“I feel like I’ve found my place. I should have been doing this all along!” says Vicki Richard, 80, one of a growing number of seniors who work because they want to, not because they have to.
The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration reports that America is witnessing a dramatic growth in the number of citizens 55 and older, a trend that will continue well into the coming years. As our population continues to age, older Americans will play an increasingly important role in maintaining our economy and America’s leadership in the world marketplace.
Several companies, including Home Depot and Borders, are recruiting seniors for customer service positions. Many older workers are turning to AARP for job searches. The association now features links to the Web sites of 13 senior-friendly companies.
“I work one day a week, maybe more if we are busy,” Richard said. “I enjoy being around people and I think it is very uplifting to meet new people.”
Richard, who lives in Canton, Ohio, works in an art studio gift shop.
“The atmosphere is so great around here. I learn a lot from the others who work here, too. They are like my daughters.”
“She is a wonderful lady,” said Wendy Warren Joliet, who owns the studio with her husband, Bob. “We got to know her through her husband, Jim, who took stained-glass classes from us, then started working here. Not long afterward, she started working for us, too.
“I think older workers bring a different perspective to the workplace,” Joliet said. “A lot of times, young people don’t have a lot of one-on-one experience working with customers. They learn by working side by side with older people. Customer service is very important for a business like ours.”
At nearby Stein Mart, Joey Obermiller, 77, can be found in the boutique department.
“I love my job,” she said. “I love to give people ideas on what to wear with what. At least I offer my opinion. Whether they listen to me or not is another story. Basically, I am a people person, and I meet all sorts of people here.”
In addition to working a couple of days a week, Obermiller volunteers and teaches water aerobics.
“She is a pretty amazing woman,” said Jan Dopirak, the boutique leader at Stein Mart. “Joey is totally young at heart, a little spitfire. She runs circles around the rest of us here.
“She really belies her age. I think it is great to have her in the store because she always brings her spirit, energy and creativity to work. In general, I think older workers bring loyalty and more structure and discipline to the workplace. They are very reliable.”
Fishers Foods is another employer that appreciates what older adults have to offer.
“Customers appreciate the respect older workers show because they have a very clear understanding of what the customer expects,” said Frank Ranalli, vice president.
Among those employees are Jim Johnson, George Turkal and Ray Stillion, who work at Fishers Foods in Massillon, Ohio.
“I work to keep myself occupied,” said Turkal, 80. “It is good for your cardiovascular system. Besides, it is good exercise for my arms, legs and back, and it lets my half-brain function!”
Turkal, a former high school auto technician instructor, has had a heart attack and open-heart surgery. “Working keeps me healthy and busy,” he says.
Turkal, like his friends Johnson and Stillion, bags groceries, cleans and greets people at the store. Normally, they work four days a week, five hours a day.
“I didn’t think I would enjoy this as much as I do, but I enjoy seeing the people I’ve known for years here in Massillon, and Fishers treats everybody equally.”
Stillion, 80, said, “You have to keep busy, keep going. Working gets you out of the house and is something to do.”
Johnson, 64, retired from The Timken Co. in 1999. “I will probably work until I die,” he said. “It isn’t that I didn’t have anything to do after I retired, because I did, but I thought I was going to die. Any job you put yourself into, then quit, your body tries to react to its new life. I felt terrible because I went from one extreme to another. So I came here.”
He said working at Fishers is not a huge compromise because it isn’t too demanding and it gives him time to pursue other interests.
“Mainly, I like getting out and meeting people,” he said. “Sometimes, that is the spice of life.”