Working Seniors – Healthier Seniors

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, empirical evidence suggests there are three essential elements to successful aging:

Avoidance of disease and disability

Ongoing cognitive and physical functioning

Involvement in interpersonal relationships and productive activities

Actually, the good news for working seniors is getting even better. A recent study of more than 2,700 Americans suggests that having a job or engaging in volunteer work may be as effective as cardiopulmonary fitness activities in lowering the risk of death. In the study, reported in the British Medical Journal, researchers at the Harvard University School of Public Health found that seniors who are socially active and productive live longer than those who are not.

Why Seniors become entrepreneurs – or Senior~Preneurs

Robert Weiner, inventor of the Handee Soapsacks, out of personal necessity, joined the ranks of American entrepreneurs and inventors, designing the first prototype of what has become his gift to seniors across the nation. A longstanding arthritis sufferer, he created the HANDEE SOAPSACKS as a means to handle and manipulate a bar of soap throughout his showering routine. (www.seniorsapprove.com/handeesoapsacks)

Carol Bradley Bursack, a syndicated writer on elder care issues, a motiviational speaker, and author, saw the need for a portable caregiver's support group. Encouraged by caregivers she met during her 20 years of caregiving for seven elders. At age 60, Carol wrote Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories. (www.seniorsapprove.com/bursack.html)

Tom Begert-Clark launched ‘Even as We Speak’ as an alternative to retiring using his accumulated knowledge and wisdom to further contribute to society. He saw a need to bring usable information utilizing humor and laughter, into the arenas of communications, business and elder care fields. Using his accumulated life skills and his ability to make questionable and everyday stressful situations more palatable through humor, his students and audiences realize that their professional and personal lives can be more fulfilled, profitable and successful. (www.seniorsapprove.com/evenaswespeak)

More seniors are remaining in the workforce well after retirement age, some need the money, others want to try something new, and still others are just bored with traditional retirement and want to stay busy. Whatever the reason, the number of seniors working past retirement is growing fast and shows no sign of slowing down.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are more than 16 million Americans over age 55 who are either working or looking for jobs, and older workers are getting new jobs at an annual rate of 4.1 percent.