Retiring In Your 70s

[PacoUSA]

Any nurses out there already or planning on working into their 70s?

I am planning to, since I entered this profession later than most (early 40s) and I would like to keep on working a little longer than the normal retirement age. This plan of course is God willing, hoping I am blessed with continued good health and stamina. I am definitely not looking to still be at the bedside at that age but I do see myself still in nursing somehow (educating or administrating perhaps). Depending on my circumstances, I may even be part time as well. My uncle is 76 and still works full time as a doorman. I know that is comparing apple to oranges in terms of physical work demands, but his work ethic is admirable and I think I take a lot after him. He definitely does not need to work financially but is doing it anyway and it keeps him active.

I see myself the same way, I just cannot picture myself sitting in a retirement home or not doing anything else work related once I hit 67. I'm the type of person that needs balance in life with work and play. I don't even find myself looking forward to retirement at all, maybe because I am enjoying my career right now. I have met a couple of nurses that are still working in their early 70s and they actually still love what they do. I like to see examples of nurses that don't actually hate their jobs and don't talk about retirement so much. Heard one nurse in her late 20s the other day already complaining that she cant wait to retire, and I thought to myself that is such a bad attitude to have already, what a sour long working life is ahead for her. I used to be in a profession before nursing that I despised and I had a similar attitude, which is what propelled me to change careers. So much happier now.

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[Libby1987]

We have a few 70 something's that work PT. I plan to work as long as I can. I both need to and want to. I'm hoping to cut back on the hours some but I'm an all in type.

My work life hasn't been hard, I took 10 years off to be a SAHM then went back at 42, I'm in home health and have made a good wage for several years and am not wore out nor burnt. Knock wood, my health will stay with me.

[Oceanpacific]

Llg, I too had the misfortune of seeing my retirement lose 50 percent of its value. However, like you, I did not sell my shares. The recovery is pretty sweet and I'm glad I didn't panic back in 2008 to 2009.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I had always planned to work until they had to roll me out the door, but that wasn't meant to be. My nursing jobs kept getting "downsized," and when I finally got one that stuck, my husband had a midlife crisis and we moved 90 miles away! After 2 years of regrouping I got another job, but the politics of it kept me from feeling it was an emotionally safe place. I've retired now, in my mid-60s, and we're moving back those 90 miles. I've volunteered as a nurse for ages, and hope to do it again in the old/new place. Once a nurse, always a nurse!

[cubby777]

TraumaRUs - I hear you! I am in my 60's and still working, agree with all that you said about the money issue in the U.S. The demographics at work are mostly mid 40's and younger, although I feel that having worked 20+ years in critical care, that I have pretty good skills. It's too bad that when people have gotten good at something, they retire and leave the work force to the younger ones who don't have that much experience and in nursing, it's really all about getting the experience...it takes time to produce a good nurse...it's not all in the books and degrees.

[cubby777]

subee - you are so right when you say that it gets harder to tolerate the bs of the job as you get older. So true!

[cubby777]

"The older you get, the less you are able to tolerate the BS of the job" - so true Subee!

[GlennGanza]

I am 47, worked for 23 years as a Dialysis RN. I amassed wealth close to 1 Million. I don't plan to swing golf club or tennis racquet @ 64yo when i can't. Most patient I have are sick or dying at their 60's. Since we don't know how long we gonna live....statistically, our average life span is 76 yo. I plan to retire in a year. I wanna focus in other things i like to do and things i haven't done yet, especially my health. I wanna hang out with people i love to hang out. I admire all of you for your plans to stay working. I, soon, one day i would like to save lives without getting paid....because once a nurse is always a nurse, but maybe this time as a volunteer Nurse.

[jazzmaiden3, RN]

HI! I have reached the wonderful age of 71 and am still in the profession. I've worked in several areas of nursing and enjoyed them all: Academic teaching, Diabetes Education, Nursing Staff education, and now back into Academic education--A most interesting journey.

Jazzmaiden3

[JessePacificNW]

Not only did I enter nursing when I was older than most I wound up out of work for an extended period of time because of a health crisis. Even though I'm fine now I'm a long way off from where I might have been had I been able to work all those years, not taken that detour so I know I'll be working beyond normal retirement age.

One of my favorite jobs ever was working as a treatment nurse in a long term care facility on the regular treatment nurse's days off. She was in her seventies and still going strong. I learned so much from her but probably one of the most important things she taught me was how to work smart. Being older and not a big or especially strong woman she had to find ways to work around any issues or limitations she had and still get things done.

I don't think staying in nursing into your 70's or 80's is impossible I think a lot just depends on your health, overall level of fitness - what type of nursing it is you hope to still be doing at that age, along with how good it is you are at working smart, delegating things when and where appropriate. Where I live we have a lot of nurses working beyond retirement age, many of them full time and some of them at very strenuous jobs even.

[chiromed0]

Agreed. As of now my retirement plan is dropping dead at the office/hospital where I work. They can figure out what to do with me then. However, if financially things change in the next 20+ years I'll reconsider but I don't think I'll ever quit "working"...just maybe not nursing/doctoring and such. I still enjoy my life, take time off and I'm not really sure what I'd do with myself if I had every day off to do whatever...I'd probably still go back to school to do something else.