Chronic illnesses among pre-retirees: a challenge for your group plan?
After more than 20 years in her career, Nathalie knows her job inside out. Then, a chronic illness enters her life. Nothing changes overnight, but medical appointments start to pile up. Fatigue sets in and financial concerns become increasingly prominent.
Behind this story lies an issue that is becoming more important for many organizations: chronic illnesses among pre-retirees.
Why do chronic illnesses increase after age 50?
As people age, chronic illnesses become more common and more complex to manage. They are often associated with more frequent care and medical follow-ups, as well as increased prescription drug use.
A chronic illness, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cancer, heart or lung disease, often requires complex treatments that evolve over time. Managing the condition can also take time and affect a person’s ability to work.
Daily life can change quickly. Energy levels vary from one day to the next, and it can become difficult to plan the weeks ahead, or even the coming days.
The impact also extends to those around us. Loved ones, caregivers and colleagues often have to adapt to this new reality.
For people on the verge of retirement, several factors come together:
- Onset or worsening of symptoms
- Treatment-related side effects
- An increasing number of treatments needed to manage the disease
- Long-term complications associated with the illness
- Concerns about financial security and retirement
This combination can undermine a person's overall balance, far beyond the physical dimension alone.
What is the connection between financial stress and chronic illness?
Financial stress is not merely a consequence of chronic disease. It often becomes an aggravating factor.
When financial concerns are added to the management of a chronic disease, a difficult cycle can emerge.
Here is the most common pattern:
- Increased financial stress
- Fatigue and anxiety
- Reduced treatment adherence
- Delays in prescription renewals, missed doses or discontinuation of treatment
- Deterioration of health
- Increased costs and stress
According to a 2024 study, women are 44% more likely to forgo treatment because of cost. Several factors help explain this reality, including caregiving responsibilities, workplace demands and managing their own health.
This vicious cycle affects both physical and mental health. Without appropriate support, it can quickly lead to a significant deterioration in a person's situation.
What are the impacts on your group plan?
Without preventive intervention, chronic illnesses place increasing pressure on organizations. They lead to higher costs, increased absenteeism and a greater risk of disability.
People living with chronic diseases often require more medication, consult healthcare professionals more frequently, and need more complex care management. This combination contributes directly to rising costs.
Absences become more frequent or last longer. This can lead to a decline in performance, as well as challenges in maintaining regular attendance at work. Teams quickly feel the effects, particularly in terms of workload and organization.
The risk of disability increases, with long-term consequences for the organization. Some employees leave the workforce prematurely, resulting in a loss of expertise. In certain key positions, replacement can be difficult and may weaken your operations.
For our part, we have observed that short-term disability claims related to mental health have increased by 8% among pre-retirees since 2019. This age group is experiencing the strongest growth in this area.
These impacts are not unpredictable. On the contrary, they can be anticipated and mitigated through appropriate interventions.
How can your group plan help prevent escalation?
Your group insurance plan is not just there to reimburse healthcare services or prescription drugs. It can serve as a long-term stabilization force.
When used proactively, it allows for intervention before a situation deteriorates.
Let's go back to Nathalie, who was just diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Despite the new prescribed medications, her joints remain swollen and painful. On some days, she’s late for work because of pain and stiffness.
Her doctor schedules close follow-up appointments to help control inflammatory flare-ups. He also recommends lifestyle improvements, including better sleep, physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight. Nathalie discusses her situation with her manager, without going into detail.
A few weeks later, her condition does not improve, and Nathalie becomes increasingly stressed. Her busy schedule makes it difficult to book appointments. Nothing in her day-to-day work has really changed.
In this context, Nathalie's group plan can play a meaningful role.
She has quick access to services that help her act before her situation worsens:
- Consultations with professionals in kinesiology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nutrition to improve lifestyle habits
- Pharmacogenetic testing to optimize her treatment and help reduce pain
- An employee assistance program that provides immediate support, including online cognitive-behavioural therapy (This hyperlink will open in a new tab)
- Telemedicine for rapid access to healthcare
- Support and coaching services to help manage stress
Added to this is the valuable support of her healthcare team, who ensure that her medications are taken appropriately and optimized.
With this support, Nathalie gets help quickly. Recommendations become easier to implement, and it also becomes easier to adjust her workload realistically.
She stabilizes her situation and can continue working without waiting for her condition to deteriorate further.
What about you?
Your support is critical. It helps make day-to-day life more manageable. Simple actions and attentive listening can have a lasting effect on your employees' health and well-being.
But how? In practical terms, this can include:
- An adjusted schedule, such as starting later or temporarily reducing hours
- A gradual return to work
- Tasks tailored to your employees' abilities
- Reminders of the benefits available through your group plan
- Adapted tools or equipment, such as an ergonomic workstation
- A workplace where your employees feel recognized, heard and treated fairly (This hyperlink will open in a new tab)
- Regular follow-up with employees living with chronic illnesses
The difference, in practical terms, is simple: work is adapted to their reality, at the right time.
Why adopt a preventive approach now?
For your SME, anticipating chronic illnesses helps prevent a costly escalation that can be difficult to reverse.
Acting early means:
- Stabilizing costs over the long term
- Reducing absenteeism
- Preserving internal expertise
It also sends a clear message: you support your employees' health in a tangible and compassionate way.
Prevention to protect balance
Preventing the progression of chronic illnesses is not only about improving employee health; it’s also about protecting the sustainability of your group benefits plan.
With a structured, proactive and people-centred approach, you can transform a predictable challenge into a source of stability.
Prevention then becomes an investment. Not an expense.
Give it some more thought
Explore our complete file on pre-retirees in the 2026 edition of Connecting the Dots.
Learn more about:
- The financial stress experienced by young workers
- The challenges facing Gen X
- Critical illnesses and their impact on your group plan