contribution of the elderly.

I am retired now and love every minute of it. I made law my hobby some time ago and now I am actively working at it.

Hi Hendrik,

From Engineer to Lawyer? Great Professions..

We solved that problem here in the US by bankrupting as many 401(k) plans as possible. Now we can't afford to be retired.

Who bankrupted 401 k plans? Pensions yes, 401K plans?

I lost money in mine, but that was because I was heavily invested in stocks. As the market tumbled I got out and into bonds and cash.

As for the OP, in the US a person can choose to continue working. I have worked with people that were in their 80s and had no desire to retire and carried on well. Other countries mandate retirement at a certain age. But the vast majority in the US reach a certain age and decide they deserve to retire and do so weather or not they can afford to.

Hi Steve.S.,

My brother who is in U.S is 72 and still working. He told me that he gets bored by sitting at home and watching T.V whole day so he took up job even at lower pay. In U.S no one can be forced to retire as it is considered as age discrimination. Of course you dont get retirement benefits after age of 65.So continue to work as long as you can and you wish.

Suresh Sharma.

Although mandatory retirement is not the law in the U.S. Companies get around this with "reduction in force".

I know of a number of business people here in Panama that are still quite active in business (and still quite sentient) well into their '80's. On the other hand, I know of a number of people who have dedicated their lives to various forms of manual labor, and they generally are forced in to retirement at an earlier age to do declining physical capability (although this is not a general rule. My Grandfather, in Kansas, continued to farm well into his '90's, long after all the sons who had helped in the early years had left home).

Forced retirement is a cultural thing with no serious foundation at any age. It should be considered a health hazard...

Post Number 4 was from cwarner7_11. Forgot to log on before posting...

With the general increase in longevity it doesn't make sense for people to retire. A more sensible approach might be to say that above a certain age or number of years paying into the tax system people should be able to slow down, semi retire. During this part of their working life their taxes should be reduced also.

It is a shame to lose the enormous volume of experience just because the body cannot move as fast as a youngster.

Ther is also the conundrum that how can retired people afford to live when the cost of living is tied to the earnings of the taxpayer, who has to earn big to pay for the retirees? Answer (possibly) is to have for instance a pensioner electrician repairing a circuit for a pensioner old lady for a favor in return?

Chas

It seems you are very much worried about retirement at 58. The fact is most of the population do not come under the retirement category, struggling to hold current employment. Few government, teaching, few public sectors people have the privilege of retirement.

Especially in the teaching institutions were the wisdom of the faculties count a lot, few institutions are extending up to 65 years. Some are absorbed as emeritus faculties. Other than that also knowledgeable people are valued till their life time.

It is worth for one to keep grooming to the wisdom levels of their service years by constant refreshment to prove one's worth.

On this context -opportunities for new generations could not be ruled out.

It all depends on population density of countries.

Many people are rated worth better and become active after retirement. Monotony should not rotten individuals by boredom

Age factor is negative for life itself and person's capability may shift so may be his/her work. Death or living like a vegetable is only real retirement. So called retirement does not stop man or woman from working. If someone thinks that such person can be hired then it is going to be that way. Even terminal cases have to survive unless they are dead. What is wrong if such person works irrespective of one's age.

Young people will find their place and if they don't find place then either they are unfit or unwilling to find place what an old person can find. It is a very sorry affair of young-hood itself. All are born on earth to survive on their own. Too much baby cry from adults is unacceptable nuisance. Such people perhaps are looking for rehabilitation and are burden to the society.

World todays belongs to entrepreneurs and have some ideas and try them. Even handicaps do not look for replacement of others and work harder to compete with healthy people. It is a shame not willing to face competition.Learn to survive is the greatest fun on earth. I preferred to retire 13 years before the actual retirement age and I have more fun in working in highly competitive world. I think, this free space is enormous power that comes from self determination and all should try to taste it once in life to know what is your real worth on earth.

Am past seventy and am a full time R&D engineering scientist enjoying every minute of it. Bioramani

Ronesto,

A forum of interest to valued elders like you, BIORAMANI -it seems you all enjoy the spirit of knowledge exploitation and a journey on your own. This confidence and value can be the rooting of the hard and rich knowledge hood gained all the years, a sense of responsibility, freedom and mind of good spirits. All of you please keep it up and keep showing the next generation that age is not a bar for activity.

A society [ younger and off springs grooming] that the elders are to offer chances and scope and diligent guidance for next generations to handle their deeds. Similarly it is the turn of the youngsters to capitalize on the wisdom and inspiration of elders with due respect it deserves for. No body is a competitor for any body. It is matter of taking up turns of opportunities. Formal retirement dues are just meant not to over exert elders, who have done their best part all the years. More than any importance like cost, ineffective old age etc, this issue needs a harmonious handling. It is social bondage the elder- younger relationship.

I have been thinking on this issue since a long time. I had retired at age 58 as per rules prevailing in India.I had kept myself busy with freelancing work for some of my friends. But I was thinking about many others who were not so lucky. For example persons retiring from Banks and Govt. jobs.

I would rather suggest that corporates should retain experienced retired persons on free lance basis to guide younger people and help them in solving day to day problems or other miscellaneous work which props up suddenly.

Suresh Sharma

It is not in Vouge all over the world in Japan it is normal for the retiree to come in to work and just advice the younger people. Sometimes he is desperatley needed when plans are lost of unreadable. All over the country the Elders are respected. Infact the New Japanesse Government is stepping back away from the New American Capitalist model and returning to the 1950's Capitalist Model. The new model is just too harsh on their people and their society as a whole was the message the New PM of Japan ran his bid for office on.

In one of the earlier forums on how retired engineers can be engaged, I remember to have stated this- Visit back to your past served companies with a how are you doing? attitude. It gives delight to see that such a culture exists in Japan. True values for elders and elderly knowledge. In life, family, profession and at times of difficulties an elder's voice of support is a boon to enjoy. After all we are grooms of elders in all aspects- life ethics, values of life, knowledge and action to situations. Japan in many aspects got lot to teach to the rest of the world.

The situation differs from country to country, state to state, town to town, organization to organization, person to person.

One shoe fit all does not apply.

A lot of engineers end up in an administrative position in which they may not be good or even the best. Why keep them?

A lot of engineers did not keep up with technological advances. Why keep them?

Training can be given to youngsters but a good trainer will be redundant too soon.

My advice - every person must have a plan B (C, D . . . )

Every (aged) person must decide on own best solution.

All those are elders were once youngsters. As people not fit for the work need not be hired, the one not fit for the work may also be shifted. This is normal.

A totally unfit man with money can hire engineers and can be their boss. These engineers have to take orders from him, whether or not they like it. Some time in life the rules of the game look very funny.

Best way for engineers to be on right job is to keep looking for it.

I am a 77 year old Mechanical Engineer and have the latest CAD and engineering tools. I am going to work at this profession until I die or can no longer be effective. If the younger engineers are smart enough to listen, they can gain good experience instead of through trial and error.

I agree, and here in Australia there are a few small organisations starting to offer job seeking services to senior citizens... but they are by no means big enough to really put a hole in this problem. I think getting and keeping seniors involved with computers is an extremely important tool to ensure young people don't view seniors as 'useless', and for that reason programs such as "Big Buttons" should be seriously considered by seniors, to get them started and confident with basic computing. (It's available for free download at http://www.bigbuttons.com.au/free-download).

not all aged people are 'oldies'... but some are...

don't get me wrong, i'm not a ageist, i have old friends. i am not scared of good old people and i trust them enough not to steal, to allow them in my house while i am there.

but then there are the oldies. the ones who did not keep good mental posture, the ones who allowed character rigamortis set in, unable to change their mind or their pants by themselves anymore.

oldies are often slower moving, and not as tall on average which can hamper the progress of normal people they often (sometimes maliciously) cause excessive delays.

also oldies seem to develope a very punkish attitude about cultivating their body smells and 'sharing' with the unsuspecting. prunes, bengay and a hint of velomints or perhaps the old standby....talcum powder and pee.

oldies are also always trying to fabricate a liability claim...slip and fall....

there is a solution though........ ........

STACKING!!!!!!

thats right, with a small supporting structure, we can have new improved, double decker oldies

only taking up half the normal square footage, protected from slip and fall, and now anyone can attach a room freshener to the structure......

grociery stores and malls could even put in ski-lift-like conveyors to drag the doubledecker oldies around as a spped fast enough to be less obtrusive....

yea!

win- win

benbenben