Working beyond 65 ...

There has been a lot of discussion and debate on working beyond 65. Should we or should we not encoiurage the elderly to work? What drives the elderly to work?

What are the benefits of continual employment?
There are many benefits for the elderly to continue working.
I feel that the most important benefit is that they get to maintain their self-dignity. They don't have to rely on handouts from their children, well-wishers or even the government. When the elderly are financially indepentent, they are normally well treated and respected by their relatives. This is not to say that children will not respect their aged parents if they are not financially productive. But the elderly person will have a higher self-esteem when he/she is not dependent on others. I have met a cleaner who is sent to work by her son in a Lexus. She said that she felt bored staying at home.

The other benefit is that it keep the brain and the body active. Those who are financially free (i.e. they have income without having to work) need not necessarily have to work for a salary. Many of them volunteer in religious institutions, charitable & non-profit organisations, etc.

What drives the elderly people to work?
I don't know when this concept of retirement and pension came about (I have to find out more on this). There is no such thing as a retirement age if you are self employed. Back in olden days when agriculture and trade formed the backbone of economy, people used to work as long as they could work. So today, why are the elderly working beyond their 'retirement' age?
1. They want to remain active physically and mentally
2. They need the money to make ends meet.

Should we legislate employment of the elderly? I think not. By legislating that employers re-employ the elderly, we are depriving up and coming youngsters from employment opportunities. We are seeing this problem in Japan, France. The young are unhappy that the old are clinging on to jobs that could have been released to them. When economy is good, employers will be forced to re-employ the elderly to meet their manpower needs (of course, we should limit foreign imports)