WHY I LIKE WORKING WITH OLDER PEOPLE

Why I like Working with Older People

BLOGGER: LAURA TRAYOR

My boss is a 74-year old woman who is by far, the best manager I’ve had in my 20+ year career.  She’s curious, energetic, charismatic and above all, connected.  She’s the antithesis to prevailing aging stereotypes that depict older workers as those who tire too easily, get sick often, or are just too rigid or slow for a fast paced workplace.

Not only is my boss an older person, but so too are most of the people I routinely work with.  They’re all 50+ and many are in their 60s and 70s.  I consider myself fortunate to work with such an interesting and inspiring group of people, which is why I’m always perplexed when I read about the difficulties older people face when looking for a new job or re-entering the workforce.  I recently came across a press release from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that featured findings from a public hearing on developments (widespread layoffs, threats to benefits) under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.  Expert panelists testified about “conscious and unconscious aging stereotypes” that cause employers to undervalue the contributions older workers make to their organization.  Moreover, because of these stereotypes, older workers are targeted disproportionately during workforce reductions. (http://www.eeoc.gov/press/7-15-09.html.).

I think hiring and HR managers have it all wrong.  There’s a lot to be said for the experience that comes from lives lived.  Like the following:

• High powered connections – my boss can pick up the phone and reach government officials or executives at leading health care organizations;
• Appreciation that time is an important commodity that should not be wasted in meaningless meetings;
• Willingness to take risks because they can handle rejection and are past caring about what other people think (did you know over the past decade or so, the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity is among those 50+?  Check out this report: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2009/entrepreneurship.pdf);
• Ability to follow through on their word – older workers are incredibly dependable;
• Perspective – will the world really come to an end if you miss a deadline?

So my advice to any hiring managers reading this blog is to think twice the next time a “seasoned” resume or older job applicant comes your way.  Cast aside those ageist stereotypes and focus instead on the valuable skills and experience this person can bring to both your organization – and your life.

Laura Traynor is a project manager with The Transition Network, a growing non-profit organization for women 50+.  Together with her boss, Charlotte Frank, she manages the Caring Collaborative, an innovative program of strategic assistance offered by friends and neighbors to help women effectively handle emerging health issues ( www.ttncaringcollaborative.org ).

To find out more about Laura and the ImagineAge bloggers, click her photo.

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Identity Card

Identity Card

BLOGGER:  ARIN GOLDMAN

When I got my first business card I felt like I had arrived.  Simple black print on a white card with little more than my name and extension, the classic Salomon Brothers starter card.  There wasn’t even a title on that first card since in those days, before title proliferation, Salomon Brothers designated rank by differentiating the quality of the paper and the color of the type, rather than by including a title.  My basic black and white card was low end but that was okay, all that mattered to me was that I finally had a job and a title even if it wasn’t explicitly noted on my card.  I was on my way.  Over the years my titles changed,  the company merged and changed its name a few times and my card became congested with all kinds of additional data. Fax numbers, email addresses, cell phone numbers, logos.  My business card had become my identity, a way to share information in multiple settings both business and social.  And I had cards with me at all times.  I was so accustomed to exchanging cards that I accidentally gave one to a mugger when he asked for my credit cards.  Fortunately, he never called and I saved myself the inconvenience of having to cancel stolen cards.  I kept at least one of all of my cards, each one signifying a different phase of my both my professional career and my life.  When I left banking someone told me that it was okay to use my old cards during my trarnsition so I did, but after awhile it seemed a little desperate to introduce myself as Arin Goldman, former Managing Director so I finally gave up using my last set of business cards, relegating them to the drawer with all of the other dated cards.  There I was cardless, a woman without an identity.  For a long time I carried index cards so I would have a piece of paper to write my name, number and email address on if necessary.  Once when asked for my “card” by someone with whom I really wanted to exchange contact information I awkwardly ran into my apartment building and borrowed a scrap of paper from my doorman, quickly scrawling my number and email address on a torn piece of menu. More than twenty years as a professional and the best I could do was share information via a ripped piece of menu. Still despite that indignity I continued to remain cardless in part because I couldn’t figure out what I would put on a card and in part because I remained embarassed that I didn’t have a title or company name to include.  Even though I had become increasingly content outside of a corporate setting, I couldn’t come to terms with the whole card thing and so I remained a person without an identity.

Finally, a few weeks ago I decided to take control. I realized that tying my identity to a company was ridiculous.  In these uncertain economic times, with companies tossing off loyal employees right and left, going out of business, selling themselves and giving up names and logos, why shouldn’t I have my own card. Given the current economic and employment enviroment it no longer seems necessary to have a company logo or a title.  My new cards are simple, they include my name, cell phone and email address.  And www.imagineage.com of course!

To find out more about Arin, click on her photo

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IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

Imagine the Possibilities

BLOGGER:  LAURA TRAYNOR

Starting next year, the first wave of America’s 80 million baby boomers will turn 65.  Think about it, 80 million new customers for the field/industry of aging.  That’s a huge number!  And this is a major demographic revolution, not some fly by night trend.  Since there’s a big age range between the youngest and oldest baby boomers (19 years), this will be a period of sustained change.  If you like to be inventive or entrepreneurial (and I do), here’s an expansive field that is wide open!

I work in the field of aging and think it’s one of the most exiting places to be.  To me, aging is a new frontier – for the first time in our country’s history, more people are living longer than ever before.  Older people today are our pioneers – forging ahead into unchartered territories and creating a host of opportunities along the way.  I’m eager to forge ahead and excited to help shape the future of the industry, for with luck we shall all reach this demographic one day!

Think about it.  How will baby boomers live?  Where will they live?  What will they wear?  What will they consume?  What new products will they demand?  Will they have more time in the work force or more leisure?  One thing’s for sure – baby boomers will be a different generation of older adults, requiring new and different approaches to living out their extra years.  There will be a huge demand for new products and services.  New jobs that have yet to be imagined.  And new policies that address the challenges and opportunities brought about by a rapidly aging society. 

I’m currently working as a program manager for a growing non-profit organization that is looking at a big policy issue – how are we going to care for this growing population of older adults?  Right now, there’s a critical shortage of professional caregivers and families are fragmented and/or stretched to the max.  This project, developed by members of The Transition Network (www.thetransitionnetwork.org), taps into the human and social capital that resides within their community to help each other through temporary periods of illness and disability.  It increases the pool of caregivers by extending this role to informal communities – where networks and friendships are already in place.  

This is just one example of some of the exciting work that’s going on in aging.  Unfortunately, when it comes to aging, you’re likely to hear more gloom and doom than then its upside.  That’s why I got involved in ImagineAge.  To add a bit of imagination, sparkle and pizzazz to a field that has a bad rap.  If you have specific questions or topics you want covered, please let me know.  If you are in school and curious what options the field might hold for you, send me a note!  If your job on Wall Street disappeared before you even started it, I’d be happy to tell you about some of the exciting options in the field of aging.

In upcoming blogs, I’ll be sharing some fresh approaches, innovative ideas and interesting people that I hope will inspire you to imagine a new age!  Stay tuned……

In the meantime, if you have anything you’d like to share, leave a comment.  We’d love to know about ideas you have! 

 To find out more about Laura, click here to read her bio.

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