George Carlin's View on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get
old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so
excited about aging that you think in fractions. " How old are you?" "I'm
four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a
half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to
the next number, or even a few ahead. "How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21...YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound
like bad milk. He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now,
you're just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then

you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away! Before you know it, you REACH 50 . . . and your dreams are gone. But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a
little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!" May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!

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When older workers leave the labour market, they take with them a considerable cache of knowledge and valuable experience – much of it essential to the smooth functioning of their organizations. – Marcel Lauziere, Executive Director, Canadian Council on Social Development, Ontario

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A bouquet of Gratitude for both Thrifty Foods, and Safeway Stores for your support in our public events; research and promotion support by Walmart, Save-On Foods and Home Depot also much appreciated! And to the City of Victoria for sponsoring the Maturity Works Newsletter we are most grateful and determined serve the residents of Victoria well. Join us.

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The Subtleties of Discrimination (Ageism)

By: Mike Bourque

Aging happens to all of us; it is an individual experience unique to our own uniqueness. It is not possible to generalize about the skills and abilities of the aging worker but it happens all the time. This is ageism; this is discrimination based on inaccurate information and biases.

Older workers are just that – older workers. They are people with vast experience, enthusiasm and commitment to a healthy work ethic. Older workers bring not only work experience but life experience to the work place. They are invaluable employees and supportive, helpful work mates.

Discrimination can be as blunt as not hiring someone because of his or her age, or it can be subtle as eliminating someone because of a perception he or she lacks “career potential”. Such barriers can be compounded for persons who belong to groups that face other barriers as well, such as newcomers to Canada and persons with disabilities.

According to the Ontario Human Rights Commission report on “Age-policy” the following may suggest that age was a factor in not hiring an applicant:

· The employer indicated an age qualification at some stage of the recruitment process such as. “Do you think you can handle this job? It is going to take a person full of vim and vigor.” “We are looking to rejuvenate the workforce.”

· The interviewer makes an issue about the age of the applicant by suggesting that the applicant may not fit into a youthful work culture.

· There is a sense that the employer considered age to be relevant when determining whether a person might adapt to certain job conditions such as menial tasks, minimal responsibility, low pay, shift work, being supervised by a younger person or that the employer felt that the candidate would not be trainable

Assumptions and stereotypes about older workers are all too prevalent in our workplaces. Older workers are often unfairly perceived as less productive, less committed to their jobs, unreceptive to change or unable to be trained. These ideas about older workers are simply myths that are not borne out by evidence. In fact, according to The Ontario Human Rights Commission report “ Age-policy” there is significant evidence that older workers:

· are highly-productive, boasting considerable on-the-job experience

· do as well or better than younger workers on creativity, flexibility, information processing, accident rates, absenteeism and turn over

· can learn as well as younger workers with appropriate training methods and environments;

· and do not fear change but rather fear discrimination

Due to current and anticipated labour shortages, many employers, economists and labour market specialists are beginning to stress the importance of keeping older workers and the importance of looking to mature or older workers as potential employees. Of course, ensuring discrimination-free work environment is one of the best ways to ensure that older workers will remain in the workforce longer.

I believe that if we don’t speak out and take a stand against ageism and discrimination, we are perpetuating the

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myths. Ageism exists when people allow it to happen to them. When older workers speak out and show the workplace community their enthusiasm, commitment and dedication to continuing in the workforce, they are showing society that they have power.

Mike Bourque is the owner of www.seniorsforjobs.com

And can be reached at 1-250-477-2205

Starting Over: new careers and personal challenges.

The next few months I will be looking into the various options people are looking at the necessity of making a career change and strategies develop to for this These strategies include taking stock of what is the job situation in Victoria. Well, “dismal” is an adjective start. But wait. Where there is change, there is not opportunity? No, it is not going to be the same as what we had perhaps and yet, there is also a lot going on in the chaos that may offer us something too if we can be open for it.

At the same time, we have to be aware of what we personally are going through and give credit to those feelings and stresses. This is not just cognitive changes to work out, we have emotional ones to process too. These complex issues are at work, which can either propel us for ward to new successes or, sabotage us at any given step of the way if we are not careful. Thus, when looking at change we might consider that we are moving on with a dualistic approach

Looking at Victoria, some of the popular perceptions that are “running” are the rumors that jobs are to be found in the aging population and also with the government, in the area of private consulting for the departments left now understaffed. Where to start? The best way is “research”. I personally enjoyed the search with Dave’s Job Club at Workstreams. Networking, joining new organizations or attending workshops help developing your strategies and goals. Do not let the Adult Education programs slip by you. A good course I found was in UVic’s CACE program: Consulting Skills for Performance Improvement with Randy Delisle.

The main route though, is personal work and search. You may find there are several opportunities for work and personal growth when developing in your search. The Maturity Works Newsletter was developed for just this concept, to share ideas, research results, also to give support and pointers.

We encourage readers and members submit their own experiences and insights. The neat thing about MWS is we are all in this together, whether working or, not yet. We all are part of a group of concerned citizens, with a ‘special interest’ (yes Mr. Campbell), for being over forty, but hold on: we are also a vital portion of today’s society!

Change is difficult, the unknowns of finding work, learning the new social codes of a new job or of a department all restructured in the redefined in this economic climate is hard. Being social beings however, means we have the means and strength to overcome and develop new horizons and abilities.

Brigit K. O’Leary

Community Relations and Development.

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“I survived it all, somewhat gracefully!”

I am a mature worker, in fact, a very mature worker. I have been in my present position for the last six years and currently work three days a week because of an arthritic condition. It is my hope that when I leave it will be to retire. One never can be sure these days though.

It may be the type of work I do or perhaps luck or a little of both, but I have never experienced any barriers to employment due to age not even in my fifties, in fact I can’t say I ever gave it much thought. I hasten to add though I expect it would be a consideration if I were to be job-hunting now.