The recession and its aftermath have hit older workers especially hard. People 55 to 64 are having a particularly hard time finding new jobs. Some of this has to do with the reality of the job market; some of this has to do with recalibrating life expectations. For those who were aiming to kick back later in life, having to kick-start a new career instead can be jarring.
So how has the economic collapse of 2008 changed the workforce? How is having to work into our 60's, 70's, and even our 80's changing our social norms? Will it change the way we think about getting older? And does this render retirement as we know it a 20th century relic?
To answer these questions we turned to two people who think a lot about these issues.
GUESTS:
Kevin Cahill, research economist with the Sloan Center on Aging and Work at Boston College.
Caitrin Lynch, Associate professor of Anthropology at Olin College; author, Retirement on the Line.
