Should older people (60-65) be obliged to retire from their jobs ?

@titagdl (136)
Mexico
August 28, 2008 11:55am CST
My mom is 67 and still is working, and I recently talked to her about retiring and she says she´s not ready to retire yet, and in fact she´s not even the oldest one there, there are two ladies that are even older than she is and of course mostly don´t do anything anymore because of their age. Everybody tries to help them out and do as much as they can to reduce their work load. But isn´t that kind of unfair to everybody else in the workplace? If we really look into it, it´s their decision to be working there so they shouln´t be bothering anybody else with their job. But of course,who can say no to a nice little old lady if she asked you for some help? There it is!} Another thing that worries me is that there are somany younger people that really need that job too! shouldn´t the older people make way for younger workers, that maybe are even better qualified? I don´t mean to be disrespectful but the truth is i´d rather have my blood taken by a younger woman (my mom works at a health clinic), than by a shaky 70 year old woman who can´t see well.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
28 Aug 08
I agree, that an older person should step down to leave an opening for a younger person. But now a days, a lot of people can not afford to retire when they reach retirement age. If your social security benefits are going to be less than what you were making, I am sure a lot of people opt to continue working. As the years go on, people will be forced to work over 70 years old. The generation that is working for the previous generation's social security payments are facing layoffs, job cuts and all sort of things. Social Security is dying. Now, for those who can afford to retire, I think they should. Many reasons some people will not retire, is because they want to stay busy, thinking that it will prolong their lives. There could be countless reasons. I know for myself, when the day comes for me to retire, I will have to base it on whether I can afford not to work or not.
1 person likes this
@mentalward (14691)
• United States
5 Sep 08
If I were your mother and I retired so that a younger person might have my job, wouldn't you be morally responsible for taking care of my needs? By 'needs' I mean to be provided with everything that I am accustomed to ever since I've been working and not lowering my standard of life. I guess you don't see that many people today CANNOT retire. It isn't even a choice with them. There would be no one to take care of them. How would they eat? Where would they live if they couldn't afford rent or mortgage? What about health care costs? Transportation? Electricity? You also don't know much about the "older" generation these days. People today are healthier than ever before. They live and are fully productive much longer than they used to be. Unless your mother is the owner of the clinic she works in, I can only assume that her boss thinks that she is quite capable of doing her job or she wouldn't be doing it. I hope that, when you are a "shaky 70 year old who can't see well" that you have someone to take care of YOU, since you will obviously have to retire because of your belief about this. Be careful what you say today because it will probably come back to bite you in the derriere later.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
5 Sep 08
titagdl. thats so not true, older is not necessarily worse, are you sure those old ladies are not working to their potential and doing an adequate job? If their employer is happy with them who the hell are you to deny them? you sound biased and discriminatory against older women. I worked until I was almost 80 and nobody said I was not doing my job one hundred percent.A lotof us older people work in our older age becausewe need the money. You are really thoughtless, bent only on whats good for the young, You want to turn all us older people to pasture with all our knowledge and letsome kid who is barely able to vote take our place.maybe you think anyone over seventy should be taken out an shot as they are now useless. thanks so much for making me feel really crummy on a crummy day. hope you never reach old age your bias would bother you
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
28 Aug 08
I admire your mother for working after her retirement age. I am so ready to quit work I don't know what to do. The young people don't have a thing to worry about when it comes to me because when and if I reach that age I am out of there. As for an old person shaking and taking my blood oh my goodness no. I don't even want a young one with steady hands taking mines.