The Elderly in Today's Job Market
Life Alarm Services has been recognized as a provider of quality medical alarm/personal emergency response systems for numerous years. Our well trained staff, customer friendly support, dependable products and concern for the well-being of our subscribers are a few factors that make Life Alarm stand out above the rest.
Life Alarm Services is referred through thousands of public agencies, hospitals, community service organizations, home health care providers, and subscribers throughout the nation. Our monitoring center has monitored thousands of subscribers, and provided them with quality service throughout. That is an accomplishment we are very proud of. After all, each of our subscribers and their families trust in our service due to the responsibility we have.
We provide medical alarm/personal emergency response service throughout the United States and Canada. Our product is a very installer-friendly plug and play system. This simplistic system makes our subscribers comfortable with the operation of their life saving system, Life Alarm. The two-way voice communication system assures quick and efficient response to any in-home emergency. Our systems are ideally designed for the elderly and disabled persons who are home alone and medically at risk.
Reversing Early Retirement
There is a trend that is reversing early retirement. Many elderly people are being forced back into the job market due to depleting retirement funds, outstanding mortgages, bank loans and high medical bills. Many elderly people can no longer afford to be out of work. During past recessions, older workers simply retired. The elderly are now searching help wanted ads and applying for jobs. With jobs so scarce, people past the age of 65 are up against those half their age in a desperate scramble for work.
As people live longer and stay in better health some of them merely want the stimulation and challenge of a job, but for the most part the motivation is a financial necessity. Many elderly are outliving whatever savings they might have had. Fewer elderly people are covered by benefit plans, such as company-sponsored pensions that guarantee them specific monthly income for life. Those with retirement investments have seen their values erode with the stock-market tumble.
Few programs help older unemployed workers
There are few programs to help older unemployed workers. Several states are developing pilot programs. The Obama administration is receiving proposals for new ways to connect workers 55 years and older with local jobs. The Senior Community Service program, which currently has $433 million in funding, is the lone federal jobs initiative that targets unemployed older workers. Workers must be at least 55 and have incomes no more than 25% over the poverty level -- $13,000 a year for individuals.
The program matches older adults with community nonprofit or public organizations. They receive on-the-job training, and are paid minimum wage, by the federal government, for up to 20 hours a week. The goal is to help both unemployed older adults and community organizations, which often are short on staff. The program isn't meant to provide permanent employment but more so, on-the-job training. The paid training is supposed to last for no more than 24 to 36 months.
Women should stay fit
Even when the economy is good, older workers who get laid off tend to spend more time unemployed. The physical limitations of some older workers likely account for part of the difference. Today’s job market puts seniors competing against people who are recently out of a job and have strong work skills. Seniors who are looking for work after decades of retirement are discovering that their skills are obsolete.
Seniors can seek out occupational training from organizations designed to provide these services for the elderly to overcome this technology barrier and prepare for their potential return to the workforce.
Minority elderly individuals
AARP has a new partnership with Monster.com that will connect mature job seekers with jobs throughout the United States. AARP’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) or another non-profit job assistance program can help you add to your skills through retraining. Many states, community associations and local non-profits have their own programs. The Eldercare Locator, a service of the Administration on Aging, might be able to connect you with job placement agencies in your area. The best job placement help often comes from fellow job-seekers. No one understands your pains better than those recently in the same situation. The Internet can be a helpful tool for identifying specific jobs in your area. Additionally, local non-profit organizations, churches and schools may have information about career opportunities.
Stress being put on the elderly
There is a definite amount of stress being put on the elderly to compete in the job market. Keep regular physician’s appointments to monitor health. Keep an open line of communication with family members to avoid depression. Have life-alarm services in the home in the event of a medical emergency.Good Luck in your job search!
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