Working to age 65 and beyond

[BetteTheRed]

I worked in education support. I still loved the new students in the fall, the hopefulness, the "trying" of many of them. Over the years, however, my job evolved to separate me from them, and to mainly work for, and report to, ever increasing numbers of administrative staff (who seemed to increase in both volume and stupidity by the year, as predicted by Robert Reich). I'm not sure I've finished 'working' (in fact, it's pretty clear that when my truck dies, I will need a job in order to afford car payments, lol), but I won't go back to the College system, and I'm not real keen on Excel spreadsheets. I'm thinking a very part time job in a plant nursery, or a small independent food market of some sort, would be nice.

 

[Nancy]

I loved teaching....hated giving it up, except for the aches and pains my body had. I was a very active primary teacher, and I had started to need painkillers daily to get through the day. I had done that for about 3 years. So that was another factor in choosing to retire when I did. I have to admit....I don't spend so much on painkillers anymore!

 

[BetteTheRed]

Just for a giggle ... a mite tight as some of us have to be? Did Jesus respect the lady with two mites to give? That will bug some as a metaphor to the end of time ...

Strangely not. I have a monthly PAR set up with my congregation. In my working days, I could "supplement" that contribution somewhat, (now it's more time and energy) but I didn't change it when I retired.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

That's a factor for me. I've worked in healthcare for some time now. I don't know how many more Fentanyl overdoses or personality disorders I have in me. I will have to renew my professional registration at the end of June, so will have that for almost a year until I decide whether to let it drop. Working part-time in retail or maybe at RV parks is attractive many days.

One reason I never worked in mental health. I knew I didn’t have a healthy enough soul for that.
What gets me now is not so much the patients,but the frustration of the system affecting the patients.

 

[Northwind]

I agree @Mrs.Anteater it's hard to see some of the systemic changes. That's a factor for me too.

 

[Luce NDs]

One reason I never worked in mental health. I knew I didn’t have a healthy enough soul for that.
What gets me now is not so much the patients,but the frustration of the system affecting the patients.

Frustration ... part of that line in mind connecting fear and anger?

How many press this line, pick on it as a hot button and how many sooth it ... say even for a little bit of comfort to the alter ... thus egos ...?

These may explode in a flash without the power of moderate containment ... it can bleed out moderate and easily as a myth ... cereus fluid of sensitivity ... not too much now ... those without sensitivity are bothered by the presence thereof ... something intangible ... ineffable ... that which is unknown ... ideally?

The curios is raised ... with some caution ... IT can be more than insensitivity can bear ... rye?

In the Z(ohar) it is rumoured that one should know self, neighbour and go learn .. about the Deus ... that'd be the two a' Dem ... some time a di-a'dem ... a penetrating stone ... ain't that a lo cussed item ... similar to a Grass hopper ... driven by the ancient teacher ... Rabi deli!

Word pinned there ... on the page what does it mean buoyed there ... dark mythically they say Black is not existent ... can it be, or just ceded thought ?

Commonly or homo-genetically thought is of mind ... just out of here ... don't think the autonomous powers say ... they claim to think for yah! Timeless rift?

 

[paradox3]

That's a factor for me. I've worked in healthcare for some time now. I don't know how many more Fentanyl overdoses or personality disorders I have in me. I will have to renew my professional registration at the end of June, so will have that for almost a year until I decide whether to let it drop. Working part-time in retail or maybe at RV parks is attractive many days.

I cancelled my registration with the College when I retired & I can certainly relate to that feeling of having had enough of what I was doing.

Many folks fantasize about picking up small jobs in flower stores, coffee shops, etc when they retire. It is probably important to remember that entry level jobs can be stressful in their own way.

 

[Luce NDs]

I cancelled my registration with the College when I retired & I can certainly relate to that feeling of having had enough of what I was doing.

Many folks fantasize about picking up small jobs in flower stores, coffee shops, etc when they retire. It is probably important to remember that entry level jobs can be stressful in their own way.

One has to learn something Nous ... that's the Gael inuss ...

 

[Northwind]

I cancelled my registration with the College when I retired & I can certainly relate to that feeling of having had enough of what I was doing.

Many folks fantasize about picking up small jobs in flower stores, coffee shops, etc when they retire. It is probably important to remember that entry level jobs can be stressful in their own way.

I've thought about what it would be like working in entry level jobs. I can imagine there will be challenges. If I do chose to do that it will be after some consideration. My husband and I agree that our first couple of months will involve a fair amount of slothfulness.

My inclination is to ditch the registration. I want to do that in a way I won't regret later. It's good I have the June 30 deadline not the Sept 30 deadline. It gives me some room.

 

[KayTheCurler]

ps. Nancy, I have heard stats like yours, those who work longer, live longer...but, maybe it is type of work, and also volume of work.
Northwind, it may be that those who die young don't slow down or shift or ..whatever.

I second guess my decision to keep working every week...and I think if I wasn't doing it, i would 2nd guess that decsion.
Right now, the challenge and intersting work is winning.

It seems to be an ongoing situation in life this decision making. Should I do 'this' or 'that'? What consequences are likely with each option? What wild cards arrive once we are happy with things as they are? The really fascinating thing is - we have no idea how things would have worked out if we decided to take the opposite decision!

 

[BetteTheRed]

My Dad took early retirement. He picked up two part-time jobs. The first was driving school bus. That's certainly not likely for me (and it was quite out of character for him, lol). The second was working as the ticket-taker/gift counter attendant at the local museum on weekends. He LOVED that, and they LOVED him.

 

[Carolla]

Well ... timely thread for me. I have just 11 more days of work before I retire on May 31 & I will be 65 in June. I do love my profession, which I have done for 42 years now. I will truly miss my wonderful colleagues and the work I do with patients at the hospital. As others have said - the politics of health care & system changes - not so much. I think it is time to go, but it is a harder decision and adjustment than I had imagined. At this point there is nobody stepping into my position at work, so that makes me feel sad too - to leave my team short-handed & to not have the opportunity to orient a newcomer to the wonderful role I have held for such a long time.

My date was chosen as my regulatory college renewal date is June 1. So it is a firm date for me. In my family we were fortunate to make the choice over 30 years ago that I would work part time in order to be available to our kids - my husband was a teacher & had less flexibility. It had 'negative' financial consequences (no privte pension being one), but lots of intangible benefits too and I am glad I did it. My husband has been retired for 15 years and fortunately has a generous pension, so while our funds will be tight, we will manage. It's challenging to start thinking about taking some money OUT of RRSP rather than always putting it IN.

 

[Nancy]

Congratulations Carolla! I can relate to a little fear and trepidation right now, but you will be surprised on how much less money you need to live on when you are not working. As for RRSP...I won't touch mine until I'm 70, I think. And I still manage to save a little money in my tax-free-savings account. Not oodles...enough to bury me.

 

[KayTheCurler]

Wow Carolla - no more heading off to the job. Somehow I find myself thinking that you will soon find new things to do. You may find your expenses going down - no more workplace clothes to buy (or lots of scrubs to wear till they fall apart). .

 

[Northwind]

For those who had to be registered in a professional body in order to work, how did you decide to end your registration? Did you have any regrets if you did that?

 

[Nancy]

My registration came due in the new year, after I had retired in June. I decided immediately to not renew....I didn't want to be tempted to supply teach. And that was for a few reasons: I had done supply teaching for 6 years before getting a contract, so I had quite a taste of it. And, my last teaching year was SO perfect...so much learning, so much successful classroom management, so much fun...that I didn't want to spoil my memories with a less than perfect experience.

 

[paradox3]

Wow Carolla - no more heading off to the job. Somehow I find myself thinking that you will soon find new things to do. You may find your expenses going down - no more workplace clothes to buy (or lots of scrubs to wear till they fall apart). .

Occcupational therapists don't generally wear scrubs to work.

 

[paradox3]

For those who had to be registered in a professional body in order to work, how did you decide to end your registration? Did you have any regrets if you did that?

Ended my registration as part of the process of closure. No regrets at all. I did not plan to work as an OT again.

 

[ChemGal]

For those who had to be registered in a professional body in order to work, how did you decide to end your registration? Did you have any regrets if you did that?

I wonder if it's worthwhile to keep in your case if you choose to ever work part time at a related job? Something less stressful. I would think that EFAPs and similar schools might hire on an OT part time?

 

[paradox3]

I ended up working late on my last day of work. I did a regular day of work with patients & groups but ended up with workload measurement stats to do, and so on.

One of the psychiatrists I worked with saw me working late and she said to me, "This is the last hour. Tomorrow when you wake up it will be the first hour."

I have never forgotten that.