How Old Is Too Old to Work?
Almost one in five Americans over the age of 65 are working or looking for work, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a group that supports older Americans.
But while two-thirds of older people say they plan to work well into their retirement years, only about 20 percent actually do. There are a number of reasons for this, says labor expert Teresa Ghilarducci.
Ghilarducci says that older people are less likely to move to other parts of the country for a job, because it will mean leaving their family and home.
Also, some jobs may be too physical for older workers. And older people may not have as much experience with computers as younger workers.
Another issue is age discrimination, according to Ghilarducci. Even if older people are able to keep up with younger workers, many employers still avoid hiring them. This is often because they are worried that older people will not stay with the company for as long as younger workers.
A new AARP survey found that more than 90 percent of workers over the age of 45 think age discrimination is a common problem. Most of those surveyed said that they have experienced it.
Government data also shows that nearly one third of workers over the age of 55 who lose their jobs stay unemployed for six months or longer.
