Seniors Site

Ideally, seniors are encouraged to slow down in terms of their work loads and focus on their health and living their lives to the fullest instead; this is because an aging body won’t be able to take too much stress like it used to be and unfortunately, too much stress can lead to many health implications that could affect seniors’ quality of life.

BUT, for some seniors who are not quite ready to settle down, retirement is never an option and apparently, this is the case for most senior groups we have today. Reasons vary from one person to another; some of them complain about the economic crisis hitting them which left a large hole in their pockets; or, retirement means limited range of motion; a whole lot more are bound to their family obligations such as the case of the sandwich generation. Putting every factor into consideration, we’ve arrived in a conclusion that seniors today are nowhere near retirement—some of them never will and they are here to stay in the workforce along with million others, both young and old.

Like stated earlier, conventional work routine is too much for seniors especially now that they also have to attend to their personal affairs more often. Moreover, only a small number of employers hire seniors and unfortunately, laws for hiring and employing seniors give little or none protection to older adults’ workforce as compared to other working groups. Seniors are often discriminated due to their age when in fact they can do what younger employees could do any time of the day—and more! Due to these conflicting factors, it is best to consider working right from your own homes.

Telecommuting jobs are made possible by the advent of the internet. What’s even more surprising is that these jobs benefit seniors all the more. Telecommuting jobs are perfect for seniors because their work schedules are very flexible plus you don’t have to commute back and forth to your workplace and home which proves to be a very tiring task for aging individuals. When telecommuting, you’ll never miss a doctor’s appointment again or even those weekly get-togethers with your friends plus you’ll have more time for yourself even if you work 8hours per day because most work-at-home jobs can be scheduled according to your preferences. The only apparent problem with telecommuting is how you’d be able to dodge distractions from interfering with your work time, aside from that, there’s no reason for seniors not to engage in this kind of work setting as it would probably lighten up their work load without affecting their income.

Here are some types of work you could do from home and still enjoy an income closely comparable to your full-time job salary:

·    Virtual Assistant
·    Article Writer
·    PR/Marketing Manager
·    Accountant
·    Project Manager
·    Financial Analyst

If there are baby boomers and generation x, y and z, then get ready to meet yet another generation:  the sandwich generation. This generation is not tagged as such just because they love making sandwiches in the morning—which they usually do—but for the simple reason of getting caught between an older generation and a younger generation which he or she must take care of, both at the same time—just like a sandwich.

It seems that this generation is where the tougher ones belong since it is the hardest, most demanding situation a person must face. By definition, a person belongs to the sandwich generation if he or she is caught between caring for an elderly parent and attending to his or her children’s needs—both of which are challenging even on their own. Apparently, this generation is the latest trend in American way of life and surprisingly there are seniors ages 50-60 that fall right into this generation.

Statistics stated that the factors which gave way to the birth of this new generation are the rising number of dependent aging parents and the increase in rate of young adults still living with their parents. This is aside from the fact that most senior ladies opted to get pregnant later in life. Unfortunately, this generation has been experiencing the greatest pressure of them all, emotionally and financially. It can affect the way you live and how you handle things—it can even put strain in your marriage, making everything more cluttered as it is.

There are ways to prevent this from happening but you need to plan ahead and work for it in advance. There are two things that could set you back; one is giving financial support to your aging parent and the second one is supporting your child, just like a good parent should do; but with the economic situation that most Americans are facing today, these obligations are harder to accomplish. Planning ahead includes arranging your parents’ assets, making the money work and generate income to help pay for their future needs. For college kids and even young adults living with you, having a little talk is your best step to take; let them know how heavy it is for you and encourage them to find ways to somehow help you. Take note of the word “encourage” not demand to avoid bitter confrontations. Lastly, get some help.

There are many organizations that lend help to the emerging sandwich generation. It’s good to know that even the government is pushing forward to many senior assisting programs and could somehow ease the burden. Bottom line is, it is never bad to extend help especially to those you love most but in the end, you need to fend for yourself too so don’t forget to set aside a little of something for yourself.

Nowadays, seniors retire not because they are compelled to do it for health reasons or they need to slow down; in fact, it was found out that seniors are healthier than ever! They do it because they want to try other things especially now that they are free from family obligations. Seniors are free to do whatever they want, whenever they want; this is the time when everything you do is solely for yourself and anything you give is purely optional. Retirement is, in some way, liberating. It’s all up to you how you would spend your “retired days” as fulfilling as it can possibly be.

Unfortunately, retirement comes with growing medical bills and sometimes we find ourselves a little bit short on funds. This is not uncommon to a senior’s life and it can be very frustrating to seniors ready to take on life’s challenges without “9 to 5” job interference. Retirement is supposed to be turning over a new leaf and not something that will hold us back. Somehow, we must make it work—on our own terms!

If for whatever reason you find yourself anywhere near 50 and looking for work, it’s good to know that there are some companies that hire seniors. This means, we should no longer worry about age limitations and such. These reputable companies also offer trainings, full-time and part-time jobs, and even seasonal jobs for seniors. This also includes benefits, just like any other hired employee—young and old. Local and global organizations team-up with companies to collaborate particularly for senior citizen employment opportunities. These organizations also do job placement services for their members that will match your capabilities and expertise according to job orders they received from member companies. This way, you don’t have to go through the tedious steps of looking for work and you can even choose the position you desire. Of course, through these seniors organizations, it is easier to get hired especially if you have met all the companies’ requirements. Some of the companies that hire seniors are Home Depot, Border’s Group Inc., CVS Caremark, and Staples.

The best thing with these companies is that they will make employment policies that will work for seniors such as job sharing, and flexible work schedule. This will allow seniors adequate free time to do other things aside from working. It need not a “9-5” job; some older adults who just cannot stop working usually find 2 more part time jobs just to fill in the time. This way, their work loads are more manageable than a fulltime job they’re used to. If you are interested in working after retirement and seeking employment opportunities, check local companies and organizations for job openings.

What exactly is senior volunteer program? Senior volunteer programs are for seniors 55 years of age and above. Through this program, seniors are allowed to do volunteer works and given assignments to work on based on their capacities and limitations. Usually the organization you currently belong to—assuming you already did—will match you to other programs or projects that are directly in line of your expertise. These organizations also provide proper training and guidance for new members while old timers are given high regards and recognition by their fellow volunteers. And because this is a volunteer work, seniors are not forced to work although they are highly encouraged to finish their assignments once they are given. Assignments are determined according to their availability, interest, and expertise.

Some of the most common assignments in senior volunteer programs are seniors helping children with special needs, seniors helping other seniors and seniors doing community service such as dental missions and feeding programs. Again, assignments are matched depending on the volunteer senior’s capacity.

These programs are made and specifically designed for all seniors. Organizers firmly believe that seniors can contribute immensely to the society and help build a strong foundation for generations to come. Senior volunteers are usually assigned to lend a helping hand to nonprofit agencies, governmental projects and health care missions especially if they can contribute to the vision of the project itself. These programs include tutorial sessions to children and adults alike; they can also be of assistance to nursing homes and deliver meals for disabled, homebound fellow seniors in the area. Surely, there is a place for everyone in a senior volunteer program.

Of course, volunteer works are not without benefits to participants. By a joining program like this, seniors are given the opportunity to continue rendering their services to others that need help. They are able to use their expertise and partake in activities that will uplift their self-esteem and self-worth. Seniors don’t need to bore themselves by staying home most of the time since volunteer work will provide you the opportunity of doing something everyday. Seniors participating in such activities are duly recognized and valued around his or her community.

Sometimes, when age sets in, self doubts regarding our own personal capabilities come with it and we often forego our past achievements to settle as “just another older adult” with no intentions of getting in someone’s way or slow down someone else’s life. What we don’t know is that we can still make a difference and our years of accumulated knowledge and expertise are needed by generations to come, locally and globally. This is a great way to contribute and give something back to our society while staying fit and active. If you enjoy traveling, you can check out Peace Corps as they are looking for seniors 50 years and above. Some of the volunteer works included are:  teaching English to non-English speaking children across the globe, disease awareness campaigns and environmental conservation issues.

Words are not enough to describe how bad the economy is for seniors nowadays. Gone are the days when you say that retired seniors are living well, jet-setting to and from exotic islands and have nothing better to do than spend money for luxuries and unnecessary things. Seniors are now spending their “retired” time working freelance and extra time for finding money-making ventures they could embark on. Apparently, there was no age limit for money-hunting these days.

These past few months, I have posted about freelance jobs for older adults and full-time job tips that can help seniors find something that they can actually work on and earn money. Extra money is very important nowadays, even if you had prepared well in the past for your retirement years. Moreover, extra money doesn’t really necessarily mean they should be spent the minute you get them into your hands; they should be saved for the rainy days and in fact, you will never know what comes next so it is best to come prepared for it than regret it later. Remember, medical bills are continually rising and it seems that it isn’t stopping anytime soon.

According to surveys, seniors prefer staying at bed and breakfast inns than in any other accommodation settings when they travel. Mostly because bed and breakfast inns are cheaper than hotels plus they provide that homey feel we usually missed the minute we stepped out of our houses. Best of all, it provides lasting friendship between the travelers and the house owner; more like an accommodation on a personal level.

Requirements for a small bed and breakfast business are quite simple: of course you will need a house with rooms you can rent out to lodgers. You also need to be accommodating, meaning you love company and you don’t mind if there are people sharing your house and using your stuff. The house itself should be in a tip-top shape before you can advertise about your small, at-home business. Furthermore, you will need some basic cooking experiencing for the “breakfast” part. If you are currently living with a younger caregiver who could lend you a helping hand then your B&B business could work and earn you money.

Rates for B&B vary greatly, depending on your location and accessibility of your house. It is best to do some research first about your area and if there is an existing competition within close proximity. Also, take time to look for travelers to accommodations ratio if and when a competitor is present. Check online for rates and base your own from there. Of course, don’t expect this little venture to bring lots of money especially during the first few years; like stated earlier, this business is supposed to be an added incentive only and not a large-scale hotel operation so it pays not to expect too much from it.

If you have decided to go for this kind of venture and you have no prior background whatsoever, get help for planning and start-up management. You may want to get your house inspected for pests, cracks and electrical wirings and connections. Call your local agencies and authorities for restrictions and certifications, if you need one. Plus, don’t forget to discuss it over the next family dinner so everyone would know what you are planning to do.

Looking back 20 years or so, who would have thought that this post will become a necessary read for seniors seeking employment? The common perception way back then is that when we reach a certain age, probably around 50-60 years of age, we MUST retire and enjoy the fruits of our labor. This should be the time to sit back, relax and sip a Mojito somewhere along the shores of Miami Beach before health, diseases and illnesses take over your body. Apparently, seniors today don’t see the need to slow down and retire altogether anytime soon.

Today, job interviews are not for kids alone. They are equally shared by all people capable of working, both young and old. And, although seniors are now clogging up the employment lines, it doesn’t mean they are broke and penniless; some of them have bonds and investments tuck safely away, ready to be dipped into in case of emergency.

Then why, you may ask, are they doing this? Like I said, this new generation of seniors—the lasts of baby boomers, learned to live well so they come healthy and prepared. While it’s tempting to spend days doing nothing but await death to come, most of these seniors would rather go on working and making money. But, taking on a new job means job interviews and they can be nerve-wracking. Here are some useful tips on how to ace that job interview and ultimately land the job!

1.    Proper mindset. Do not look at job interviews as hurdles. All you need is to loosen up and be yourself but be decent enough for the interviewer to realize you are the exact guy/girl they are looking for to do this job. If they have decided this job is not for you, then you move on to the next, nothing personal to that.
2.    Be confident. You should know exactly your strength and limitations. In order for you to do that, you should be 100% certain that you know how to do the offered job. This job you are applying to should be somewhat related, if not exactly as your previous jobs. Experience gives seniors edge over their competing buddies.
3.    Confident but not offensive. This means you should not talk too much but maintain a civil, friendly atmosphere. Plus, you should not talk bad about your previous jobs. You answer when questions are asked and you wait while they go over your resume.
4.    Come in full battle gear. Appear for a job interview in proper attire perfectly suited for the work place atmosphere. If you have no idea of the office’s atmosphere then come in decent, semi-formal attire that will meet halfway with whatever state your office is in. Do not forget to bring documents to support any claim you are making during the interview and of course, that includes your resume.
5.    Give precise answers. Vague answers simply won’t work. You are here to discuss what you can do for the company and keep in mind that you are here for a job not for a training course.
6.    Be punctual. Do not show up late, unprepared, crumpled and most of all, fail to show up at all. If a schedule is set, you should be there because you are a mature, responsible person.
7.    Avoid awkward issues. Personal issues are no-no, same goes for foul language and money talk. If somehow you need to discuss it with your potential employer, then be very careful with the words you will use to open the discussion.

It will also be great if you can continually enhance and expand your knowledge and skills by attending seminars and short courses. This will not only update you with the latest trends in the field but will also look great in your resume.

The greatest hindrance for most seniors taking up a job outside of home is the inconvenience of going to and fro the workplace. For seniors, this takes time and awfully lot of energy which seniors need to expend in a daily basis. But retirement is no joke, especially with hard times like these so needless to say, we must review our options carefully and try to generate income as much as we possibly can.

True enough, seniors tend to keep an erratic schedule due to many varying factors—one of them being health. But since, this generation keeps up with their word of honor, even a bad case of arthritis won’t stop them from going to work, no matter how painful it is for working seniors. Because of this, seniors’ health suffers tremendously. With a somewhat flexible mode of income, there won’t be missed doctor’s appointments anymore.

Seniors should know that no matter what age and gender they are today, they can still generate income—with or without past working experience! All you need is some skills and networking capabilities. And of course, a crash course in internet marketing would be great too. That is, if you are familiar with using the web and you know your way around.

For seniors 50 years and above, internet literate and would want to enjoy a great pay working with flexible hours, you may want to tap in your writing skills for blogs and other freelance writing jobs. Blogs are great because they pay through advertisements so you don’t need to worry if you missed writing for a day—it will still pay you as long as your blog is ranking high in search engines. This option would likewise give you the opportunity to express yourself through your acquired knowledge and expertise. And, did you know that some people even pay for writers to do their blog contents for them? People writing for other people’s blog are called freelance writers and although the pay might be a little lower if you monetize your own blog; freelance writers don’t have to worry about the managing aspects of keeping a blog. Well, if you choose to own a blog and make money from it, you have to pay for certain fees and such. And you have to keep up with the ever-evolving trends of internet marketing and optimization which will require you to pay for webminars conducted by SEO experts. On the other hand, freelance writers write as per received instructions and payments are often fixed.

Of course, you don’t have to force yourself to learn the trick especially if you are pressed for time. The tricks of internet take time to master and it is never a smooth road to travel. There are other income generating things you can do at home. For example, if you are great with crafts and you can create many interesting things just by using your imagination and your reliable hands; sell them instead of giving them away as gifts to your friends. You can do floral arrangements and delivery for friends or you can do gift baskets. Anything you can make with your own hands are guaranteed to be a big hit!

If you have strong organizational skills plus you enjoy party planning and coordinating, you may also do this for a fee and gradually build your reputation around it. Tutorials are also great and you can actually make good, steady money from this venture.

The key to a successful work-at-home senior is the ability to recognize one’s strength and gain some edge from it. If you feel you possess the potential but you need to hone it further then, by God, do so. Think of it this way, you still need to enjoy your retirement years but having some funds to do so is greater right?

According to statistics, more seniors are working fulltime and they are steadily gaining in numbers over the last 10 years or so. It was even stated that seniors 50 years and above are amongst the fastest growing labor groups to date. This is primarily due to the fact that seniors today are delaying their retirement for varying reasons such as inadequate retirement income, staying active and social relationships.

With the economic crisis lingering the air, it’s not quite hard to imagine if seniors will prefer working even if they are way past their retirement age. Just imagine the medical bills and household expenses; it’s getting hard to keep up with those ever increasing price tags right? So what’s a senior got to do? Hold on to the job as long as he possibly can.

Others who made it financially stable to their golden years still keep their jobs for personal satisfaction or most likely, they will jump from one occupation to another—this other job being flexible, high-paying or both. There are no shortage of jobs though, since demands for senior workers are also growing rapidly.

Based on surveys made to seniors, some of them plan to continue working beyond their retirement age while others would work part time jobs just to stay connected with their communities. Part time jobs provide additional income for other expenses, both planned and unplanned likewise for starting their own businesses. Significantly small number of seniors stated that they will no longer work after they reach retirement.

Referral services are now aimed at seniors looking for work. These services are dedicated to support seniors in the workforce since they believe that seniors have the right to stay around longer that they used to. Some employers prefer seniors over younger adults since seniors are well-trained, experienced, dedicated to do the job and they are less likely to fool around like teenagers do. Seminars and trainings conducted by various organizations are now offered to seniors giving them business ideas and tips on how to start again.

To be able to land a job, seniors must refresh their interview skills while applying some touch-ups with their talents by joining short courses related to their desired line of work. It is also best to look for employers who respects seniors’ age. Bear in mind that you don’t have to adapt a “grab-while-you-can” attitude because there are far too many jobs for seniors to choose from. It’s never too late for continual learning and education, just pick the job that interests you the most which offers flexible time and less pressure on your part. Moreover, this job should optimize your hard-earned knowledge and experience to their highest potential.

Americans today, particularly seniors live longer and healthier lives than ever before. Their talents and skills are highly valued and much needed in today’s workforce since their personal branding is already established. Some seniors do it for the money while others take volunteer jobs to help train younger workers reach their goals in chosen fields. In return, volunteer seniors gain steady social connections and community acceptance, both are essential in seniors’ lives. Whatever reasons there might be, seniors today are nowhere near retirement and they are certainly taking over the workforce!

When age is associated with poor health and degeneration, I take offense. For me, it is more of a judgment than factual call from younger people who would not know the difference. Maybe, and that is just maybe, if some senior will actually tell me these myths are true then I would consider but right now, there are all myths and they have been busted!

1. Lose weight for longer life. Who ever told senior ladies should look like stick-thin models? This is the craziest I have heard, in fact. It seems that starting from age 10, young girls are reprimanded to lose weight for varying reasons which are sometimes incomprehensible, and now even senior ladies try hard to lose weight just because someone said so. Watching your weight and doing moderately intense exercises are good just because you are trying to maintain your ideal weight but starving yourself while aging is not a good idea, really. Seniors need to absorb all the nutrients from the food they eat and depriving yourself will only make your body weak. Unless you suffer obesity, there is no need to lose weight and it will not affect your health one way or another.
2. Age is equal to hearing loss. This is not an effect of natural aging process. Although there are relatively high numbers of seniors suffering hearing loss plus there is actually a little known science-based fact behind this allegation, aging is not the primary cause for this health problem. This is a gradual process that starts way back before you reach your golden age. Commonly, the causes are hereditary tendencies, ear trauma and inner ear malfunctions.
3. There are personality changes. Personalities never change whether in time or by force. You can never change a person just because he’s old. A kid’s sunny disposition will still remain sunny in his teenage years, adult years and senior years. It will not make any difference whatsoever. If you catch a senior sulking or withdrawn, he is having some problems either emotionally or physically, a common reaction even for adults.
4. Senility. Seniors do get dementia and Alzheimer’s but it’s quite unfair to be called senile just because we are old. Sure, seniors sometimes act foolishly or they can react impulsively to a certain situation but we know what we are doing and we are aware of the consequences of our actions.
5. Do not exercise when you reach 80. Of course, seniors can! They just have to be careful in breaking bones since at this age, it won’t grow back so moderately-intense exercise is the farthest they can go especially if they started working out at a later age. But for those well-built seniors, they can still maintain or even improve their bodies’ state as long as they can.
6. Seniors depend on other’s mercy. Physically, seniors today live independently and quite happily at that. Financial wise, seniors have money to tide them over so helplessness and dependency are not due to old age.
7. Large doses of multivitamins will extend a seniors life. Definitely not! Multivitamins are just supplements, essential to help you maintain your expected vigor and energy but this is not done to extend life. There is no known supplement proven to stop the aging process. Aging is inevitable. There’s no going around it.
8. Seniors are emotionally vulnerable. There are three main causes for an emotionally vulnerable senior. One is health, second is financial status and third is his social life. Their concerns are more or less comparable to younger adults so age is definitely not the issue here.
9. Stress is bad for seniors. Yes, of course, as it is bad for all of us. Who needs stress anyway? Stressful life does not benefit mankind of all ages. While others prefer to have some minor stresses in life, they just needed to feel alive that’s why.
10. It is not wise to hire a senior. I have heard this somewhere, that seniors are more of a liability than an asset to employers and some of them, after 15 years or so of service got fired just because they are old. You know, performance wise, seniors are more dependable than younger employees since we know the rules by heart, especially if the job requires mental and perceptual skills. Aside from education, seniors have life experiences under their belts, something that cannot be taught in school. The truth is, some employers dodge high payments required by the law for senior employees.

Basically, these myths were broken if the question lies in the natural process of aging alone. In reality, diseases commonly found in seniors are the ones making them weak and frail, unable to cope with their daily living demands. But, if a senior is fairly healthy, there is no reason for him not to live longer and live life to the fullest just like any other living adults.