Elderly Should Carry On Working

[Peter Parka]

Elderly 'should carry on working'

Older people should carry on working as long as they are physically capable, ex-minister David Blunkett has said.
In a speech to the Counsel and Care charity in London he said it should not be assumed the government had "prime responsibility" to support the elderly.
Mr Blunkett also said people should use equity release schemes to raise money from their homes to pay for care.
The former work and pensions secretary said it was important to raise the debate over the UK's ageing population.
Mr Blunkett said: "My presumption is this. That all of us, every one of us who is capable of doing so, should aspire to continue with some meaningful activity to the point of our incapacity overtaking us.
"Preferably work, of course, increasingly part-time, flexible and in many cases, very different to the work undertaken in our earlier lives.
"Perhaps, increasingly, volunteering - within our own family and immediate circle as well as outside. Offering what we can and receiving from others what we cannot."
Home ownership
Mr Blunkett said £700bn was tied up in home ownership by those who had retired.
"In our endeavour to protect people's inheritance, have we not made enough of, and are we not clear enough about, the release of equity from the enormous home ownership that exists in Britain and the divide of those with and without assets which this trend has accelerated?" he said.
"In my view, and I am open to persuasion, we should be looking to reinforce the responsibility and capability of the family and the immediate community to continue helping themselves."
Mr Blunkett later expanded on his speech to the BBC.
"I'm suggesting that part-time work - often a different kind of job - is one way firstly of sustaining people but secondly of people remaining active," he said. "Why should someone who's not saved, who's not put money by, expect those who have to sustain them to do so not just in working life but in retirement as well."

Story from BBC NEWS:


What a cunt! Why should we pay him in taxes to support his kid he concieved by cheating on his wife then? That is all.

 

[lumpenstein]

My mum is 78 and still working up to 10 hours a day. In the 2001 terrorist attack she was working security at the airport when all planes were grounded. She worked 16 hour shifted every day for 2 weeks. I don't have the stamina to do that! :eek

 

[Fox Mulder]

I think if one is healthy they should continue working more for themselves than anythng else. It just seems so often that someone retires and then they lose interest in life. You'll never see me playing fucking bingo in the middle of the day. I'll probably work till I die--not necessarily full time and not necessarily what I do now. I also feel it will be necessary for me to continue to help my children because by that time they'll be taxed so heavily by government to pay for all the people who've retired that they have no money to pay for that the kids will need parents help financially to raise a family.

 

[Anie]

I know when I get older, I still want to be physically able to do some work, perhaps getting a part time job and use that money for spoiling my kids or grandkids at the time. I'd also want to provide assistance to my kids when they start having a family, like providing childcare to my grandchildren a few days during the week to make it more easy on expenses for them. I also need time to myself to keep my sanity.

 

[Zorak]

I think if one is healthy they should continue working more for themselves than anythng else.

Your assuming everyone feels the same way you do.

Some people do actually enjoy their retirement, it's not unheard of.

 

[Anie]

It's a personal choice, society shouldn't come in and say you have to do this or that to be an excellent and contributing member to society, it's how you live your life, heck some elders didn't really live their life to the fullest until after they retire. Personally if I was in very good shape, I'd be pretty bored after travelling, being at home and waiting to die.

 

[Fox Mulder]

Your assuming everyone feels the same way you do.

Some people do actually enjoy their retirement, it's not unheard of.

Yes--very true--typically if someone has a hobby and something to keep their interest, then that is fine as well. Many retirees though end up going back to work simply because they find that their counterparts make them feel older whereas working with younger people, even if its volunteer work, helps them feel younger.

Unfortunately, some people don't have a choice--they need the money. I think the problem comes from people believing that they are "owed" a retirement from the government and often these are the very same people who felt it was prudent to have the government looking after their needs. News flash (and I can't emphasize this enough)--any of you who leaves your retirement in the hands of the government is a fucking idiot. And I say that if you do that intentionally--obviously, some people don't have a choice. But this is why I am so anti-liberal and anti-Democrat (more than I am pro-conservative or pro-Republican) because this philosophy on that side of the aisle that the government can take care of us all is sheer fucking lunacy. The best thing we can do is reduce the size of the government and reduce the amount of money we give them in taxes--keep it for ourselves and save for our own retirements.

 

[lumpenstein]

Your assuming everyone feels the same way you do.

Some people do actually enjoy their retirement, it's not unheard of.

Dude, I would have retired when I was 25 if I could have! Sweating my nuts off to make somebody else rich is not my idea of a good time. There is a ton of stuff I would love to do if only I had that extra 8 hours a day and didn't come home 5 days a week all worn out. first of all I would travel the world (well, not all of it; there are certain scummy, dangerous parts I have no desire to go to. Actually, that a good topic for a thread! )