How old do you feel?
If you are like many Baby Boomers, you probably don’t feel your age. And you’ve probably said that many times. Now a new study funded by the Boston College Sloan Center on Aging and Work puts a social science spin on what we know.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted a survey of 1,024 adults ages 50 and over about retirement and work.
It found that, “Americans who have reached or are nearing the traditional retirement age generally do not think of themselves as “old.” Overall, the majority of Americans age 50 and older have a positive outlook about their own ages. Six in ten report they feel younger than their age, a third feel about their age, and only 6 percent feel older.”
65 PLUS AND WORKING
The survey also discovered that a quarter of adults 65 plus are working or looking for work and half of those 50 and older are working or looking for work.
YOUNG BOSS VS. OLDER BOSS
Nearly half of those survey say their bosses are younger.
But people over 50 with older bosses have positive things to report. They think their age is an asset. The survey’s authors say, “…people with an older boss are more likely to report that they have experienced positive situations at work because of their age including having colleagues come to them more often for advice, feeling that they receive more respect within the company, and receiving desirable assignments.”
There is also the dark side of the workplace for older workers. One in five who are 50 and older report that they have experienced age discrimination at work or while looking for work.
Tips for Older Job Seekers
