Time To Start That Final Trip To The Locker Room?

7 Lately, I have been sidelined by a medical situation. Truth be told, I love being home, but was not planning on being here just yet. I really had planned to work full-time til full retirement age, then at least part-time after that - kind of die in harness, you know.

It has got me wondering who else is feeling that maybe they are getting ready to hang it up. A couple of things that have me focusing on it are:

I no longer know all of the newer meds. I have always spent lots of time studying meds, but no longer am up on the latest ones.

I don't know all the names and types of wound care products and their uses.

Ditto all the mattresses available these days and the indications.

The students and residents look so young they could be in pre-school, LOL.

My boss is a lot younger than I am. A lot younger.

So, what makes you feel like you might be heading into the sunset? Are you happy about it?
Ehh? How many times does one have to hear that their employer (home health) has no work? Over how many weeks and then how many months? When the last unemployment check, you know, the one that says, no more of this, came and went months ago, not weeks ago. At some point, it doesn't make any sense. Full retirement age? How many years in the future is that and what do you call it before that magic date? Like my neighbor says, "Kind of a mini vacation". Yes, a vacation.

What do they call it when you've long since run out of unemployment benefits and there are no extensions any more? Oh, yeah---chronically unemployed. What they don't count in the statistics are the poor souls who've given up on looking for work because they literally can't find a job: they're over 50, or they have a spotty work history, or they're unattractive or overweight. Even with the improvement in the economy, it's still an employer's market out there, and those of us who are less than perfect have an uphill battle getting hired. For some of us, there comes a time when it's just not worth the struggle anymore and we just drop off the radar. This can be called 'retirement'.....at least the term gives us a little dignity. It's what I tell people when I'm asked "what do you do?" even though I'm only 56.

My boss actually seemed sorry to see me go. He told me to get back to work as soon as I can. So I'm not really unemployed, I just don't have a job, LOL. Viva, don't you work at/supervise at an LTC facility?

During a period of extended unemployment in my distant past, my mother told me to tell people when they asked, that I am "independently wealthy". She said to say this with a serious look on my face.

Quote from Kooky KorkyMy boss actually seemed sorry to see me go. He told me to get back to work as soon as I can. So I'm not really unemployed, I just don't have a job, LOL. Viva, don't you work at/supervise at an LTC facility?

Viva, I hope your claim goes through. I don't know if this would apply to you, but I recently found out that a spouse can start drawing on the social security record of their deceased spouse at the age of 60. I had always thought that social security could be had no earlier than 62.

If my husband passes away before I turn 60, I'll starve to death because his SS is our only income right now. Seeing as how he has stage IV neuroendocrine tumor with mets to the liver, lungs and spine, the future isn't looking all that rosy. But I can't let myself think about that, and I don't want to derail the thread so I'll save those thoughts for another day.

Wow. As if you didn't have enough on your plate. Holding positive thoughts for you and your husband. Frankly, as far as the topic of the thread, I don't know what any one of us is supposed to think or do when the working world doesn't want us any longer.

We have older nurses at work, 65-75. They're not working full time and the EMR has been a tough learning curve for the ones who have never even done email, but they still love the patient care and we're helping them with the charting. They're very supportive of us FT nurses and we have a lot of regard for them. Mostly they do basic admissions and the case managers do any follow up or task oriented revisits and work at whatever pace works for them.

While I am still young and plan on working until I die, I know that there is a good chance I won't be able to. Personal illness (mental, physical, or both- I have quite the history of depression), illness of a loved one, injury, or simply age discrimination can lead to the loss of a job and a career. Health & stability is something that many do not appreciate. I secretly fear something is going to happen to me, nearly daily. I am the breadwinner in my family, and worry about what could happen if I wouldn't be able to work. I have some life insurance, but am planning on taking a much larger plan out in myself once I pay off a certain bill.

@KK,No one can keep up with all the new medications that come out every year, and wound care and mattresses may only matter if you are inpatient. Would homecare, OP clinic, school nurse, health dept, etc work for you part-time?good luck.

Financially I can't voluntarily take the long last walk to the locker room. Not even when I'm retirement age.I'm cheering for the nurse glut/nurse shortage cycle to swing , because just being old in America is a liability.I think if you're leaning towards retirement, then everything's an omen to push you in that direction. If retirement is not an option, then nothing can make it a consideration.