Today my prayer is for the well-being of all those who are 60 years old and older and looking for work. With the job market being what it is, many seniors are going on Social Security, perhaps before they had planned, because they have no other option for income. An Associated Press article yesterday noted that, "applications for retirement benefits are 23 percent higher than last year." That same article stated that the "share of U.S. residents in their 60s either working or looking for work has climbed steadily since the mid-1990's, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. ... This year, more than 55 percent of people age 60-64 are still in the labor force, compared with about 46 percent a decade ago."
May this very wealthy country find a way to pay senior citizens and others to do some of the necessary work of caring for people who need it, and who now receive less care than they need. For example, many schools could benefit from more teachers and teacher-aides. Hospitals and nursing homes already rely on senior volunteers to staff many services. Imagine if seniors could also provide services for pay in these settings. There are a multitude of services seniors can provide if they can have somewhat flexible hours and perhaps some physical accommodations. May the Holy One inspire creativity and compassion on the part of decision-makers so that the talents of seniors are used and compensated fairly.
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