February 25, 2013

• Older Workers; Is Bank Robbery An Option?

  confess that I am among the lucky in more ways than I can count, even as my head aches tonight from the brilliant spring and pollens which fill the San Francisco air, and  at the end of March, I will return to  Ohio where we took a place in a condo building which is older, has highway robbery condo fees because of its age, but our place was owned by a company that kept it so very well, and most people moving in seem to be really going for the low price of larger condos in older buildings and fixing them up to please themselves rather than taking on the double cost of other places with less of a river view.

  Am I rich?  We live within our means, but I come from a generation who firmly believed that jewels were a waste of a good dollar, and we are very adept at shopping for most things.  Having given our children most valuable furniture as we sized down or  sending it to an auction; I do believe a robber would be most disappointed, for we even use cell phones that the thugs would be ashamed of carrying out on the street, and as far as a bunch of techy things; since sending attachments is a trial for us, we are better served by the use of our older sound systems which play the music from our lives, and if a criminal had their heard set on CDs which are operatic, high chorale, or the glorious old hymns sung by a choir at Oxford or Cambridge; then danged; you crooks should come to our place.  My husband uses three different remotes as well as the tevlevision, and it is just gauling to me, so for his birthday, then he is getting a universal remote, for I am tired of looking for the blessed things, and madder than hell when he does not swithch back to the TV settings, for I have to go back to the  cable box, use three damned remotes, and somehow, I am able finally to get the news on if he has gone to his men’s club.

  We do not keep a lot of money at home, and if you wanted to raid our savings for old age; then you would have to go see our lawyer in Cincinnati to see which account could be tapped in to now, for my husband is a saver to the point that everything is so locked up that we usually have to call the lawyer and the old broker friend if we want to make a real purchase, so all of you thieves out there can really find places where robbing would be a much greater comfort than coming to our place — Then we are gated, have full house alarms, a tenant, vicious dogs up the hill from us which start howling if you look as if you do not belong at the places around here, so this is just not your ideal place to rob.  I would highly recommend that your needs would be better met by going where you might find something worth selling fast, or just forget your life of crime; Go forth and sin no more.

  I have heard that pennitenturaries are not very sexy places, and what a waste of life to be behind bars!  I know that as I am compeled to write this that robbers are not apt to be blog sharing folks; so all of this falls on deaf ears, for a criminal is rarely a person who has totally rational motives.  We are supposed to pray for those who are incarcerated, and for minor crimes, then when they are released — Just had to snatch those slim jims and breath mints from a convenience store and got caught with a loaded weapon on the front seat — for instance.  Had this always been an upstanding citizen prior to the arrest, then it would be helpful if more people would have the heart to hire criminals.

  The aging population in this country is running in to serious money problems, for either unforseen changes in a work location — A relationship which did not work out, and those pesky kids really do want Mom and Dad’s help when it comes to housing, and the period just after high school when many decide that college is what they have lived to approach.  Life without reporting to parents, coed dorms, and keg parties for four years, and you can put up signs which cue your room mate in to the fact that a special visitor is on board, so go eat a cold pizza left outside of room 13 F, the room where there is always something going on besides dull old preparation for quiz or exams on the next day.  Yes older people feel they owe so much to their children, though the most I ever asked my parents for was forty dollars, and I cried when I had to ask them for that.  Mama was so excited that she was making minimum wage by that time, the $2.25 per hour, and Dad got more than that, but I was ashamed that I asked them for one dime.

  Aging people in their early to mid sixties who find themselves unemployed when they really need money coming in go from interview to interview when the pressure is on for income from their family, and  plans they made to retire have not worked, but this is among the groups that are not treasured for past accomplishments, and what I am seeing and hearing from old friends going back in the work force is that it is pure discrimination when it comes between them and the younger person, then there is absolutely no incentive to hire the elder person even if they were the best at what they  did, from banking to hospital administration, to heading a janitorial crew;  They are apt to get the thanks — But no thanks.  About the best a senior citizen can hope for is a minimum wage job in some store selling, for they are jobs the younger people get out of as soon as humanly possible.  Elder folks can find jobs folding clothes in department stores, or the person skilled with the used of tools fits weel in hardware facilities like Lowes.  With a college education, they are apt to be passed over from cleaning services, for the personnel realize that a Grandmother/Grandfather/Parent is apt to have health problems, but it is the social issue also.  Who wants to have to work with someone college educated 30 to 40 years ago, for everyone knows that it is not someone cool, and they are apt to be superior in though to the other employees, and no one wants anyone that might share they have had a life, been educated, and never expected that returning to the work force would be like pulling hen’s teeth.

  These are remarks I have heard made about foks in the very age range which I am now; Again, “Thank you God,” for being careful, unless I live to be 120 or my husband longer than that, then we can make it on what we have, and my body has endeavored really hard to wipe me out on more than one occasion.  Now that we know the root problem though, I might get a lot of extra years tacked on, and my husband must have had a cardiac surgeon in 1994 with golden hands, for his cardiac grafts have given him such little problems; so we are not checking out.  But I have heard younger professional people calling our baby boom generation — “Old and smelly,” “Ugly,”  “Ridiculous to think they have sex partners, making gagging sounds while explaining such,” and among my favorites is that, “Older people already had their chance!”  I could make the list longer, but I would assess that you are getting the very ugly picture that older Americans are facing heavy discrimination in the work force.  So the question arises; “What can be done about all of this?”

  Bwho qualify for no disability.  I would talk with everyone that I knew about their work place and how many people on the work force are over 60 years of age.  I would take a meanial job in the interim — whatever I could get, for the worst thing is to do nothing or to worry yourself to death.  But it is time that age discrimination is brought out and in to the open, and ladies and gentlemen; The activist who brought great changes in laws which affected voting rights for people of color in 1965 are now the older people who need the confidence and the support of each other to begin addressing age discrimination as the demon which it surely is.  I am hearing of more and more cases where this is a pertinent issue, and for many it is not a matter of wanting the lap of luxury;  It is that our generation, for the most part, was brought up to believe that honest and hard work was what had built this country, and once the marching shoes came off, then this same age group hit the work force, but many are solidly cut out, because technology and computer skills are like learning a brand new language

  But who will begin the conversation?  It takes some heart for older lawyers to come down from high places to look at so many people who are victims of the challenge to make more money, and no we plans; “When I am older, I want young people to remark that I stink, that I have had my turn, and I thought the money was going to last longer.”  People do not see late years of marriage falling apart, nor can they be lucky enough to predict that health care — Or lack of it now, is so expensive that Social Security which they paid in to does not come close to meeting the needs of a family where ill health pops up and starts eating  away at the next egg which they had built for their family.  Who would guess their husband or wife was in a battle with cancer, and out of pocket care was the only way their type of cancer could be dealt with at an institution not part of the network.  Marriages are ever fragile, and with longevity many married couples are finding themselves at a crossroads after 30 or 40 years of marriage, and the young can say something about old geizers not deserving to work out problems with each other, but when children have left home, you’ve both worked for years to see the kids had the best, but along the way what did not get nourished was the marriage — And yes, we old geizers really enjoy companionship, and we are not among them, but it is a horrible thing for people to wake up and to know they are living with a stranger, because the children were the bond, and you talked about work, but strangers are not always able to mend lost years, and some are so desperate that leaving the marriage seems to be the only soloution.

  We can all look at it and think; “Well, all you are looking at is a death bed, so why ever would you leave a marriage at that age,” for younger folks are going to be together for ever and ever!”  It may not be practical, but we are somehow guaranteed that all of us irregardless of age are entitled to, “The pursuit of happiness,” so if you did not get that out of the forefather’s plan, then you need to hit the history books once more.  Our Pledge of Allegance to this nation is rather outspoken regarding such a liberty, and I am not encouraging anyone to get out of a marriage, for it is a sacred bond isn’t it? Tell that to the young adults who divorce within the first five years, look at that statistic, and kiss where the sun does not shine if you believe elder people are not entitled to happiness or the pursuit of such as well spelled out by the founding fathers;  Then, you are either plain stupid, or had plugs in your ears when The Pledge of Allegance was learned in your schools.  Part of citizenship for non nationals includes learning our most basic of rights, and those who are born here have been miserably failed by any school system which does not teach basic Civics.

  I hurt for these troubled older people, and I lay my heart out to anyone who is in such a predicament.  I do feel that people make snap wrong decisions which they will regret later when they are troubled.  Depression is a growing problem of mature citizens, and many fall in to social isolation, and some even end their lives feeling that when or if they have no control over their lives, then it is a way out, and it is “Youth Worship,” which is the level of advertising, sales ptches, and does anyone think it is an accident that evening news features adds for hemmerhoids and Depends which is actually insulting to aging individuals.  Yes these things may be part of where our lives are headed,  but we purchase a whole lot of things which have nothing to do with gas, bloating, bowel, urione, and other private functions.  Would it not be advisable to advertise, for instance, if we who are growing older are the evening news watchers to share the adverising of food, vitamins and minerals, beautiful women who are older with fresh washed faces enjoying the afternoon with friends in a garden.  FGS, At least give us a shot a miracle grow, and as people gloat over the skin on my face, I can tell you that I was and still am a Noxema girl with a little Estee Lauder come the night, but there are people 35  who have worse skin than me.  Just give us a break; will you not dear worshippers of the youth culture.  We have not signed on to check out of here yet.

  I have few credentials to give employment advice, for it is not part of my education.  I do have a lot of education, but what I tell unemployed seniors is what I have written.  Do not stay unemployed even if you have to suck in all of your pride.  You owe not one child a free ride for college, for most students with whom I went to school who were the party crowd took their education the least seriously, while those who worked seemed to put their hearts in to it.  It means more when you are helping parents pay the tab.  I also ask people to list all which they have done and like to do and to see if there is a way of making a living as a creative self employed person.  What do you do well which only you can provide that is legal and which can bring in needed income.  This is an area where many folks just do not think to go — Their passion, the gifts which they have learned, then see in your community if you can become a paid tutor, and get some help setting up a small business.  One of my sisters is gifted in taking care of elder persons — the genuinely elder people who have infirmities, and her work is providing them with the service she learned through taking care of her husband as he was dying from Huntington’s Disease, helping Tennessee actually get a program in order which should be a model for the nation for mentally impaired citizens for whom living alone is impossible, and the program is, “Tennessee Cares,” but she does this work out of love, and the fact it has provided her with income is her eternal gift.  She could easily become an advisor to many familes with disabilities, but she has all the work she can do now with a beloved friend who knows her situation and whose family is 3000 miles away, so she does make some income in this situation, for the friend is coherent, and knows she is the lifeline.

  Dear ones who are without work, and you yourself feel fully unable to work, then seek help from whatever community social services are available.  You are special, and if one looks around, there are lines of care in this country — Not enough for the aged, the infirmed, and the oldest citizens, but learn all that is available to you, for those of us who can;  We are quiet givers, and we support with the few dollars we can.  It is time that the Billionaire networks takes a look at the poverty among the elderly of America and be hand led to situations such as one aunt whom I bless has taken on tow little girls a drug addicted grandaughter brought in to the family.  The same girl had four other children;  So these are great societal misortunes, and other problems within the family structure makes one fear to get involved.  Angels have come in to the lives of two of the oldest of the six children, and their Great Grandmother, until now, was most of the care they had ever known.

  Know your angels, for there are people who want to help, but they do not realize the extent of problems.  We are all capable of losing all that we have in a moment, and for the younger people; I can promise you that Mark Twain’s comment that the two things which certain are, “Death and Taxes,” will greet you in your life, and in your years; sometimes you long for time to move on, and the misfortune is that longing, for after middle age life is so filled from year to year with all that you need to do vs. all that you ought to do, and you too will be in the exact place many of the elderly are right now.

  I set a goal to do a couple of articles about the subject of aging individuals, and I feel as if I have placed my heart in what I have written.  I am well aware that there will be few readers, that younger people cannot relate to the situation, for it is the way of youth to guard your fear of becoming old, so you isolate yourself from people as young as 50 who feel every emotion which you do and have from the time you hit late puberty or finished high school.  I live wanting to impact lives for the better, even my own and my family’s, but I need to raise the issue for one more time; “We need to be walking and talking about the aging of America,” for it is here.  We face challenges which are larger than some can bear, but we began our adult lives seeking change and with the hope of civil rights.  May as much passion be shown to the elderly for civil justice as has been shown for the GLBT communities, for we are a large body of people, and if we brought mercy to those who were me, the poorest, to people of color, and The Supreme courts have addressed many diverse issues, so with passion;   “Who will stand up and be the torch bearers for older citizens in this country who need Jobs?

  We need powerful people to step forward, and when you do, then we are going to march along right behind you for those of us whose burdens are not being taking seriously anywhere from the halls of Congress to the 60 year old pounding the pavement with swollen feat, for our bodies do age, but we still have skills, so for those who need it; Let the justice begin to flow like the waters over this land, and once more prove America actually does care about the civil rights of every citizen.

  God Bless All Who Seek Employment

  I Am Counting On A Ground Swell; I am, Barbara Everett Heintz, Author of, “Pinkhoneysuckle,” Amazon, Kindle, Create Space, and Winner of 2012 Book Festival Awards — HM in San Francisco, and 1st Place in Hollywood; A story of the uncivered Diaspora of The Southern Appalachians, One Woman’s Journey   

   

  • 5:35 am
  • 2 Comments