Community Chat

[italia8140]

YES. I retired very early, and now work from home as a consultant. The pay is REALLY good, and I can decide what I want to work on and can name my price for the work.

[Kachina624]

Docsgirl
"Like you, I had a right total knee replacement in 2011. Seems like there is a left TKR in my near future. Hope you are healing well.
I'm a retired teacher but work as a substitute. I love what I'm doing. I'm also involved in various activities in my church and community. You will know when you are ready to retire. Good luck to you."

How are you doing? We had our TKR at about the same time as I recall. I've been doing well with my "good" leg until about 2 weeks ago when I got up unable to put any weight on it, so I might be right there with you. I remember you were having some problems. Did they get resolved?

[KailaS]

I retired from full- time job two years ago (May 2013) because of health. However, i continued working part- time in the same field until a few weeks ago. Again, health is the issue. Financially, i hate being fully retired, but i am enjoying having free time and being able to relax a bit.

[Kalli]

I'm taking early retirement next year.  I'm so excited, I can't wait!

I don't think I'll take a PT position.  Friends who've retired already are busy with grandkids and traveling.  They're having a great time and really enjoying doing these things.  And they get together for brunch often.  Sounds great to me.  

[amaivy]

I did not retire volntarily and wish I could work part time.  But, I worked in the computer industry and they definitley prefer young people.

As for part-time work.  There is some age discrimination out there in the workplace.  During the economic melt down, 50 year olds and older were alway listed as the people having the hardest time finding a job.

I did have 2 part time jobs and lost both.  The person who checks for eligibily was not available in either  job for a few days,. On both jobs I was told I was doing well and they were happy to have me (in one of the jobs I was given the empolyee handbook and fired an hour later), but when the employee who checks employment eligiblity came to see me and I provided my passport, I was asked to leave within an hour.  What is on my passport?  AGE!!!

So, you might want to try to keep your job or try to convert it to part-time. 

But this is only 1 person's experience - other posters seem not to have the problem I did.

[Goodie2shoes]

 thanks for the very interesting responses. I am a nurse by trade, very lucky to have a desk job and work from home, that's the part I love, work is very stressful in terms of calls, reports, expectations in a 8 hr day, meetings (no overtime allowed and that's fine with me).  I am looking forward to my second grandchild due in October so that will be fun. Really thinking of retiring around april of next year, found out for those of us turning 66 next year you can start getting your SS retirement benefits starting in Jan. That's good news. Maybe a dept store part time job would be interesting . I just need to learn to relax and enjoy, I've paid my dues right ?  Someone asked about my left total knee replacement recovery status, it is coming along, I put surgery off for too long, kept getting cortisone injections until my Doc said no more. Now it's a matter of getting my gait back to normal.  I was limping for months and had developed tendonitis in my heel due to the knee issue. I  still have pain there but therapy is helping.   My employer does not offer part time work for this job.

[hckynutjohn]

@Goodie2shoes wrote:

I will be 65 in August, still working full time, considering retiring in 2016ifbut I don't want to sit all day watching QVC spending money on clothes I may not wear ( I already have SG tops and women with control pants still with tags on them, have not worn yet and just received the Quacker Factory TSV that I really like and will keep) I like keeping active, just had a total knee replacement 5/11 so still home recovering and bored. I am going to PT ( most excitement of the day)  I would like to know if any retirees on this board are working any part time job or started a  business part time and if so what.  I work from home for an insurance company which I love and I am on my biz computer and make calls to several states all day so very busy.  Ideas would be much appreciated and would help me decide if I want to retire next year, thanks

---

I retired in 1991and not 1 day since have I been bored. I too spent weeks/months recovering from health issues that kill thousands every single day.

Even spending 7+ days in ICU I was not bored. I do not allow myself to be bored regardless of any situation, be it not working, or recovering from heart attacks.

I made sure when I was young that my job would not be my life. I always had numerous hobbies and was involved in sports most of my young, and adult life. One of my hobbies turned into me starting

an Adult Hockey League inn1963 when I was 22 years old.

When I retired in 1991, after 33 years of factory work, I decided to turn my hobby(hockey league)into a part time, seasonal job. Now almost 53 years later, at the age of 76, I am still running my Adult Hockey League.

If you enjoy your job? Keep working. If not find some things that keep you from being bored, and If you want to earn money? Find a part time job that you like doing. Not a day goes by when i don't wonder how i found time to spend 10 hours of my days wotking. 

Only you can decide which route to take. At age 52 I retired and for me it was the right thing to do.

[docsgirl]

Hi Kachina,

I can't believe you remember my issues so far back!  No, the issues with the right knee were never resolved and I'm still in pain. I had 2 other opinions and both surgeons agreed that it was a textbook surgery and everything was done correctly.  They told me that every once in a while, even though everything was normal, the knee just doesn't feel right.  Lucky me...NOT!  I dread having another surgery and will find out more when I meet with the surgeon on July 8. I started with the left knee like you...unable to put weight on it.  The pain is very, very bad. Do you plan to see a doctor regarding your 'good knee?'  It's best to find out what we're dealing with.  Let's keep each other posted.  I don't know how old you are but I just turned 69.  My friends and I commiserate on the joys of old age and wonder how we got here.  It's not fun!  Have a great day!  docsgirl

[Cats3000]

I am a "Standardized Patient" at a local medical school and medical center/teaching hospital.  I act as a person with an illness or other medical problem.  Medical students interview me or conduct basic examinations of me in order to find out what the problem is.  At the end of the session I give my evaluation of how I felt as the patient interacting with the student.  The objective is to help train the medical students to face someone they've never seen before and to begin to hone their skills as future doctors.

[chiclet]

I am retired and dont like it but have a very sick dog and as soon as she goes will find something part time.  I don't miss the work, I miss the social part of being around people and becoming friends with them.  The worst part is that my husband is retired too.  He has no interests or hobbies except spending money and eating.  Not much fun to talk to so I definitely need to be away from home a few hours a day.  The good part about working after you retire is that you dont have to work and the things that bothered you when you had a full time job that you had to go to don't really bother you because you know you can quit at any time and you don't have to depend on the job for money so you can just enjoy it.