Let’s have compulsory national service for 65 year olds

[Barleypilaf]

So, if it’s a good idea to press-gang 18 year olds into national service, why don’t we do the same for those getting their pension? Everyone in the first year of pension should spend at least one weekend per month doing volunteering in their community. It would help to build community spirit, help the NHS and improve people’s fitness.

This is untrue, but if it were the case, whose fault would that be? Ours. We have brought them up and created the society which has formed them. If they are on the wrong path they need help and support. This is where older people volunteering could help. Mentoring, careers support, staffing youth groups. Wonderful opportunity to develop and pass wisdom and experience to the young. Why not?

EmmaPeele · Today 13:49
How are 65 year olds supposed to fit it in around working full time? We don't get our pension till 67 so have to keep on working till then. It would just about kill me to work full time and then have to do compulsory voluntary work at weekends, I need weekends to do housework, jobs and recharge for the working week, not easy at 65. If I have to do national service at 65, will my employer keep my job open so I can go back after 6 months and continue till age 67? Not every 65 year old is retired with a big private pension pot”

Yes, it’s as ridiculous a suggestion as it is for 18 year olds. Or anyone of any age!

If people want to volunteer, great. No one should be obliged.

People over 65 will cope far better than the younger generation who will need a safe space and won't be able to cope with a blister and don't know whether they are a boy, girl or a frog.

So if they are like that (they’re not) who made them so?

Yanbu. I'm 61 and I already do. It's not difficult.

I'm on the parish council. New year litter pick. Volunteer occasionally for the local park run. It's a good way to meet people.

We hear so much about pensioners being lonely. Well surely this is a way to prevent that. Ok, some may be less able than others but everyone can do something.

I still don't understand why everyone is horrified at having to spend a few hours in their communities.

ManilowBarry · Today 13:51
People over 65 will cope far better than the younger generation who will need a safe space and won't be able to cope with a blister and don't know whether they are a boy, girl or a frog”

Pathetic.

People in their 60s now, such as my husband and I, have had the best of life chances and economic circumstances for many, many generations.

So DFOD with your nonsense.

Well said!!

Meadowfinch · Today 13:55
Yanbu. I'm 61 and I already do. It's not difficult.
**
I'm on the parish council. New year litter pick. Volunteer occasionally for the local park run. It's a good way to meet people.
**
We hear so much about pensioners being lonely. Well surely this is a way to prevent that. Ok, some may be less able than others but everyone can do something.
**
I still don't understand why everyone is horrified at having to spend a few hours in their communities.”

And that’s great. Not everyone has the time or ability.

Really? You didn’t attend school, have never seen a GP or received any other NHS treatment, haven’t ever used public transport or travelled along a public road? Didn’t receive child benefit and won’t receive a pension? Never attended an Arts Council funded event like a ballet, museum or art gallery? Don’t get your bins collected by the council?

If so, you have indeed been royally screwed. But I don’t believe that is the case.

You should definitely volunteer because the younger generation are so confused 🙄 Why force them when there are people like you about who seem to know the difference between a boy and a frog?

Quite. The inability to grasp that older generations have benefitted and continue to benefit from state provision in a way that younger people just don’t now is very striking.

Speak for your own kids or grandkids, but my 2 are pretty well rounded thanks. If they want to volunteer they can. They already do litter picks etc. But the government will not be forcing them

@MrsSkylerWhite I agree, no one of any age should have to do it. I only mentioned 65 year olds as that is the title of OPs post!

Will someone volunteer to come and look after my sister while I go off and care for someone else?

Exactly. The ageism on here can be shocking. Retired people are not one homogeneous body FFS.
I can only assume the people who start these sorts of threads are trolls.

I don't do any of that. Parents passed - mine and DH's - over a decade ago, and our adult DD have both left home, so no childcare. Also no sign of grandkids yet and I won't be their full time childminder when they DO come along. I will help but won't be used as a free nanny. And I volunteer for nothing, and help no-one (except in dire emergency.) Work from home 20 hours a week, and intend to retire in my early-mid 60s (around. 62-63.) (Currently got around 10 years to go.) I have hobbies and interests and friends, and enjoy my life. I deserve it.

So yeah, even though I am not a Community runaround, and anyone's little helper, or personal servant, (and never WILL be!) I still ain't doing national fucking service when I get to 65. AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN! Nor am going to volunteer for anything. I have earned my stripes and paid my dues (and taxes) for over 35 years (and will continue to do so for another 10 years.)

Along with working since I was 16, (over 35 years,) I looked after my parents when they were old and ailing (and DH's too,) and have raised 2 brilliant, talented, hard-working, high-earning daughters. Unlike people in their late teens who have contributed fuck-all to the economy or the country. So yeah, under 20s who are NEETS can have national service. (It will do them bloody good!)

The idea of sending pensioners out to do national service is as batshit as telling people who were off work for 4-6 months - some 8-10 months, (during covid lockdowns,) and received furlough money, to pay back all the money they got. OP is probably a flat-earther and covid denier too.

Exactly this - why are some of you so blind that volunteers - young mid-aged and young - keep lots of organisations going and freely give of their spare time.

Not all of the population are as selfish and full of their own comfort/rights as the MN generation majority 30s-50s seem to be.

And as for using the emotive term 'press-ganged' in your OP - I suggest you educate yourself into what that word means.

Goodness some of the posters on here are ageist and somewhat ignorant of history.

@Dabralor · Today 08:59

Loads of retired people volunteer already - it's one of the great draws of retirement!

I don't, and I'm never going to. Got much too busy a life. Even when retired I shall be far too busy with friends, family, and hobbies and interests to volunteer.

IME and IMO volunteering is generally for very lonely people who are wanting to make friends. And people who have lots of spare time.

I don't fit ANY of that description. ^

But over 65 year olds have life skills, they've almost certainly had jobs and paid in to the system and don't need that experience.
Our younger generation have a core few ( of which I know 3) that would benefit from this scheme greatly. Comparing them to retired people and making it a battle between the two is a pointless argument

Lots of people who volunteer aren't very lonely people with no friends.

Make your own choices of course but it's not a fair generalisation.

The 65 year olds would probably do a bit better than today's generation of whining snowflakes who need trigger warning in case they come across a word they don't like 🤣🤣

Another sweeping ageist generalisation.

getting a bit tired of this. My son has ASD and displays a level of courage and resilience in managing everyday life that I imagine you could have no conception of. The same is true of countless other children who have had a really rough few years, forgoing education and social life to protect older age groups from a disease that posed little threat to most of them. Perhaps show some gratitude and respect

What an unpleasant, sneering post. Perhaps as well you don’t volunteer.