America's Oldest Workers

[Htown Harry]

Yahoo! Personal Finance: Calculators, Money Advice, Guides, & More

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Tao Porchon-Lynch, 91
Helen Hansen, 92
Chloe Grimm, 94
Jack Borden, 101
Mildred Heath, 102

Mr. Borden's quote: "When the gals come into the office and I've got my head down on the desk, and I ain't moving, then that's when I'll retire".

 

[RonBoyd]

Mr. Borden's quote: "When the gals come into the office and I've got my head down on the desk, and I ain't moving, then that's when I'll retire".

Oh! How sad.

 

[Htown Harry]

Oh! How sad.

Maybe, maybe not.

I took it as a wisecrack from an old country lawyer who made up his mind forty years ago he just likes to work.

 

[Nova]

Maybe, maybe not.

I took it as a wisecrack from an old country lawyer who made up his mind forty years ago he just likes to work.

+1 The part I find sad is the comment from the 102 yo lady who said her DH/children/friends were all dead. OTOH, it sounds like work gave purpose/gratification to the lives of these people.

 

[Amethyst]

The 100-Year-Old on Wall Street : NPR

Amethyst

 

[ScottFromUtah]

I wouldn't have been able to work that long had I wanted to. My Dad passed away at age 69 (hikes! I'll by 69 in 3.5 years), and my 87-year-old Mom is mentally not totally with us any more. She's cheerful, appears happy, and is always thrilled to see us, but can't remember what happens from day to day or even hour to hour. It's just not in my genes to live alertly to a ripe old age.

 

[travelover]

My MIL is 81 and she just got laid off from a local university where she worked in the registrar's office. She worked part time and loved the work.

 

[Walt34]

If they love what they're doing and happen to get paid for it, it would be silly to quit. For about ten years I had a job that I very much looked forward to going to every day, thinking "Wow, I can't believe they're actually paying me to do this!"

Then things changed, it wasn't fun anymore, I looked at the retirement numbers, and pulled the plug.

 

[chinaco]

Some people find that their jobs give them a purpose in life and it keep them active. They enjoy it. I suspect it is the social interaction.

Some, unfortunately, still need to work at that age to support themselves. Hopefully they have a job they can tolerate.

 

[Nords]

I guess the commitment test for these workers would be whether they'd keep showing up if they didn't get paid.

If they're gaining fulfillment from helping others or happily shepherding projects or getting out from underfoot spouses, then good for them. If they're showing up because they're afraid of loneliness or worried about running out of money or they can't stop destructive habits, then not so good.

I think some retirees are unable to find ways to provide their own structure & entertainment and look to the office environment to provide it for them.