How to support myself aged 60??

[Ancientscientist]

I left my marriage 10 years ago with zero work experience (was SAHM also aspergers and long term physical health issues). For next 4years I then did part-time minimum wage work whilst studying for a new career in a self employed role involving face to face work. I passed the course and successfully worked in this new field until Covid struck. I have now had to accept that I cannot safely return to that role - I am immunosuppressed and cannot rely on the vaccine as many people with my condition do not mount a good enough response even after 3 doses.
I therefore find myself 9years from state pension, with no obvious means of supporting myself. I am looking for suggestions for how to earn enough income (above benefits level) to support myself as a single person. I have no housing costs. It would need to be wfh due to immunosuppression. I’d consider retraining and also working past retiral age, but feel nobody is going to employ someone with no experience in their 60s. I have a science postgrad degree but 40 years out of date. V good written communication skills but terrible on the phone! Am I doomed to just live on benefits and then state pension or is there any way of making a living at my age?

Can you tell us what your last job was? Maybe there's a wfh solution that might be related to it.

Try civil service. Find out what agencies they use. A lot wfh now.

Is there no way you can do the job you trained for in a covid safe way? Over zoom or with both parties wearing masks?

My last job was mental health counselling with a charity. There is the possibility of counselling via video link or telephone but tbh I struggle to process properly on the phone and would find a job spent on the phone (as the main activity) incredibly stressful.

Perhaps a job that involves ‘live chat’? Essentially a texting service. Lots of big companies have taken this on board.

@Ancientscientist

My last job was mental health counselling with a charity. There is the possibility of counselling via video link or telephone but tbh I struggle to process properly on the phone and would find a job spent on the phone (as the main activity) incredibly stressful.

I had a very interesting chat with an Art Therapist who has moved entirely to Zoom for her sessions. A lot of her clients prefer it and are adults with ASD. It this a possibility for you?

Sorry, I misread your post: thought it was the phone specifically you struggled with. Could you talk to the charity about some sort of hybrid situation where you wear a visor and distance/have the window open or something?

@Sewaccidentprone

Try civil service. Find out what agencies they use. A lot wfh now.

How would a person find out what agencies they use?

If you're a scientist, albeit an ancient one, could you do tutoring of science to school children or even older. I would have thought there would be a big demand after children have missed so much schooling.
I mean do it over zoom or similar?

If you are bad on the phone or over Zoom meetings then you can train yourself to get better. There are online speakers clubs which help people who are uncomfortable with speaking get better - look up Toastmasters.

I work for the Civil Service and last year we had staff from Brook St Agency of all ages . Just look on CS jobs and apply directly but a lot of jobs are moving to hybrid working with a couple of days in the office .

Do you have a qualification as a therapist?
I work as a therapist over video and other non face to face means privately as well as working in an NHS service.

Ex mntal health nurse and counsellor here in my sixties..look away from that background initially..it's a strange world of much demand but tons of people doing it for free or in training...I started something completely other online ( think etsy and crafts etc ) .

Is there an interest or skill or hobby you can translate into an online business ? Whilst not without risks ( as is everything !) have a think about making or buying and selling something on ebay amazon or etsy...it's amazing what does sell and you may find a niche that works for you to provide an income whilst thinking about how to use your counselling skills again .

Have you had your antibodies checked? They might not be as bad as you think.

Is it the telephone specifically that’s the problem, or video calls too?

Thanks to all who have so kindly responded - will definitely consider all points- quite a few things I’d never have thought about, like civil service or the online text chat services. Tutoring could work - but I’d assumed I’d need a teaching qualification? To answer a few Q’s - I am a qualified therapist registered with the appropriate professional body. I have no experience of Zoom, but suspect it might be similar to the phone for me. Ginandbearit makes an excellent point about the realities of work in this profession, there are vastly more therapists than jobs and working for free is commonplace. Anyway, certainly some stuff to think about, thank you!

NHS?
Mental health support worker?

Better than minimum wage. You could keep working for as long as you need.