Imagine you are an older woman, self-supporting.
Imagine you are responsible for raising and supporting your young grandchild.
Imagine you collect social security and pension, but really need to work in order to make ends meet.
Imagine that the job you thought was secure suddenly ended, and for more than a year you were unable to find work.
I do not know this woman other than via email, when she wrote to me in October asking if our company (I was employed at the time) had any work for someone with her skills (we didn't). We have kept in touch since, and even though I know her situation is not unique, I think her story needs to be told. And so, with her permission, here is K's story.
5 comments:
Wow! We are not in the best of shape--going from 2 incomes to one, but we had everything paid for. When i read something like this, I thank my lucky stars that at least Alan still has a job
( for now), but it's pretty iffy right now. Lots of people in this boat! Can't wait for my next birthday (turn 62)
Sue, this story makes me cry. I met so many people on my temporary job in the spring who are in the exact same boat except for that brief two months of work. Craig was unemployed for 18 months until he found a job last year at this time. Life for so many people our age is not what we thought it would be. Just a few years ago, most baby boomers were at the peak of their earning potential and thought they'd cruise into retirement. Now many are unemployed, uninsured, and have no clue how they'll live for the rest of their lives. A good friend of mine is in the same boat right now and in the beginning stages of losing her house. What's depressing is that I wonder if jobs will ever come back for people in our age range. Craig can't wait to be 62 and then 65. Now that is sad!
hmmm...what happens when the ones that are working, can no longer afford to pay for the ones not working? Scary the way things are happening
carl/debbie
It's a terrible situation, and even worse knowing there are so many others like her. And like Beck pointed out, those of us of a certain age (and this woman is one of them), after working all our lives, are ending up dirt poor. It doesn't seem fair. I don't have any answers, I wish I did.
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