For many Americans, after years of punching the time clock, retirement is the great reward. Those endless hours at the office are supposed to be all worth it, for what we call “the Golden Years.” A time when the putting green is always open, the grandchildren are perpetually photogenic and the gardening gloves are still damp by the tool shed.
But increasingly Americans are finding that retirement isn’t so golden after all. Many are working well past 65 when bills and mortgages make living on a fixed income just too tight. Others are too restless around the house.
Now, major companies are actively recruiting silver haired workers. Once seen as liabilities, older workers are a hot commodity for their skills and their strong work ethic. From Home Depot to Borders Books, older workers are offering something that the Gen-X crowd is lacking.
Guests:
Robert Friedland, Associate Professor and Director of the Center on an Aging Society at Georgetown University
Stephen Wing, Director of Government Programs for CVS Pharmacies
Anne Gorenstein, worked in systems implementation for 20 years, now a part-time court reporter