That's so interesting and no, it doesn't sound crazy to me. It seems plausible.
My dad was a model citizen by those standards. He worked hard his entire life and died (from cancer) one day after he turned 65 which is retirement age here. He never claimed his pension as he didn't live long enough to do so.
I'm intrigued by the language/etymology you've referenced and I am going to look into it. Thanks for commenting.