During the pandemic, there have been on-going labour force shortages in healthcare with a large demand for nurses, personal support workers and physicians, as well as cleaning staff.

Staff shortages make it difficult to provide patient-centred care in hospitals and Long-term Care (LTC) homes. There are a variety of surveys and news reports on the crisis in healthcare staffing. One recent survey found that 95% of LTC homes reported a shortage in staff. In response to this survey, many healthcare professionals also stated that residents were not being properly fed and hydrated.

Unfortunately this fall, staff and residents in LTC are getting sick from Covid-19 just like they did in the spring of 2020. This creates more pressure on our healthcare system.

Healthcare staff are feeling the heavy burden. They are asking for assistance as Covid-19 infections increase.

Retirees are taking up the call. They want to help and are returning to work to provide care during Covid-19. Marg Miller is among them.

It’s time to develop formal return-to-work programs for mature workers who retire and have the knowledge and skills required to make a difference in the workplace. These professionals are making a difference during a time of great need.

Why isn’t there a provincial/territorial program to help them with the return-to-work?

Individuals anticipate retirement and envision it as a time for leisure and recreation, travelling and an opportunity to do many things that they have put off. However, once retired, they realize that they are longing for the structure, sense of purpose, and fulfillment of a career.

Or they feel like something is missing from their lives. Perhaps they feel not busy and not useful or not productive enough.

Sometimes something happens to make you stop and think.

Reflect

Right now during the pandemic, you have the gift of time and space to focus on yourself and your redirection. It is an opportunity to ponder the next chapter and next steps.

Use your creativity and out-of-box thinking about opportunities that you would enjoy and find fulfilling. Talk to important loved ones – family and friends – in your social circle and share what you are thinking.

New ideas, new directions – your redirection – can come from the spark of an idea that you discover during this unique time in human history.

Once you have found your redirection, take the time needed to map out and plan it.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your redirection.

There is a need for more medical professionals to deal with Covid-19, and Quebec has asked for additional help. Sixty retired doctors and 12 respiratory therapists have answered the call for assistance during the pandemic. The Ministry of Health gave special authorization in order for them to resume their practice.

In addition, the Ontario government asked anyone with a medical background to step forward in an effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The premier asked for individuals to help our healthcare heroes and the province launched a portal to people to match skilled workers with healthcare institutions and agencies.

Some professionals are postponing their retirement to assist during the pandemic. The postponement of retirement makes mature workers seem like a contingent workforce that is available to meet fluctuations within supply and demand. What are the implications for individuals, communities and society at large with this type of arrangement?

2018 – A year of potential and new opportunity

Happy New Year. The best time for new beginnings is now as the new year begins.

New mindset. New shift. New direction. Redirection.

Congratulations on your retirement. Now it’s time to redirect.

Congratulations on intentionally contemplating your future retirement.

Redirection…because you don’t know what is just around the corner.

The time is ripe to figure out your next challenge and your next chapter.

Vital engagement. The time is now.

Later life has changed

There is a realignment of work and retirement in society as the population ages. It is a growing trend. Older adults are continuing to work past traditional retirement age.

CBC’s The National followed a couple of Canadians as they reflected on their decision to keep working into their later years. They found work opportunities for their ‘next act’ that help generate an income and maintain their lifestyle. Furthermore, their work is personally fulfilling and meaningful to their community.

Benefits go beyond the paycheque; working keeps people active and engaged. It was also nice to hear another perspective on the benefits of hiring mature workers.

I coined the term redirection to refer to the new stage of career as people transition into new pursuits and occupation to stay engaged and continue to work. Redirection is an alternative to retirement. It is an exciting time of life. New possibilities are investigated and explored. Older adults discover that their skills and competencies are transferable. My new documentary film explores five people’s experiences with redirection.

CBC News discusses the trend towards delayed retirement. Provinces like Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are already rethinking and implementing policy to address this new trend.

It is time to rethink government policy to consider the ways people are and can work longer and what this means for social structures and institutions in Canada.

Older adults are continuing to work into their later years. They work for meaning, purpose, engagement, stimulation…and a paycheque.

Some individuals retire, then decide it is time to go back to work.

This is a beautiful video telling the story of one woman who retired, then decided to keep working into her later years.

Mature and experienced workers have a lot to offer. It is challenging and rewarding to redirect into new occupational pursuits.

Redirection is an alternative to retirement. A large and growing proportion of older adults are choosing to work past what has traditionally been thought of as ‘retirement age’. This represents a significant shift in our society.

The Redirection Project examines this new and emerging social trend. Results of the research will be shared in January. First, a webinar will be held on January 12th, 2017. Sign up here. Second, there is a presentation at Cannexus17 in Ottawa on January 23rd. Sign up here.

The documentary film Redirection: Movers, Shakers and Shifters discusses these issues and portrays the stories of five adults who found second or third careers after age 50. The English and French trailers of the film are available. The documentary film is been screened through feature presentations around the country to great acclaim.

People are working during later life. This is a new social trend and it is occurring as the Baby Boomers enter their later years. Recent surveys and polls all point to this shift in Canada.

This trend is occurring for many reasons. Some people cannot afford to retire. They need to pay bills. They need to be gainfully employed past traditional retirement age. They have not saved enough to retire. They are in debt. In other words, they cannot retire and live on a fixed income.

CBC Radio’s The Current highlighted the challenges of some of these individuals. Listen to the podcast.

Other people want to continue working. They gain a great deal from their paid work. For example, work provides self worth and self-esteem, mental stimulation, physical activity and social relationships. Some of these individuals might have retirement savings, so income generation is viewed as a benefit but it is not the primary motivation. They might be professionals who are highly educated. They believe they have more to contribute; they are not ready to retire.

When I started conducting the Redirection Project and investigating later life career development, career shift and career extension, I recognized that there is a dichotomy among older workers. Some must work; some want to work. It is great to hear from older adults about their diverse experiences (and the surveys are still available for participation). Both of these experiences are important to understand; hence, I developed the on-line surveys to reflect both sets of circumstances. The fact is that socio-economic circumstances have changed a great deal since the retirement system was developed.

Indeed, paid work during later life is important. Paid work represents many things to individuals. Motivations for later life paid work are complex. This new trend is a big shift from the previous model of retirement. It is a big shift within workplaces as well. Policy to address this social change must be carefully handed.

This is why the qualitative and quantitative datasets collected through the Redirection Project are critical for gaining a better understanding of later life career development and employment experiences and informing social policy, organizational programs and career development practice. For more information about the Redirection Project, please visit www.MyRedirection.com.

Courage. Change. Challenge. Opportunity. Reinvention. Empowerment. These words come to mind when thinking about new career directions during the second half of life.

More people are expecting to work longer or are considering later life employment. In fact, greater longevity has combined with a rethinking of work and income options.

As a new stage of later life career development, redirection helps individuals think about this transition process. It assists with the steps involved in making a career shift.

In addition, redirection helps identify self-awareness and self-knowledge. Reflection is required during this career stage. It helps people see how far they have come and where they are going next.

The redirection story collection continues until March 25th, 2016. The online survey will be open until the end of May 2016.

To participate in the Redirection Project, please visit www.MyRedirection.com.

Income security: Retirement Crisis?

The Broadbent Institute report ‘An analysis of the economic circumstances of Canadian seniors‘ is a call to action on pension and retirement issues. This report discusses many challenges with the current system of retirement and pension plans.

The report further explains that many Canadians are at risk of living in poverty during later life. Changes to CPP/QPP, OAS and GIS can provide assistance.

Another solution is an extension of working life. This is where my research on Redirection is critical. I coined the term Redirection to refer to a new stage of career development among individuals.

Individuals age 50 and older can choose retirement or they can redirect and transfer their skills, experience and knowledge into a new occupation or career. For more information, please visit: www.MyRedirection.com.