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Know any great places to work if you're over 50? We do. In fact, we are so impressed with the success of CVS Corporation (Woonsocket, RI), in creating a workplace that is diverse, inclusive and hospitable to people 50 and older, that we gave them our first annual Hire A Grownup award last week. The award acknowledges CVS Corporation's leadership in recruiting, hiring, training, retaining and promoting people 50 and older. Today, mature workers make up 15 percent of its total workforce. We are not talking just entry level jobs, but a full spectrum of skills and job descriptions. Just for the record, CVS Corporation operates 4,133 CVS/Pharmacy locations throughout the U.S., more than any other company, in an industry that touches all our lives. The Hire A Grownup award was accepted for CVS Corporation by Michael V. Ferdinandi, executive vice president, Human Resources, and Stephen M. Wing, director, Government Programs. In accepting the award, Michael Ferdinandi said: "Our desire to improve the communities in which we do business has extended into the workforce through our support of the Welfare-to-Work program for which we have received national attention. We see our role with mature workers as a parallel program and are delighted to accept the Hire A Grownup Award from 2young2retire." Stephen Wing added: "In 1992, people 50 and older represented less than 7 percent of our workforce. We are proud to have been able to more than double that number in less than 10 years. Although the change was precipitated by impending labor shortages, CVS recognizes that an age-diverse workforce can better serve a customer base that includes many mature people. Mature workers have proven more dedicated and committed to their work, and their retention rate is significantly better than that of younger workers. Mature workers excel in areas such as customer service and serve as role models for younger employees." About Hire A Grownup As many of you know, 2young2retire.com has been an advocate of individual renewal in the period of life formerly known as retirement. Since we began in 1999, we have discovered a growing community of people who share our conviction that retirement is an anachronism, and that people 50 and older, should they so choose, could be an enormous national asset. Our numbers suggest that whatever we do, society will be indelibly changed by it. We may be the first generation to enjoy exceptional health, wealth, education, and thanks to the "longevity revolution," that most precious commodity of all: time on earth. It is really up to us, folks! We have been focused on individuals, your stories, ideas and contributions. The Hire A Grownup award turns its attention toward companies and organizations, seeking those whose policies and practices are on the leading edge of positive change. It also aspires to take a stand against negative stereotyping of the 50 and older cohort and age discrimination; bring public attention to the benefits of a diverse, inclusive workplace; and finally, to encourage the 50-plus population to recognize their own value in the workplace, as intergenerational mentors and role models. How did we choose CVS? The seed was planted last November, when Howard attended a one-day conference called "Solving Labor Force Shortages: Looking to Mature Workers as Untapped Resources in a Full Employment Economy." The conference was sponsored by the New Jersey Foundation for Aging based in Trenton, NJ. At the conference, he met Stephen Wing, one of the speakers, and became aware of the success of CVS Corporation's programs for mature workers. When we were developing the Hire A Grownup award, CVS Corporation came immediately to mind. We requested more detailed information about their programs and where they had been successful. They have become our model for criteria for an age diverse, inclusive organization. The Hire A Grownup Award 2002 will be open for nominations shortly. Criteria will be posted on hireagrownup.org and we'll send you an alert when the site goes live. A COUPLA THOUGHTS ON BEING A COUPLE How do you have a successful relationship? Practice, practice, practice. It may seem obvious, but the truth is, most of us -- even those who consider themselves happily partnered -- don't put in the time and energy required to create extraordinary relationships. We had a second lesson in this a week ago when we signed up for The Couples Retreat at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Joel and Kate Feldman, two psychotherapists in private practice and specialists in relationship work, have created a wonderful opportunity for people who want more from their relationships and are willing to give it equal time. There were eighteen couples, some of them traveling from across the country and Europe to be there. Howard and I are "graduates" of the Feldman's Deepening Your Love workshop so we were familiar with the tools and processes of "skillful relating." But, to be honest, familiar only in the sense that we remembered some of the processes, but not in the sense that we really use them all the time. So we were, well, rusty. The Couples Retreat operates on the premise that people are individuals first, and couples second. A good relationship happens when two separate people learn who they are and what they want as individuals, then seek connection and intimacy with their partner. When everything is going well in relationship, you feel oneness with your partner, and the need to connect and talk is often muted. When the going gets tough, however, the tough don't go shopping (or hide in rich food, drink, television, etc.) First rule of engagement: stay in the room. If you don't have the time to talk right then, schedule 20 minutes when you will be uninterrupted. Practice listening skills. We did a dialogue exercise where we "mirrored" what our partner said. Trust me, it really works. First of all, it slows things down. Second (and more important) you won't be able to think up a snappy comeback when you have to concentrate on what s/he is saying! We did role plays to understand and appreciate each other's history better. We practiced "bonding behaviors," the kinds of things people do effortlessly when they first fall in love. It takes some suspension of disbelief, some letting go, to get into the exercises. You have to be willing to feel a bit out of control, loose, silly, even. But, for committed couples, this is work well worth doing. The Feldmans embody the principles of conscious relationship. Married 15 years, they demonstrate many of the processes using issues from their own relationship. Relationships, they say, "present us with untold opportunities to learn and grow...to navigate the challenging waters ...leading to deeper clarity, empowerment and dynamic partnering." Their workshops provide a safe space where people can talk freely, laugh, get mad, cry, and get to know themselves and their partners more deeply. For more information, contact The Conscious Relationships Institute, 413-698-2719, kfeldman@vgernet.net, JAF424@aol.com Transition Team Report The 2young2retire Transition Team pilot, developed and run by Dr. Stephen Fox and Nancy Fox of The Fox Institute For REinventing REtirement, (F.I.RE.), came to a successful conclusion at the end of July. Three teams, ranging in size from 9 to 12 members, met in hour-long sessions via teleconference bridge call once a week for 8 weeks during the months of June and July 2001. Each session focused on progressive themes, and included sharing time for all of the teammates. The teammates were coached by the professional coach during the course of the session as needed. Exercises and assignments were provided each week to give participants the experience of the theme. Teammates partnered each week to work on assignments together, underscoring the element of teamwork and community. To facilitate team members' progress, they were invited to have individual coaching sessions with the coach/leader if/when they got stuck. About 50% of the participants took advantage of this opportunity.
In evaluations, participants cited as major benefits, a deeper experience of community, relatedness, and a sense that they were not alone in this often-challenging life experience. About one-third said they wanted face-to-face contact, in fact, members in two of the three teams were planning to get together to continue their conversations. Said Nancy Fox, President of F.I.RE. and a professional business and life transition coach: "It became crystal clear that the life transition process in the context of a team experience is truly an advantage. It was definitely a positive experience for almost every participant. All of the participants gained awareness about themselves helpful in moving through this era of life. They would recommend this program and the experience to other fifty-plusers and boomers. They loved meeting people from all over the country, and would also like to have face-to-face contact as an added feature of this program." For more information or registration for a Life Transition Team, contact: Steve or Nancy Fox, 845-358-6636.
MEDIA WATCH
* Researching age discrimination for the Hire A Grownup award led us to some interesting sites. Did you know that monster.com has a section devoted to the midlife career? Here the URL for one of the articles, "Gray is Great: Defying Age Bias in Your Career" by Pat Boer, you may find useful. Definitely worth a visit. http://midcareer.monster.ca/articles/age_bias/ .
* Another relevant site, that of Sheldon Steinhauser, a Denver-based consultant and sociology professor, who advises companies on how to avoid age bias complaints. Take a look: http://mscd.edu/~steinhas, especially his Best Practices recommendations. * Speaker, author and vocalist, Bob Perks, found 2young2retire.com when he turned 50 last year. "The transition has finally settled for me. I accepted it kicking and screaming," he wrote. "I enjoyed your site so much I shared it with my list (about 2,050 people). I have had some great comments about it." Bob has become something of a master at using the Internet to get his special brand of upbeat messages -- A Message of Hope: Stories from the Road -- to a wider audience. Visit him at http://topica.com/lists/Ibelieveinyou/read * We know the earth quakes, but does it also make art? You decide. Visit this site that shows the sandtracings made by a pendulum located at Mind Over Matter, a shop about 150 miles north of the epicenter during the February 28 quake in Olympia, Washington. www.earthquakerose.com (thanks to Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures, www.yesmagazine.org) * Quotable quotes: "Know that no one is silent though many are not heard. Work to change this." From the Syracuse Cultural Workers' "Tools for Change" www.syrculturalworkers.org * Here's a Canadian company that specializes in "Exotic Adventures for travelers 50 and over." Elder Treks is based in Toronto, www.eldertreks.com. Contact Christine Bossence, christine@eldertreks.com or 800-741-7956. * You've heard of one-stop-shopping? Well, Helping.org is one-stop-giving, a great omnibus charitable donation/volunteering site that will help you find the nonprofit that matches your philanthropic impulses. http://www.helping.org/index.adp. Helping.org is a partnership between the AOL/Time Warner Foundation and selected nonprofit organizations. If you have a nonprofit, you can apply to register that on the site as well. * In preparation for our anticipated restructuring from noncommercial site to a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we have added the url www.2young2retire.org You can still get to us using www.2young2retire.com for now. POTPOURRI * HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY (Thanks to Mary Barknecht, a Voluntary Simplicity workshop leader based in New York City) Turn off your TV. Leave your house. Look up when you are walking. Know your neighbor. Sit on your stoop. Greet people. Plant flowers. Use your library. Play together. Help a lost dog. Share what you have. Buy from local merchants. Take children to the park. Garden together. Read stories aloud. Dance in the street. Talk to the mail carrier. Listen to the birds. Put up a swing. Help carry something heavy. Have potlucks. Support neighborhood schools. Fix it even if you didn't break it. Ask a question. Open your shades. Ask for help when you need it. Pick up litter. Hire young people for odd jobs. Turn up the music. Turn down the music. Organize a block party. Start a tradition. Share your skills. Bake extra and share. Honor elders. Barter for your goods. Take back the night. Sing together. Learn from new and uncomfortable angles.
Listen before you react to anger. Mediate a conflict. Seek to understand. * America the overworked? Here's how we stack up against some other industrial nations. Your thoughts on the subject to marika@2young2retire.com AVERAGE ANNUAL VACATION DAYS: United States...........13
Japan...............25
Canada...............26
Great Britain............28
Brazil..............34
Germany...............35
France................37
Italy.................42 From our visitors Still more on Andy Rooney's proposal There's no way I could read through all those responses, but one really struck me: teaching is physically exhausting & many young teachers are wrecked by the end of their first year. It's a fantasy to think that an elderly retiree could just walk into a classroom & teach. Many schools are impossible places for all the many reasons your responders gave. Regarding Andy Rooney article, even if people who would like to teach don't have the proper credentials, seniors here in California have a terrific senior tuition program. If you're 60+ total tuition is only $3 per semester at CSULB (long Beach) and $3 per class at San Diego. I'm sure similar programs exist all over the country. For more info on Cal State Long Beach, email Tom Pontac, tpontac@csulb.edu Thank you for this wonderful e-mail article. I'm "witcha" all the way! I'm 64 and holding and my dream is to be able to work out of my house. I can still type in the 80's and pretty darn good on the computer too! I recently retired myself and just started my business on the web. What you had to say was an inspiration because I get so much negative things said about what I am trying to do, especially when I say my goal is to make a lot of money. I take this very seriously and I enjoy reading successful stories like yours and others. Some people feel that the word "Retire" means sit in a "Rocking Chair" and raise grand children. When was the last time you called an 800 number and got not only a live person, but one who was genuinely interested in your request and willing to talk to you at length? We found one just today, in search of a remedy for a rust stain in a marble surface. It's Brightstone Products, Harbor City, CA, 800-899-7193. The person who answered the phone knew all about the difficulty and gave complete instructions on how to use their product, adding that, if it didn't work, to try naval jelly next. Now that's service! (Thanks also to our friend and neighbor, Doug Harmon, for sharing his jar of Brightstone Deep Stain Remover.) Keep smiling,
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