Involuntarily Retired « ChangingAging.org

by Dr. Bill Thomas

From the NYT…

“We are witnessing the birth of a new class — the involuntarily retired. Many of those over age 50 believe they will not work again at a full-time ‘real’ job commensurate with their education and training. More than one-quarter say they expect to retire earlier than they want, which has long-term consequences for themselves and society. Many will file for Social Security as soon as they are eligible, despite the fact that they would receive greater benefits if they were able to delay retiring for a few years.”

This is a direct corrollary to the cultural dynamic that uses mass institutionalization to contend with people who are living with frailty and dementia.

With regard to long-term, I am hopeful for a real change in practice.

The question of where our economy is taking us generates much less optimism.

Involuntarily Retired « ChangingAging.org

Launch Pad Contest Seeks Five People With Great Ideas for Improving Their Communities

Five winners age 45 and over will receive $5,000 and Encore.org resources to get their ideas for social good off the ground

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – November 16, 2010 – Today Civic Ventures announced its new Launch Pad contest (http://launchpad.encore.org/), which is designed to discover five inspiring people 45 and over with ideas to improve their communities. Each winner will receive $5,000 and resources and support from the Encore.org community to put his or her idea into action. 

Launch Pad is a project of Civic Ventures, a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose.  Civic Ventures runs The Purpose Prize to invest in social innovators over 60; works in a variety of ways to promote encore careers combining purpose, passion and a paycheck; and offers advice and resources for people seeking encore careers on Encore.org. 

Launch Pad contenders from around the country can submit their ideas on how they want to make a difference in their communities at http://launchpad.encore.org/ starting today through December 20.

On January 17, 2011, Civic Ventures will name 25 Launch Pad semifinalists. From January 17 through February 14, people will be invited to vote online for the idea they’d like to see realized.

Contestants can submit ideas in the following Launch Pad categories: education, social services, environment, health care and helping others engage in encore careers.

The announcement of the Launch Pad contest follows last week's news of the 2010 Purpose Prize winners, 10 people over age 60 who are making extraordinary contributions in their encore careers. The Purpose Prize, an award of up to $100,000, is given annually to individuals who are using their experience and passion to tackle society’s biggest challenges.

For more information on the Launch Pad contest, visit http://launchpad.encore.org/.

Launch Pad and The Purpose Prize are supported by grants from The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation.

Recognizing the 15th Anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center (BSC) Program - Disability.gov

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By Guest Blogger Kevin A. Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Industries for the Blind in disability.gov

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and a prime opportunity to recognize the impressive abilities of people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. It is a chance for employers to appreciate how individuals with disabilities contribute to our workplaces in so many ways and discover their true capabilities.

This month, National Industries for the Blind is also marking the 15^th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center (BSC) Program.

Both NDEAM and the 15th anniversary of the BSC program are important opportunities for us to think about employing people who are blind.

For 15 years, AbilityOne Base Supply Centers have supported federal customers with a full-service, flexible, on-site operation. The BSCs provide 24/7 year-round one-stop shopping to armed forces and federal government employees at 140 locations across the country.

Because creating employment opportunities for people who are blind is NIB’s mission, I want to share some important numbers with you that demonstrate the success of this program.

The AbilityOne Base Supply Center Program is directly responsible for the employment of more than 300 Americans who are blind or have severe disabilities. These dedicated team members provide customer service, shelf stocking, purchasing, inventory and retail store management in support of each participating military base’s mission.

Additionally, sales of SKILCRAFT® and other AbilityOne products and services to military personnel provide jobs and career advancement opportunities for nearly 40,000 people with disabilities, who make SKILCRAFT products or provide services through the AbilityOne Program. Since nearly 70 percent of individuals who are blind are unemployed, the job opportunities provided by National Industries for the Blind help our employees gain economic independence and the pride and confidence associated with working.
Today, we are celebrating the anniversary of the original AbilityOne Base Supply Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is supported by the local Durham, North Carolina, agency LC Industries.

In today’s economy, I believe more than ever before, Americans have a deeper understanding of the important value and benefits of a good job. LC Industries’ BSC employees work every day to enhance their personal freedom, their economic freedom and America’s freedom as they support Fort Bragg’s mission.
Our celebration at Fort Bragg today is an affirmation of America’s willingness to knock down barriers to freedom at home and abroad. It is a celebration of how the American dream is created in business opportunities, followed by hard work, innovation and quality service. This is a celebration of the success that is being achieved in North Carolina and throughout the United States.

National Industries for the Blind and our 90 community-based associated nonprofit agencies provide jobs for people who are blind. Our organizations offer resources, training and adaptive technologies to help promote economic opportunities. Our mission is creating and sustaining jobs. People who are blind operate stores, run distribution centers and produce goods and services that directly benefit our federal government and armed forces.

In October, we celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and applaud the contribution people who are blind make to support our military and the federal government through the AbilityOne Program.

Kevin A. Lynch is the President and CEO of National Industries for the Blind. His career at NIB, and at some of its associated agencies, spans nearly 30 years. NIB’s associated agencies are the largest providers of employment and rehabilitative services to Americans who are blind, presenting them with opportunities to master new job skills based on their interests and abilities.

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Quality of Work Life and Intention to Retire among Older Employees

by Dan Broderick on August 31, 2010

New research has found an association between an individual’s quality of work life and the age they retire. A European based study examined 6836 participants, aged 50-65, and assessed the retirement intentions of participants and their job satisfaction.

This study indicates that nearly half of participants had thought about leaving their job as soon as possible. Thoughts of leaving a job early were more likely to be found in individuals that were living in a low socioeconomic status (SES) and indicated low levels of job-related well-being. Individuals between 55 and 59 were the most likely to think about retirement.
Quality of Work Life and Intention to Retire among Older Employees