- Places like Worksource South West Georgia have programs that specifically aim to support seniors in search of work.
- A 61-year-old man said searching for a job as an older man has its list of challenges.
- Watch the story to hear from one older person who is searching for employment.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"There's nothing here job-wise,” said Marty Dupree.
WTXL reporter AJ Douglas was in South West Georgia where neighbors in this rural area are saying their job hunt is becoming an uphill battle.
A 61-year-old man said searching for a job as an older man has its list of challenges.
"I think some places want somebody younger,” according to Dupree.
Georgetown Center of Retirement Initiatives reports that 9.1 million Americans over the age of 65 were working either part-time or full-time back in 2018.
The agency refers to the growing number of Americans working later in life as a phenomenon that's expected to grow in numbers as more baby boomers are expected to reach 65.
Dupree said he's fighting to rejoin the workforce after abruptly losing his job back in December.
" [I'm] down and out because there's no jobs here. I mean I've searched. I've looked and I've been everywhere I know to go,” according to Dupree.
Places like Worksource Georgia have special programs like the Senior Community Employment program known as SCSEP.
"We do realize that our seniors are trying to address several barriers. And we try our best to address those concerns,” said Rukiyah Muwwakkil, SCSEP program director for Work Source Georgia.
More research from the Center for Retirement Initiatives also reports that seniors living longer present financial instability.
Other reasons for older people working beyond retirement age are their ability to work longer, the loss of a spouse which influences income, and "Economic situation. Financial challenges that they're facing. It makes it necessary for them to go back to work,” said Muwwakkil.
Lastly, Muwwakkil said retirement isn't exactly what most would have expected.
"That dream of retirement did not manifest so they're returning to the workforce,” said Muwwakkil.
Dupree said he continues to put in job applications daily in hopes of landing a job.
"I want to work. I'm miserable sitting around doing nothing. I just feel like a lot of people in their 60s still want to work,” said Dupree.
Older neighbors can reach out to work source Georgia to get more information about the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
