Waitress retires at 86 and gets incredible surprise

Sylvia Smith, a waitress at the Plainview Diner in Nassau County, decided to retire at the age of 86 - after more than 40 years working at the Diner. She knew her life was going to change in lots of ways - but never expected what happened next.

Her story made the press and she appeared on the Rachel Ray show. She explained that she might be leaving the diner, but she wouldn't be putting her feet up, because she planned to move to New Jersey to work with veterans. Rachel then told her that before she got stuck into more work, the show felt she ought to have a vacation, and so they gave her an 8-day cruise - and told her this was her chance to have other people wait on her for a change.

Octogenarians still at work

86 is an impressive age to still be at work, but Sylvia Smith is just one of a legion of Octogenarians on both sides of the Atlantic who are still showing up for work.

Jean Cockayne, who works at Asda in West Bridgford, Nottingham, celebrated her 89th birthday last month and said she has no plans to retire.

Jim Hills, the owner of Jim Hills Sports Warehouse in Coolham, West Sussex, has been running the store for more than 40 years, and celebrated his 80th birthday earlier this year. Unsurprisingly, he says that the secret to long life is hard work and fitness.

Dr Ivan Roitt is a professor of Oncology at Middlesex University, at the age of 89. He says he didn't deliberately decide to work in his 80s, he just never stopped.

Then, of course, there's Dr Eugster, an age researcher and writer who says the reason he is so healthy at his age is because he still goes to work: he's 97.

We reported back in September that there's plenty of research backing up his beliefs - which seems to show that working later in life makes you healthier and wealthier - and more mentally active.

But what do you think? Is it enough to convince you that working in your 80s is worthwhile? Let us know in the comments.