Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is our country and lawmakers going to do anything about the number of seniors who are working minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet? In the end everyone is at a loss as there are 20 and 30 somethings who can’t take the jobs filled by elderly people and then the fact that someone had to work at 75. I was in a hospital recently and the nurse was 74, she told me she had been working as a nurse for 50 yrs but can’t afford to retire bc she has medical bills to pay. What is this country doing and how can we fix it?

Before you get on that soapbox remember this, she has a pension because she belonged to a nurse's union, she has SS, she is on Medicare, she probably gets a discount for all medical and either you or she is lying because no nurse I know works as a nurse in their 70s.

Really? My pediatrician as a child was in his 80s, and my DC's pediatrician just retired at 87. Their are other old docs at the office as well. Best practice ever IMO. Both loved their jobs, and didn't have to work. So, while your nurse may or may not have to work, why couldn't a nurse do the same if he/she wanted to, and was mentally and physically able to after age 65? I think their jobs are sometimes more physically demanding, so it would perhaps be harder. Do nurses age out earlier than doctors?

Most of the people I see in their 80s are not in good health. I would not want them practicing medicine on anyone.

Many but not all, and I agree it is the exception. The docs with 40-50 years experience that I've encountered have been awesome. Sadly, the ones with less than 15 have been very hit or miss, and 2 have VERY bad advice for my DCs to the point I'm leary when they have a less experienced pediatrician. I just hope for the best. YMMV. I'm sure there are bad docs with lots of experience, though I imagine they'd be more likely to be weeded out.

As for SS -- it needs complete overhaul here and abroad. They are govt Ponzi schemes. European countries with a grey population larger than the working population have and are struggling. I'm not saying people should work until 80. Just because more
People live longer they aren't necessarily functional workers. How many workers does it take to
Support 1 person on SS? 3 or 4? And it's not like YOUR SS is going into some SS bank account just for you. I'm talking about the. Red for a major
Paradigm shift. I don't know what it is, but i think it has to be different than the social constructs of the past couple of centuries (capitalism/socialism/communism).

I don't want to stop working. Everyone I've ever seen truly retire, and competely remove themselves from anything traditionally or even tangentially thought of as "work" has degraded into poor heatlth or died rather quickly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is our country and lawmakers going to do anything about the number of seniors who are working minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet? In the end everyone is at a loss as there are 20 and 30 somethings who can’t take the jobs filled by elderly people and then the fact that someone had to work at 75. I was in a hospital recently and the nurse was 74, she told me she had been working as a nurse for 50 yrs but can’t afford to retire bc she has medical bills to pay. What is this country doing and how can we fix it?

Before you get on that soapbox remember this, she has a pension because she belonged to a nurse's union, she has SS, she is on Medicare, she probably gets a discount for all medical and either you or she is lying because no nurse I know works as a nurse in their 70s.

I have RNs and nurse practitioners in my family; they've never belonged to a union.

The only nurses I know of that have a union in the DC area are at Medstar Washington Hospital center. Not sure if they get a pension, but I doubt it. As for nurses in their 70's still working I know of a couple at an area hospital. So think before you call somebody a liar. Nurses and techs are not paid that great for what they do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is our country and lawmakers going to do anything about the number of seniors who are working minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet? In the end everyone is at a loss as there are 20 and 30 somethings who can’t take the jobs filled by elderly people and then the fact that someone had to work at 75. I was in a hospital recently and the nurse was 74, she told me she had been working as a nurse for 50 yrs but can’t afford to retire bc she has medical bills to pay. What is this country doing and how can we fix it?

Before you get on that soapbox remember this, she has a pension because she belonged to a nurse's union, she has SS, she is on Medicare, she probably gets a discount for all medical and either you or she is lying because no nurse I know works as a nurse in their 70s.

Really? My pediatrician as a child was in his 80s, and my DC's pediatrician just retired at 87. Their are other old docs at the office as well. Best practice ever IMO. Both loved their jobs, and didn't have to work. So, while your nurse may or may not have to work, why couldn't a nurse do the same if he/she wanted to, and was mentally and physically able to after age 65? I think their jobs are sometimes more physically demanding, so it would perhaps be harder. Do nurses age out earlier than doctors?

Most of the people I see in their 80s are not in good health. I would not want them practicing medicine on anyone.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it you think the government should do?

Adopt a social welfare plan like in Europe, especially Scandinavia. In other western countries the government DOES take care of you when you are old. That being said, I don't think that working until 70 is necessarily bad. Retiring too early is not good either. I have seen a number of examples in my own family where people retire and then just sit around, letting their brains rot, rather than really finding a good way to use the time.

I like the idea of a safety net, plus a matching service so seniors can sell their houses and room together like the golden girls. Plus they can volunteer with what they like--daycares, library, sewing, veterans affairs, etc to stay busy. Just want them to feel community in their golden years. Helps with dementia too!

I would not mind paying 50% in taxes today, if I knew that my medical costs and long term care will be 100% covered by the government in my old age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is our country and lawmakers going to do anything about the number of seniors who are working minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet? In the end everyone is at a loss as there are 20 and 30 somethings who can’t take the jobs filled by elderly people and then the fact that someone had to work at 75. I was in a hospital recently and the nurse was 74, she told me she had been working as a nurse for 50 yrs but can’t afford to retire bc she has medical bills to pay. What is this country doing and how can we fix it?

Before you get on that soapbox remember this, she has a pension because she belonged to a nurse's union, she has SS, she is on Medicare, she probably gets a discount for all medical and either you or she is lying because no nurse I know works as a nurse in their 70s.

Really? My pediatrician as a child was in his 80s, and my DC's pediatrician just retired at 87. Their are other old docs at the office as well. Best practice ever IMO. Both loved their jobs, and didn't have to work. So, while your nurse may or may not have to work, why couldn't a nurse do the same if he/she wanted to, and was mentally and physically able to after age 65? I think their jobs are sometimes more physically demanding, so it would perhaps be harder. Do nurses age out earlier than doctors?

Anonymous wrote:Cancer is a biggie by that age. 1 in 2. Treatments are debilitating at that age. People may not be healthy enough to keep working.

Yes. Most people in the US are 1 illness or tragedy away from financial ruin.

It’s rough. At 25, my first job, my parents stressed the importance of 10% (or more) of salary each year for retirement. Don’t consider it $ yonuse. Sicknot away. Find a job with health care. Age sneaks up on you.

My spouse and I also have disability insurance.

The year I was born now requires age 67 for full retirement. I will have 30 years at my job by age 55.

Anonymous wrote:Social Security should be three times what it is today.

And how does that get paid for? Please don't be boring by saying 'tax the rich' - Social Security is not a welfare program. Your plan would triple (or more) every person's contribution to SS.

Anonymous wrote:What is it you think the government should do?

Adopt a social welfare plan like in Europe, especially Scandinavia. In other western countries the government DOES take care of you when you are old. That being said, I don't think that working until 70 is necessarily bad. Retiring too early is not good either. I have seen a number of examples in my own family where people retire and then just sit around, letting their brains rot, rather than really finding a good way to use the time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is our country and lawmakers going to do anything about the number of seniors who are working minimum wage jobs just to make ends meet? In the end everyone is at a loss as there are 20 and 30 somethings who can’t take the jobs filled by elderly people and then the fact that someone had to work at 75. I was in a hospital recently and the nurse was 74, she told me she had been working as a nurse for 50 yrs but can’t afford to retire bc she has medical bills to pay. What is this country doing and how can we fix it?

Before you get on that soapbox remember this, she has a pension because she belonged to a nurse's union, she has SS, she is on Medicare, she probably gets a discount for all medical and either you or she is lying because no nurse I know works as a nurse in their 70s.

I have RNs and nurse practitioners in my family; they've never belonged to a union.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not country’s job to fix. They should have saved more when they were young.

Not OP, but how dense are you? The cost of paying for daily living eats up a lot of paychecks. Rent is very expensive in every city. Lots of the working poor put 50% or more toward rent. Food is expensive. Getting educated is expensive. Having children is very expensive. Nobody has pensions any more, other than government employees. If you get laid off past a certain age, it's harder to get another job. It's not always possible to save. You have to stop assuming that poverty is always the result of individual failings because that's false.

+1 And the nurse mentioned medical bills...yet another working middle class American who's working hard to pay off personal medical bills that are inflated by hospitals/medical community to cover those who get free medical care.

Social Security was supposed to supplement, people were supposed to save too. Medicare and Spcial Security have done wonders for the the poverty rates of the elderly. They are not 100% and were never intended to be. It was also never meant to subside for 30 years.

Plus, when Social Security was enacted the life expectancy was 65,now it is much older. We as a socially should expect to work longer as a result of our good fortune of living longer. Working to 70 or even 75 should be the norm in the future- hopefully older as our grand children live even longer. This is a good trend.

We have to stop thinking that we have to retire in our mid 60’s. If you want to do that- you have to save yourself.

This does not mean that we have to work at the same place/ same kind of job. I think more and more people will have several careers- some vastly different. Plus, if you are lucky enough to amass a bit of cash you can work part time or work in a job you would love but the pay is low. I think having the ability to buy into Medicare at any age would help people make the leap from their current job to a new adventure.

We need to rethink our expectations of life after 65.

Cancer is a biggie by that age. 1 in 2. Treatments are debilitating at that age. People may not be healthy enough to keep working.

Anonymous wrote:It’s not country’s job to fix. They should have saved more when they were young.

Bless your heart.