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Charles Smith has tended bar, flushed ink tanks, painted houses, driven dump trucks and even hustled a little pool. At 58, the one-time Golden Gloves champion wants to keep working, but like many older and poorer workers, Smith could use a hand as he inches toward retirement age.
Three years ago, Smith heard on the street that he could find help at the Senior Center in Pike Place Market. The group tackles one of the tougher challenges in today's job market: helping lower-income and homeless seniors find work in a depressed economy. "People don't want to hire an older person," Smith said last week. "They just figure they can't do the work." With a $40,000 annual budget, Mark Lally finds plenty of people willing to hire Smith and other graying workers as the director of the center's Employment Program. Each day men and women sign up for whatever jobs Lally can dig up. Often the work isn't glamorous, as workers clear out yards, wash dishes and man doors at local condominium buildings. The jobs pay $8.50 an hour for basic work, and higher rates for more involved labor. But the work draws interest from people eager to supplement their modest budgets and possibly find better places to live. Some sleep in homeless shelters, others live in assisted housing apartments and still others panhandle for money on the streets of Seattle. Most receive some type of public or private assistance. Everyone, however, is at least 55 years old, searching for employment and too often finding age discrimination. "It kind of hurts because there are a lot of people who want the work but can't get the work," Smith said. Having joined the work force at 15, he is one of those eager for nearly any kind of job, and he doesn't plan to quit looking anytime soon. Like other aging workers, though, Smith has limits, as bronchitis, a broken wrist and jaw prevent him from putting in a 40-hour week. Older workers often struggle with ailments, but the group offers skilled labor that homeowners, restaurateurs, property managers and other employers seek, and reports few complaints. For example, former union electricians and plumbers shoot pool, socialize and exercise at the center. Lally helps them polish their resumes and prepare for interviews. "I know (most of) the guys, and they have been coming here for years," Lally said. "I have a core group that shows up every day, and they will do anything." "Anything" is harder to find these days, as the region's soft economy and relatively high unemployment rate create fewer jobs. For example, two years ago, the center found 1,200 jobs for 124 people. Last year 149 people landed 708 jobs, according to Senior Center staff. Other job-hunting options also become less attractive as workers age. At the Millionair Club, senior workers are forced to stand next to far younger men and women to compete for whatever day work is available. Job hunting, though, is only one of the many services offered at the center. Seniors can grab a hot meal, watch a movie, talk to a counselor or even exercise in cramped but comfortable brick rooms. In many ways, the center offers the same things found at higher-end senior centers, from book clubs and bingo to blood pressure checks and health forums. "Aging never takes away the chance to learn new skills, explore the world and be part of a close-knit, supportive community," the center says on its Web site. The group may suggest a $5 membership fee, but there appears to be only one requirement: being over 55. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
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