Tallahassee Democrat, April 28, 2010, Wednesday

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Tallahassee Democrat (Florida)

April 28, 2010, Wednesday

Gerald Ensley: Retire at 65? Not so fast

They used to ask, "Where will the children play?"

Now, the question is, "Where will the old folks work?"

Because just as urbanization took away traditional playgrounds for children, so the economic recession is taking away traditional playtime for older people.

Thanks to the loss of defined pension plans and the stock market-induced drop in individual retirement savings, people are being told they'll have to work longer. No more retiring at 65. No more golden years of traveling, puttering around the yard and playing with the grandchildren.

Instead, seniors are being told they're going to have to work into their 70s and 80s just to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table. In fact, it's already happening:

In 1985, only 10.8 percent of Americans 65-or-older were still in the work force. As of 2009, that figure had climbed to 17.2 percent.

Some of that is by choice: Many people continue working past standard retirement age because they like staying active and productive.

Yet as it becomes financially incumbent on people to work longer, one wonders: Will there continue to be jobs for older people who need to work? Don't most employers want younger workers, who cost them less in wages and health-care expenses? Aren't many jobs too physical for older workers?

It's a particularly pressing question for those of us in shrinking industries or in state government. We wonder, "OK, when we get laid off here, what next? There are only so many jobs for Walmart greeters."

Well, the good news is some experts see a continued market for older workers - if only because of the numbers. There are 78 million baby boomers, the first of whom turn 65 next year. Behind them is Generation X, with only 46 million members.

"The reality is there are not enough younger individuals to replace the workers who may be leaving," said Deborah Russell, the AARP's director of work force issues. "For some industries, it's going to be a matter of keeping the older workers because they can't recruit enough younger workers."

Russell allowed there is "still a long ways to go" in persuading all employers to keep older workers. But she said many companies are beginning to realize the benefits.

They're discovering that health costs are a behavioral issue - and many older workers have learned to quit smoking, eat better and exercise more. They're discovering that older workers are a better bet for long-term employment: Russell said it takes more than three years for many industries to recover the cost of training a new employee - a time commit-ment that job-hopping younger people often don't embrace. They're recognizing that older workers have experience and knowledge that is invaluable to their companies - and not found in younger workers.

"As we climb out of this recession and employers look at rebuilding their talent force, they're certainly going to be looking at older workers and the benefits they bring," said Russell.

Still, there are challenges for older workers, said Kate Bronfenbrenner, director of Cornell University's Labor Education Research program. Bronfenbrenner said the growth in U.S. jobs is mostly in health care, services and light manufacturing, many of which can be physically taxing ("Think about being a UPS driver at 60, with all that running, bending and twisting"). She said even workers with sedentary jobs, such as working at a computer, are being asked to work harder and faster in today's economy.

"It used to be, if you were an older worker, people accepted we were not going to push you as hard," she said. "Now, no one is going to let you rest easy."

Yet there are changes afoot to help older workers. Russell said some industries are adopting shorter, flexible work schedules and implementing technological innovations that reduce the physical demands on workers. Bronfenbrenner said the federal Office of Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has renewed its commitment to enforcing wage, hour and safety regulations that ensure jobs "don't require more than the body can do." Both agreed the government has to play a role in retraining older workers for new jobs.

"It's going to take government regulation to have safer, better jobs," Bronfenbrenner said. "It's a strange paradox that people are upset at corporate profits but don't want government regulation."

Russell added that the recession has been a "wake-up call" for older workers to update their skills and keep them-selves marketable.

"There is a lot of responsibility on the individual," she said. "But as we look into the future, there will be opportunities for older workers."

Contact Senior Writer Gerald Ensley at (850) 599-2310 or gensley@tallahassee.com

LOAD-DATE: April 28, 2010