Therefore, this week I would like to share a newly published report by David DeLong, commissioned by the MetLife Mature Marketing Institute,  titled,  “Buddy, Can You Spare a Job?”  The title is a takeoff from the Depression-era song, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” written in 1931. 

The study is based on a survey of 1,200 individuals 55 to 70 and interviews with job seekers and employment experts.  Results indicated that many older job seekers are trying to find work with false assumptions:

“I’ll just do what I was doing before.” There’s been too much change to have the same job you had at age 50.

“I know,  I’ll become a consultant…” This requires discipline, marketing experience, a network and an ability to work on your own.

“Of course I’m good with computers.” If you don’t know about LinkedIn, a 40-year old manager will likely eliminate you from the running.

“My experience speaks for itself.” This can be overvalued.

“I’ll just use a recruiter for some career coaching.” The instinct is correct but expectations may be unrealistic.

To be successful in finding employment, new solutions are needed to compete, reports Sandra Timmermann, director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute.

Here are five strategies the author recommends as being critical to success:

Be aware of the new realities of the job market. Know opportunities still exist and will increase as the economy improves.   Try the following:  Identify local industries and organizations that are stable or growing; look for a workplace culture that respects all workers.

Reframe your work experience and apply it to current workplace values. It is important to identify and articulate the value you will bring to an organization.  Determine how you will help the company meet its objectives and be current in what you can offer.  Internet marketing was new eight years ago; today it’s a prerequisite for any marketing position.  Clarify what you have to offer.

“Nurture your network.” Networking is not only connecting with people who share your interests or passions. It’s also about learning.  For example, find a volunteer job that you believe in and work with younger people.  An employer will likely be interested to know that you have experience with a multigenerational workforce.

Update computer technology skills. The most consistent finding from interviews was that older job seekers need to update their computer competency.  “Older job seekers who aren’t familiar with Facebook or LinkedIn need to learn about them – fast.” Be prepared if an interviewer asks, “Are you on Twitter?”

Manage your ambivalence. Many of those interviewed were ambivalent about staying in the labor force.  Job counselors shared stories about job seekers sabotaging themselves in interviews because they weren’t completely sure they wanted to continue working.  The report suggests, “Do the math.” Determine your financial needs and be clear.

Delong summed it up:  “Older job-seekers who don’t recognize they are viewed differently in the job market are in for a rude awakening.”

I would add that age should not be viewed as an albatross.  Regardless of age, most employers are looking for computer literacy, flexibility, initiative to learn, the ability to be a team player and potential for high performance.

AARP’s National Employer Team recognizes that older workers make up an important part of the work force.  Members of the team include: The Home Depot, Borders, CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreen’s, Toys R Us/Babies R Us, Staples, Home Instead Senior Care, IRS, Office of Disaster Assistance and Avis Budget Group/ABG.

Visit Internet job sites such as www.retirementjobs.com, www.seniors4hire.org, and www.workforce50.com.

Change is an essential element of life.  Charles Darwin captured the message: “It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives.  It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

Best wishes to each of you seeking work that is meaningful and pays.

Answer: You have identified a big problem – health scams.

Let’s begin with the first rule: Consult your physician about the best treatment or treatments for your physical conditions.

The National Institute on Aging has paid attention to misleading ads and has published “Age Page: Beware of Health Scams.” Much of the following information is taken from that publication.

We see many advertisements that make extraordinary claims: “Smart Drugs,” “Arthritis Aches and Pains Disappear Like Magic,” “This Treatment Cured My Cancer in One Week.”  These ads may be enticing, but clearly are untrue.

The aging population is vulnerable. More than two-thirds of those 65 and older have two or more chronic conditions.

With advancing years our immune system becomes less efficient, leading to increased chronic and often acute conditions. Consequently, quick and easy health remedies appeal to the segment of the population that has the greatest medical needs.

Health scams are not new, and today there is more opportunity than ever to promote untested cures. Radio, television, magazines, infomercials, mail, e-mail and telemarketing are frequent venues. Web sites describe “miracle cures” and testimonials from “fully recovered patients.”

Unfortunately, older adults are often the target of this misinformation for the purpose of sales and profit. The danger is twofold: The remedies may be dangerous and also may prevent the patient from seeking effective treatment.

Note that scams usually target diseases that have no known cure, such as diabetes, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are just three types of ads listed by the National Institute on Aging that specifically target an older population:

Anti-aging medications: This is interesting because aging is not a disease, since it is universal and not contrary to nature. The NIA emphatically writes that there are no known treatments proven to slow or reverse the aging process.

The Anti-Aging Academy of Medicine disagrees. The academy is a member-based society founded on the basis of “(the” application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the reversal of age-related dysfunction, disorders and diseases.”

The academy has a membership of 20,000 that includes physicians, health practitioners, scientists, governmental officials and members of the general public representing more than 100 nations. Note that the U.S. has only 7,000 board-certified geriatricians.

The best opportunity for aging well is to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating healthy foods, getting regular exercise and not smoking.

Arthritis remedies: Arthritis symptoms often come and go. When a remedy seems to make a person feel better, the improvement may be due to the ebb and flow of symptoms.

Some of the advertised so-called treatments are magnets, copy bracelets, chemicals, special diets and radiation. According to the NIA, these remedies are unlikely to work. “There is no cure for most forms of arthritis,” says the NIA.

Rest, exercise, heat and some drugs help many control the symptoms.

Dietary supplements: We spend billions of dollars each year on over-the-counter supplements. These include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herb and enzymes. Many are helpful. Many, however, are bad for those taking certain medications or for those with certain medical conditions.

Most supplements do not undergo government testing or review before they are marketed. Be suspicious of claims that a supplement shrinks tumors or cures Alzheimer’s disease.

Also, the NIA recommends, be cautious when encountering advertisements or other promotional materials that:

“Promise a quick or painless cure.”

“Claim the product is made from a special, secret or ancient formula.”

“Offer products and services only by mail or from one company.”

“Claim to be a cure for a wide range of ailments.”

“Claim to cure a disease that hasn’t been cured by medical science.”

“Promise a no-risk, money-back guarantee.”

“Offer a free gift or promotional product.”

“Require advance payment with a claim of a limited supply.”

Thank you for your good question. For additional information, visit the Federal Trade Commission Web site at www.ftc.gov; or the U.S .Food and Drug Administration Web site at www.fda.gov.

There is an old saying, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Best wishes in finding tested and reliable treatments for your various conditions.

Work is where many of us are — and have been.

Jerri Sedlar and Rick Miners, in their book “Don’t Retire, Rewire!” (Alpha, 2002), write  “Drivers are a key to satisfaction … that’s what makes you tick as a human being because they go deep inside you, to your brain, heart and ego.”

Work provides us with income and more.  As Sedlar and Miners write, “You work for more than money, honey!”  Although in today’s economy, we might debate that statement.  Drivers — values or motivators — do, however, enable us to match our deepest needs and values to our work, careers and post-retirement lives.

The authors identify 38 drivers. Here are a few.  Ask yourself, to what extent these were important to you in your work?

Accomplishments: Think about what you have achieved and whether you want to continue achieving.  One could achieve by reaching a certain level of income, running a 10K race, turning a nonprofit from operating in the red to the black, taking up a new sport, learning a new language or helping an organization reach its goals.

Belonging: How important was it to belong to your employer organization?  Did it provide you with an important affiliation such as working for IBM, Armani or Cal Tech?

Belonging to a group can be a source of respect, recognition and pride.

Intellectual stimulation: Was your work mentally challenging?  If colleagues and co-workers provided an intellectually challenging environment, you may want to be part of an intellectual community, such as an adult learning program Omnilore, at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Making a difference: Having an impact on products, services, children, older adults, global warming, hunger, or just increasing efficiency and productivity can be satisfying aspects of work.  In later life, making a difference often becomes of increasingly important.  People want to know that their lives have meant something; that when they leave this planet, the world will be a better place because of them.

Identity: This is a difficult one and a driver that is missed by most who have loved their work.  If being an accountant, attorney, teacher, designer, administrator, president or dancer is who you are, the challenge is to either continue that identity or come up with another one.

In a recent class my colleague and I are teaching on Project Renewment — The New Retirement for Career Women, a retired class participant commented that her husband always introduces her with a title:  Sometimes it’s designer, sometimes marathon runner, sometimes expert seamstress.  “Being introduced as marathon runner indicated that is all I am,” she said.  “A title in social situations seems to be more important to my husband than me.”

Passion: If you loved your work to the level of being passionate about it, pursuits stemming from passion may be important to you. The challenge is to find them.

Once you decide the drivers that have been important to you, the next step is to create a lifestyle, activities and endeavors that tap some of these drivers as a way to ensure satisfaction in what you do.

As we progress through the life stages, we basically do no change who we are.  What differs is how we express ourselves in our activities and relationships.

These are just the first steps. Volunteering, pursuing an encore career, taking classes, mentoring or becoming a social entrepreneur all are possibilities.  In fact, the possibilities are endless.

Experiment and take a few risks.  Call this period a sabbatical to figure out “where to go from here.”

Thank you for your good question and best wishes in making choices that are wonderful for you.

Answer: You have raised a rarely asked question, reminding us that retirement trends are broad based.  When we speak of trends, averages and norms, it is easy to assume we all are typical.    Not true – each of us is a case of one.

Your situation is more unique than prevalent.  In general, Americans are working longer with an increasing number of those 65 and older working full time.  Many have given up looking for work, they often are referred to as “discouraged workers”- and typically are not counted in national unemployment statistics.

Early retirement decisions usually are based on one or more of the following situations:  poor health, affordability, an early retirement package that cannot be refused, wanting to do something different, or an organizational change that suggests termination or retirement.

Early retiree concerns may relate to the reason for the early retirement.  For example, poor health is a worry unto itself; having to leave unexpectedly can leave one without something meaningful to do.

Let’s discuss some commonalities and differences. Lack of retirement savings is a big problem that may affect early and normal retirement.  This would be particularly true if an employee took early retirement with a “tin” rather than golden handshake.  Add to that a 30 percent loss in retirement investments and savings, and finances becomes an issue, regardless of when one retires.

The Employment Benefit Research Institute reports that about one-third of those 55 and older have saved $25,000 or less for retirement; 30 percent have save less than $10,000.

One difference between younger and older retirees is that younger retirees have more time to recover losses.

Here is another difference.  At 56, you are younger than the average retiree.   According to the January 2008 Monthly Labor Review, the average retirement age from 2000 to 2005, based on Social Security data, was 62 for men and women.

According to The National Academy on an Aging Society, young retirees enjoy certain aspects of retirement, but also have concerns.  They worry about finances.  They worry about becoming ill and not having enough money to cover medical expenses.  They also report feeling useless, missing co-workers and becoming bored.  Note that these concerns also have been expressed by those taking retirement at typical retirement ages.

Perhaps one of the most distinctive concerns of early retirees compared to those retiring later is availability of friends.  Most people are still working in their mid-50s.  That means friends may not be available to share the daily joys of retirement.

One way to find young retirees or peers is to visit active adult communities. And what is an active adult?  The Housing for Older Persons Act, enacted in 1995, defines an “active adult” as someone between the ages of 55 and 64.

Del Webb has been the pioneer in building active retirement communities, beginning with the first one in 1960 in Sun City, Arizona.

Marc Freedman in his book “Prime Time: How Boomers will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America” (Public Affairs, 2002) writes that the opening of the Del Webb community marked an important turning point in the history of aging in this country – “one in which a leisured lifestyle ascended to the ideal for success in later life.  Older adults emerged as this country’s mass leisure class.”

Today, older adults as the leisure class might be history.  And not all midlife and older adults perceive their retirement as a period of leisure.  According to Freedman, many are looking for a life that still matters.

Traditional or Original Medicare includes Parts A and B. Part A provides basic coverage for hospital care, while Part B covers doctor visits, other outpatient services and various medical supplies. Part A requires decreasing deductibles for the first 150 days of hospitalization, while Part B pays 80 percent of what Medicare defines as acceptable charges for approved treatment services.

Traditional Medicare will not cover eyeglasses, dental care, hearing aides, routine checkups or prescription drugs.

Medicare Advantage or MA plans allow you to enroll in identified HMOs and PPOs. Although MA plans are similar to traditional Medicare, they can limit your choice of doctors and hospitals to their networks. There are currently 66 MA plans from which to choose in Los Angeles County alone.

In addition to basic services, different MA plans may include coverage for eye exams, dental care, hearing aids, and prescription drugs. Although basic MA plan premiums are equal to those charged by traditional Medicare, other MA plans that cover additional services may cost a lot more.

To understand actual covered services and resulting costs, carefully review and compare available MA plans.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or Part D allows you to purchase prescription drug coverage from Medicare-approved insurance providers. It is available to, and usually purchased by,  those insured by traditional Medicare, since most MA plans do cover particular prescription drugs.  Part D includes an additional co-payment and deductible.

Remember, Part D does not cover all prescriptions. Different providers limit coverage not only to identified drugs, but also to approved dosages.

Many private insurers offer Medigap as a supplemental coverage to Medicare recipients. It often covers Medicare’s deductibles and particular out-of-pocket expenses but cannot duplicate Medicare’s covered reimbursements.

California offers 13 different types of Medigap policies, categorized from A through L. Depending on your policy, your coverage could include skilled nursing home care, at-home recovery or preventive care.

Before enrolling in the coming-year’s plan, make sure you carefully review the “Annual Notice of Change” that you should receive by mail  in late October.  It will include details about how your current plan may soon change – both in terms of covered services and higher costs.

To identify the Medicare coverage and plan that will best meet your needs, visit the Medicare website at Medicare.gov and click the blue button stating: “Compare Health Plans and Medigap Policies in Your Area.”

To obtain a free comparison of Medicare options that best reflect your particular needs, contact California’s Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program (HICAP) at: 800-434-0222 or, from Los Angeles County, the Center for Healthcare Rights at 800-824-0780.