Aging Matters: More seniors working past retirement age
What was once considered the "golden years" of retirement are now an extension of the working years for many U.S. adults in their 70s and older.
People are living longer and, in many cases, working longer, some for personal fulfillment, others to survive economically. For many, it's a combination of financial need and social desire.
"I know for myself that I am happier when I am working and happier when I am helping other people," said Gainesville's Star Bradbury, 75, author of the book "Successfully Navigating Your Parents' Senior Years." "I have a sense of purpose and don't mind earning a little extra money. All those things add up to keep me working."
Bradbury is not alone. Bev Giordano, a former pediatric nurse practitioner, retired from the University of Florida when she was 72 in February 2021.
"I would have worked until 75, but during pre-vaccine COVID, I couldn't see patients because I was at risk (age-related)," she said. "I got bored sitting in an office and decided it was time to 'hit the trail' and hike."
Although Giordano continues to travel and explore the outdoors, economic realities put her back in the job market.
"My HOA fees increased dramatically, so I opted to return to the workforce as a cashier at Publix," she said. Giordano has since sold her condo and moved to a rental unit.
Janette Campbell, 74, is a former educator who had to leave retirement behind to keep up with her bills.
"I couldn't afford to pay my mortgage," she said. "I didn't want to be left out on the street homeless."
Campbell got her job with United Home Care in Miami through the AARP's Senior Community Service Employment Program, or SCSEP.
Mindy Feldbaum, vice president of economic mobility at AARP Foundation, said SCSEP helps place people with non-profits, schools, or public agencies.
"We have direct solutions related to helping people get back to work," she said. "Economic mobility means putting them on the path to jobs and helping support older workers through their employment journeys."
The Older Americans Act of 1965, most recently reauthorized in 2020 , sanctioned the establishment of the SCSEP to provide job training for older adults.
Campbell now supports her husband and grandson with her part-time job as a community relations specialist.
Dr. Campbell wrote her own "Story of Gratitude," which won first place in a national contest with over 200 participants. Her story received national attention, including interviews on News Nation and CBS.
In her story Campbell writes about "a tale of financial storms brewing, threatening to engulf our humble abode. Yet, with the combined strength of my husband's and my Social Security Income, the looming mortgage beast still hungered for more.
"This place beckoned with promises of economic self-sufficiency, where adventurers like me could sharpen their skills, beat unbreakable confidence, and embark on a quest for sustainable employment," she wrote.
Alina Palenzuela, Campbell's supervisor, said Campbell is a joy to have around: "We love her here."
Campbell was recognized by the Florida Council on Aging in August 2024 as a Quality Senior Living Award recipient.
Campbell is like many older adults who find their current job is different from what they did before they retired, post-retirement jobs that economists often call "bridge jobs."
But some people can keep on doing what they love.
Frank Conroe, 78, a podiatrist with the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, says he is happy to be able to work a full-time job.
"It keeps my mind active," he said. "It keeps me healthy. It helps my diabetes. I like the people I work with. And I like what I do. I enjoy helping veterans, and I'm a veteran.
Retirement, Conroe says, is not in his immediate future.
Nor is leaving the workforce something that JoAnn Wilkes, 75, contemplates doing. Wilkes has coordinated the Displaced Homemakers Program —which helps people transition to the workforce after working primarily in the home—at Santa Fe College for 23 years and can't imagine leaving that job.
"I love what I do," Wilkes repeats time and time when she makes a public speech. "I feel like I'm making a difference, and I have no idea what I would do if I were at home."
In a recent Pew Research Center study, nearly 20% of adults over 65 hold jobs today, compared to 11% in 1987. However, workers over 75 are the fastest-growing age group in the workforce, with twice as many people in this demographic working as in 1987, from 4% to 9% today.
The study also found that adults with higher levels of formal education are more likely to have jobs than adults with less education. This may be because these white-collar jobs are less physically demanding, which allows older adults to remain in the workforce longer.
According to the Florida Department of Health, the percentage of employed persons over 65 in Alachua County was 16.7% in 2022, the last year for which data is available. The state average was 15.8. No breakdown is available for local workers over 75 or data regarding full-time versus part-time workers.
Helen Kornblum is one of the many people even working into their 80s. Kornblum has had her business, Natural Order Coaching & Organizing for 15 years and works with teenagers and adults who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
"There was never a stopgap for me," Kornblum said. "My business was growing, and I just stayed with it because I love doing what I'm doing. What I do is extremely stimulating, and I like hanging around with teenagers."
Jonathan Newman, 81, a former attorney, is another example of an older worker. He has been an aide in an office at Santa Fe College since January 2023. He works four days a week, six hours a day. He, too, found a job through the AARP's SCSEP program.
"I like being around young people. I find that refreshing," Newman said. "And frankly, the money I make is not a great deal, but it helps extend the budget."
Newman's wife, Karen Gold, 77, is willing to work even without the compensation.
"It's a combination of things," said Gold, who volunteers at Santa Fe College two days a week. "I don't play golf or bridge. My hobbies are reading. It keeps me busy. If I am not occupied with some tasks, I get quickly bored."
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that by 2032, one in five older adults will be in the labor force. Several factors are driving this, including increasing life expectancy. Many people are outliving their retirement funds and may have to supplement their incomes.
Changing retirement options factor in, with fewer pensions to encourage early retirement. The Social Security system, following 1983 legislation, also gradually raised the age at which people can get full retirement benefits from 65 to 67, which it reached in 2022.
"We all read the statistics on how many people have saved appropriately for retirement, and those numbers are pretty staggering," said Karen Roberts, a human resources specialist and chair of the advisory council for Encore Palm Beach County, which serves older adults in south Florida.
Roberts says people haven't saved enough. She pointed to data from GoBankingRates.com showing Florida's mean annual retirement income is $34,220.
"They also reported that having $1 million in retirement savings would last 17 years, one month, and 13 days in Florida. By comparison, $1 million would last 20 years in West Virginia and only nine years in Hawaii," she said.
However, as both Roberts and Bradbury point out, staying in the workforce as you age is not always easy because of ageism.
"That has not gone away," Roberts said. "And people are feeling, 'Gee, I can't get a job. Is it my age?' The bottom line is they are not getting hired."
Bradbury points to the number of companies in court for allegedly discriminating against older people.
"More and more companies are getting sued by older employees for being forcibly retired or forced out, intentionally under-hiring older candidates, overlooking older employees for promotion, and lots more," Bradbury said. Disney, credit card company Discover, and Bright Space Senior Living are among the companies facing ageism lawsuits. Bradbury said Eli Lilly settled an EEOC lawsuit for $2.4 million for discriminating against older applicants for open positions.
Both Roberts and Bradbury insist there are real advantages to hiring mature workers.
"Their expertise, work ethic, desire to transfer their knowledge to younger works and to mentor them," Roberts said.
Bradbury points to other pros of older workers.
"They are better at problem-solving, have stronger communication skills, and are good team players," she said. "The joke is we all didn't grow up with cell phones, so we learned how to speak to each other and have conversations."
