Council on Aging - Answers 2023 - 11

COUNCIL ON AGING - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
for life redesign, a gift that has already started.
The authors suggest 14 changes that are likely
or necessary to support this longevity. Here are
just four:
People will work into their 70s and 80s. It's
happening. About 650,000 folks over 80 were
working this past year. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicts the 75-or-older group is the
only one whose labor force participation rate is
expected to rise this decade. The lack of a pension
keeps many older adults working. In addition to
general economic need, some think work provides
a sense of purpose, a place to go and structure.
New jobs and skills needed will emerge. It's
happening now. Artificial intelligence, machine
learning and robots are creating new jobs at a
fast rate and will likely replace many existing
ones. These include jobs related to back-office
processing, sales, marketing, office management
and administration. Currently, there are concerns
about job replacements involving creativity,
education, law and more. Working in later life will
require investment of time in new learning and
new skills, according to the authors. Brushing up
on old skills will not suffice.
Finances are important but not everything.
Planning financially for a long life is essential, but
there is more. Crucial components of a life well
lived include friendships, mental health, having
a sense of purpose and happiness. Balance is key.
One cannot have " a long and financially successful
career if your skills, health and relationships are
depleted, " according to the authors.
Life will become multi-staged. The traditional
three-stage life is still dominant for most people.
The new multistaged life will include two to three
careers. One stage may be working long hours
for many weeks earning as much as possible.
Another stage may be balancing work around a
family's schedule or taking a position that makes
a social contribution to society. Additional stages
may include taking time for leisure pursuits or for
further education or skill training.
Transitions will become the norm. The usual
transitions are from education to employment and
then employment to retirement. With more stages,
we will have more transitions that will require
us to be flexible, be open to new information
and view the world with different perspectives.
The authors call these skills transformational,
important for that 100-year life.
Stay tuned for other expected as well as needed
changes to support this new longevity. Stay well
and, of course, always be kind.
Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader
on issues of aging and the new retirement. She is
also a syndicated columnist on Successful Aging
with the Southern California Newsgroup.
Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow
her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity
Council On Aging - Southern California | 714-479-0107 | www.coasc.org
Answers Guide 23/24
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HEALTHCARE & WELL-BEING
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Council on Aging - Answers 2023

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