How on earth do people work into their 60's and beyond.

[BG2015]

DP and I were talking earlier (he's now asleep at 7.15pm) and saying how do people work into their 60's and 70's.

My DP is 59, he works in demolition which can be quite an active job. He's out of the house at 6am as they travel all over the country and he often isn't back until 6pm.

I'm a teacher recently dropped to 4 days after ongoing health issues after having breast cancer in 2021. Im 55, 56 in February.

We're both knackered. Neither of us sleep very well at all. We eat healthily and used to go to the gym 2/3 times a week but now only manage walking as our form of exercise.

I'm desperate to change jobs, planing to retire at 58 and get a part time job in an office. I think once I retire DP will reduce his hours and slowly retire.

But how do people have the energy to keep working. A teaching assistant at my school has just retired at 71 and I really don't know how she's kept going.

I'm the longest serving teacher at my school and also the oldest teacher (there are TA's slightly older than me).

I've got a younger headteacher and deputy head. I'm very adaptable and this job will supplement my pension and pay for extras until my state pension kicks in.

If I don't enjoy it or feel like it's causing me stress I would just leave and cut back until I could find something else.

Tutoring is a growing business in the UK, as there are some issues in the state sector and private schools are becoming less affordable. We have used tutoring and all our tutors have been women over 55 who have taught in the classroom and want a teaching job that is satisfying but less knackering than running a classroom. Perhaps the OP could look into this for the long term.

My DH and I run a self employed business together, we love it and can't imagine stopping. Back up plan for him, as he has the physical work part of the business, is academia, which he already does part time. His dad is in the same trade, he's just retired at 80 but would outwardly appear to be in his 60s. Our idea in our wealth planning is that we'll slow down, but not stop.

I can claim state pension in three years time. I may get my 'long-service' award in four years time. However, I am sure that, as long as I am sound enough in mind and body, I will have to continue working. This is because adverse circumstances mean I still support my family, and I have only a pittance of a professional pension.

My job is not physically demanding, but I have found it harder to cope with stress as I've entered my sixties. I also fear retiring only when I am too spent to do anything.

I think I will echo what many posters have said: I will continue working because I have to. I feel more and more people will find themselves in this position.

My parents both work (more or less part-time) in their mid 70s. Because they enjoy it, and want to. My Mum's job is more physical - not heavy lifting, but a lot of walking and "doing", but she enjoys it.

In admin. jobs you get to work some evenings too OP, but with half the salary.

I would try to hang on for 2 more years, but half your salary onto pension, and then stop 100%

Depends. At my last 2 jobs, there been loads of people 60+, 70+. Whereas my friend who is 60 is struggling to do her wfh full time job.

I'm retiring from my teaching role in August. I totally hate my job. I've told my head teacher.

My pension will pay for day to day living and any part time job I get will pay for holidays, treats etc. No mortgage and moving a LGP into my teachers pension are making this possible.

I need to earn £500-1000 a month in a job to be able to enjoy a bit of luxury.

I have 93 working days left at school.

I'm done with education.

How? With great difficulty in my case, but I stay because I have no choice. I'll be 64 in the summer and still have 3.5 years before my pension date. I am divorced (an unwanted divorce) and was a single parent for years. I'm still paying a mortgage, although thankfully that's for only a short time more.The Past few years I've been in arthritic pain with my knee which has made commuting increasingly hard. I WFH one day a week, which is a blessing but as it's a public facing role much of the time I can't increase this. On Friday, oh blessed NHS, I had a total knee replacement. I only waited 8 weeks after I finally saw the consultant surgeon. He took one look at my x-ray, noted I worked FT and was in so much pain and scheduled me almost immediately for surgery. Although obviously suffering now in my recovery, I'm just so pleased not to be at work! For the first time in years I have an extended period away from the FT treadmill of work to think about myself, sort out finances and try and find a way to somehow leave earlier or cut my hours. My body is completely exhausted. I've done EVERYTHING - work, home and garden, finances and childcare completely alone for the past 25 years and I'm basically DONE.

Am worried very worried mid 50s but struggling with health issues but need to work… I’ve a lot of forgetfulness and permanently knackered/exhausted. Can anyone suggest part time roles ? I’ve worked in professional work but feel I can’t keep up with all the latest tech etc so many are now at least a few decades younger than me …help ! Not due to get state pension until 67 and don’t have personal pension as I’ve been freelance …

Good luck finding an admin job for two days a week with zero experience.

Those jobs are like hen's teeth and you'll be up against lots of candidates with admin experience. I also wouldn't assume admin jobs are stress free because workloads are generally huge and you're trying to support the world and his wife because there are so few admin people. The NHS is dreadful for that too.

Do you know any teachers?

Teachers have tons of transferable skills. It's amazing what we can do, IT savvy, can deal with the public, good at project management, calm under pressure, organised, can analyse and respond to data, good communication skills, creative under budget constraints.... I could go on.

What's great though is I DONT have to work because I'll be retired and getting a pension. So whether I work in an office, cafe, garden centre or shop, if I don't like it I can leave and find something else.

I know a few teachers who now work in the NHS, local council and civil service, and a couple of them are part time too.

There are many of these jobs in my locality (some big employers with constant vacancies) and it is very hard to find people for entry-level jobs.

Yes, of course you have lots of experience and transferable skills. I'm not denying that. However, doing your own admin as part of your teaching job is dramatically different to doing admin as a job.

Admin jobs have changed over the last few years. They are generally carry high workloads and you have to work very quickly to keep up. You can be managing multiple inboxes, calendars and deadlines while simultaneously answering the phone and fending off the world and his wife who arrive at your desk. You end up doing all the jobs that are in the grey area of no one else's responsibility and all the jobs people don't want to do. People will try to foist work on you. You won't have the locus of control that you have as a teacher and that is what makes the job stressful.

I've done the opposite to you. I'm not a teacher but qualified in healthcare and my life is much much easier.

You may luck out and find a cushy admin job somewhere but the reality is those jobs are few and far between. Google Mumsnet admin stress and see what comes up if you want other perspectives.

Also be aware that you'll have young Band 5 and 6 staff in their twenties assuming you're a bit thick because you're 'just admin'. It shouldn't happen but it does I'm afraid. NHS hierarchy is alive and kicking....

How do people work into their 60s?...lack of choice for the majority.. I know a few that work for holiday/ beer money, but I know more that can't afford to give up work. I will be one of them in a few years.

@ZippyDoodle I think you're missing the point that any job I do will be in addition to my pension! It's not going to be 'my career!'I don't need to work!

If it's stressful I'll leave. I don't care about young people thinking I'm only admin! I'll be doing a job and being paid for it.

I've been in the workforce for 38 years, I'm over all that crap!

You seem to know it all already so it's pointless advising what an admin 'job' is like.

It's not just about them thinking you're 'just admin'. It's staff clicking their fingers and barking at you that you have to deal with. If you're as don't mind being spoken down to I'm sure you'll be fine.

My dad died at 60 from a familial cancer. When I went to request genetic testing it was refused as he ‘ wasn’t young’ when he died.
i cannot imagine working last 60

Can i ask what line of work you are in please?

I get what @ZippyDoodle is saying.

OP you seem to think that there is a whole range of stress-free admin, hospitality and retail jobs that you can cruise in and out of as you don't see them as real work. Almost like you're treating them as a little holiday. It's pretty disrespectful to people who have done those roles all their life.

I've worked in admin for about 30 years. I've never had a job where I clock off at 5pm and that's it. I'll be working ad hoc this weekend even though it's not part of my hours, and often work evenings. That's private sector, I guess public sector might be different. All my jobs have been fast paced. The expectations of admin staff are huge these days - I went for an interview a few years ago and it was looking after the admin requirements of 60 people.

That's it. That's what rankles.

It's the assumption that it's a low skilled and easy job anyone can do. You get it all the time from people who have never done the job. Managers who think tasks take five minutes and anyone can sit in a high level meeting and take concise minutes. All for the princely sum of just above minimum wage usually.

Im 64 and am a builder. Physically i feel ive reached a tipping point. Ive worked since i was 16 and its a habit as much as a job. Never smoked, hardly drink have an exellent diet provided by my wife. I could stop now but something compels me to carry on.
Ive only ever been self employed so its not like im trapped in a job im keen to get out of. I expect ill carry on and slow down as nature intends.

I Know some age 75 still works one to 2 days a week in a care home both for money and she loves it. I know 2 people in their mid to late sixties work full time in active jobs possibly because their home lives aren't so great. It all depends on health, attitude and circumstances.