Oldies in the workforce

[shaneystar2]

There was a programme on last night about people having to probably work longer in the future before getting their pensions .
Can't think off hand what it was called but those two people from the Apprentice presented it .They put some older people back out to work !
The tradesmen seemed to get along OK but some of the others just couldn't hack it especially the former nurse who was 73 and had a job to take a blood test as she lacked dexterity in her hands and wasn't computer savvy .
Did any of you see it? Part two is tonight .
Would you put your trust in an over seventy year old plumber/nurse/electrician etc?

[shaneystar2]

All I can say is I was glad to call it a day although ill health did play a part .
I would have been neither use nor ornament creaking around the workplace .
I think it's all the luck of the draw as to whether you are still fit enough to work at a certain age .My husband was perfectly fit when he retired at 58 and could well have worked on and on but I'm so glad now that he didn't .
Plus as they say ...a woman's work is never done anyway :)

[LoftyLottie]

Em, to some people work is the most important part of their life and they actually enjoy it and stimulation. I was never one of these. It all boils down to the individual really and the type of job that you have.

If somebody doesn't enjoy their work and they can afford to leave then that is great. If somebody really enjoys what they do and wants to do it until they drop down dead, it's up to them. People of the second type quite honestly often don't even get to have a long retirement if they retire and 'normal' retirement age.

There is no right or wrong in my opinion.

[LoftyLottie]

If I was physically and mentally able and had a fulfilling job which I loved then I would probably want to remain in that job for as long as I could. It's whether your work makes you happy or not. Some people are lucky enough to have jobs which are as good as a social life and take in their interests.

[jno]

Lottie, I think it's not so much "May the best candidate win" as "May the best candidate we can afford win". Payrolls matter, especially today. That's why I was offered vast sums of money to go away: they figured they could hire someone half my age, on half my pay, to do the job half as well (but hopefully improve over time).

I don't know if they found him/her, but I was happy to take the money and run.

[Nibble]

My mother worked in an office until she was 74 - she only gave it up when they took away her typewriter and gave her a computer. IMO people should be able to work for as long as they are competent at the job, and want to. There will be a lot of skill and experience lost if all the over 65s were made to retire.

[boxtops]

^^ sorry, that was me, not him

[jno]

experience will be lost - but experience will also be gained by those who take on the jobs. If they can't get work, what will they do instead? Spending 10 years serving up Big Macs, while waiting for a proper job, doesn't seem like any way to develop a skilled workforce.

[shaneystar2]

Well it was very interesting .The oldies certainly gave the youngsters a run for their money .Mostly by being on time and turning up and they knew their stuff .
A couple of the youngsters seemed to flag after one day, go down with mysterious tummy bugs and didn't even have the courtesy to phone in .
Mind you working in a chocolate factory must be pretty soul destroying and boring though I expect Jno would have done well there :)
But the concensus amongst the oldies especially the tradesman was that they were happy to be retired.
I think Ruth the 76 year old waitress was on speed ,bless her :)

[LoftyLottie]

No one ever offered me vast sums of money to go away, jno!! :o(. Depending on how 'vast' even if the job inspired me, I would have gone straight away!!