swiss citizens and 18,9 percent of holders of residence permits over 65 reported having "difficulties" with finances.

The FSO noted that retirees who rely on the first-pillar pension (AHV / OASI) for the majority of their earnings and those with lower levels of education are the most likely to be struggling to make ends meet. Those with poorer finances were also more likely to be ill and socially isolated.