American thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson said the purpose of life was not to be happy, but useful. Among the growing numbers of our aging population, happiness and usefulness appear to go hand-in-hand.
Whether it was strictly true or not, retirement used to be characterized by making vacation plans, visiting grandchildren, pursuing hobbies and collecting a pension. With early retirement incentives and downsizing, all that’s changing.
Take Muriel Lederer, 72, of Highland Park. Lederer worked with the Arthur Andersen accounting firm as marketing manager until 10 years ago. During her career, she wrote three books and gave presentations around the country. Upon retiring, she started a marketing and accounting firm of her own but later found the stimulation she was looking for as a volunteer with the Executive Service Corps of Chicago.
“I knew I still wanted to do something with my time,” Lederer said. “I have a world of experience and I still felt physically and mentally able. This was a good solution. You’re a volunteer and an organization needs your help. You’re giving something to the community and getting the mental stimulation you need.”
Lederer has worked for Catholic schools, the YWCA, and is currently assigned to consult with the Village of Carol Stream in a branding and marketing campaign.
But not all retirees can afford to work without pay. Karen Lynch, director of the Senior Community Employment Program in Springfield, said many retirees miscalculate how much money they’ll need in retirement and must return to the workforce.
“We actually have a number of people out there who never worked before or bought only enough life insurance to bury themselves,” Lynch said. “A lot of people figure their houses are paid, but didn’t anticipate the living costs.”
“We have more and more grandparents raising children,” she added, “or jobs that were eliminated because businesses shut down and people weren’t prepared.”
And some people just love work too much to take retirement sitting down.
Carl Dobbs, 69, the interim police chief of Roselle, was recently coaxed out of retirement for the third time.
“I worked in Wheaton for 28 years and retired in March 1996,” he said. “Then I went to Northlake from September 1997 until June of ’98, and then to Bensenville from May through September of ’99. I enjoy what I’m doing and have devoted my life to it –it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
“I’m here because I want to be here; it’s not about the money,” Dobbs said. “I still have a contribution to make and there’s nothing more rewarding than having the opportunity to make a difference in society.”
According to Tanya Mitchell of the Chicago Department on Aging,”There is an obvious increase in the number of older adults returning to the workforce. We’ve addressed the needs of people with the Older Workers Job Training and Placement Program that’s been federally funded for over 10 years.
“We offer seniors various kinds of job training and then match them with part-time positions,”she said. “We’ve placed about 1,500 people over time.
“We’ve also begun offering computer training, which many seniors missed in their former careers,” Mitchell said. “Our department employs a lot of seniors on a part-time basis. We have 500 people on our staff, and about 300 of them are seniors.”
Groups such as Operation ABLE (Ability Based on Long Experience) and the Executive Service Corps work with retirees to help maximize their time and talent, often for little or no pay. Dennis Zavac, president of the Executive Service Corps since 1979, said more than 1,200 volunteers have worked for the Corps since its inception in 1978 without a salary.
“Many people are seeing meaningful outlets to give of themselves and give back to the community,” Zavac said. “Retirees want to remain actively engaged and utilize their life experiences in order to help others improve their life.
“If you look back over the tradition in various cultures, you’ll see how the elders operated–there was an inherent desire or need to contribute something, to preserve the future culture and improve its quality of life. We’re providing a forum for executives to do that.”
Cory Ryan, the Service Corps’ executive vice-president, adds that women are just as anxious as men to sustain their career interests.
“Women who were in corporate life realize that retirement is a perfect time to do volunteer work in a corporate setting,” Ryan said. “It’s a win-win situation for both parties.”
Hyde Park resident Naaman Landers, 62, another Service Corps volunteer, has engineering and MBA degrees and worked for Amoco. During his two years with the Corps, he has worked as an information technology consultant with El Valor, a Latino social service agency in Pilsen, Northwestern University and the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Landers enjoys being free of the “baggage and politics of a job that pays you money.”
“I believe it’s important in retirement to stay busy. When you’re working for a salary, there’s the baggage of backbiting and politics and people wanting your job,” Landers said. “It takes a lot out of you and robs you of focus and energy that’s not productive. I don’t need to get ahead anymore. With volunteering, you can call your own shots. You can bypass a lot of the bad stuff by choice.”
Agencies like Operation ABLE also offer retired workers a variety of jobs to help supplement retirement benefits and keep folks active.
“Operation ABLE was founded back in 1977 to provide employment and training opportunities for older workers, but now we’re working for all age groups,” said Louise Miller, communication coordinator. “We also have a program we call `Experience Works’ for people 55 and over that began five years ago. People come to us wanting to keep busy.”
Ernest Shields, 65, was one of those people. Shields, of Chicago Heights, retired from the CTA after 31 years.
“My doctor says my health is still pretty good and I need to stay busy,” said Shields, who provided medical transportation for seniors through Operation ABLE. “I’ve got to do something besides sit at the McDonald’s with my friends and talk about retirement. I feel useless unless I keep busy.”
Some retirees find volunteer work on their own. Gene Mitchell, 74, a former resident of Evanston and Glenview for 40 years, retired in 1990 from the ITT Fluid Handling Division as sales manager and moved to Door County, Wis.
Since then, he has lent his expertise to fundraising for the YMCA and worked on the Board of Directors for a group known as Leadership Door County.
“I think people ought to volunteer more,” he said. “Everyone has something they can give. Anyone who retires to sit around isn’t going to make it.”
