Recently Unemployed!

The company I worked at for the past 25 years closed as of Jan 28th, it was not a total surprise as the company had been losing money for quite some time, we were sold as of Dec 1st, the new owner moved all the office and production work to their facility in another state, they kept us on for two months so we could show them how to do our jobs. I turned 62 in December so can draw SS, but health insurance is a huge concern to me.

Part of me is loving staying home and having more time to do the things I enjoy. I am walking my dogs every day and planning my spring garden. And a couple of days we got over 6 inches of snow, it was great to sit and watch it snow instead of having to get out in it to go to work.

It is a bag of mixed feelings for sure! Has anyone else been through this?

Wanted to share a picture of my walking buddies. They love having me home!

Gorgeous picture of beautiful pups. I can almost feel that silky fur.
But no I am not in that position but can appreciate somewhat that you're in a major transitional phase, and it wasn't of your choosing.

Look into Copay on the mediecal insurance and any other insurances...

Go to the UE get yoru unemployment bennies.

Check into energy assistance if your still fallign short.

Foodstamps too.

Times ar etough gettign work... gonna get tougher Im afraid.

Then get goign on your garden..! Grow extra rows can never have too much and share!

Good luck!

Thanks! I am in the process of reinventing my life and so far I am enjoying the free time!

Know how that goes.. its like being born again. Been there!

If you have any disability you can check with SS on that and look into SSI.....

If your really down on your luck or not...Salvation Army, United way, churches, hospitals.. all goood places to volunteer and dont forget, give blood.. if you can.

Some states have medical assistance.. that you go for at your local DHS...if your old enough.. theres medicare.. for kids.. All kids is what our state has.. dont know what yours has, but just google UE and all these things.. Im sure the Internet will have some things to help you. Volunteer work is fun and opens doors.

Well, good luck on the re-invention.. out with the "oldman" and in with the new! Bringing about a change in your life! God Bless and good luck there!

Thanks! I didn't mean to imply that I was in dire straights! :) I don't need that type of assistance. I have faced much bigger and more difficult challenges in my life. :)

Just that I have worked since I was 11 years old and had hoped to work for another year and a half. This was not of my own choosing but I am approaching it as a plus and loving all the new free time!

I hear ya, maybe though someone joining in on the thread has similiar but different UE issues!

So whats your plan? I think most people try to get their house in order first. They see what they need to cover their heads and beds. If they have a medical issue, thats another that is priority.


edited for spelling.. i have a sticky key!

This message was edited Mar 3, 2011 6:30 AM

Hi--I had almost the same experience as you--my company where I worked for over 20 years was sold and the facility I worked in moved about 40 miles away. I was 65 when this came down. I had expected to work about 5 more years because 1) I loved my job 2) I needed the wages and benefits and 3) Having worked full time most of my life I couldn't imagine not working!
The company laid off lots of folks and I had a choice of accepting a nice package or continuing to work at the new location. But, it would only be for 6 months or a year and I knew the package would not be available after that time. So I retired. I know I was luckier than most to receive the severance I got.
So--that was 2 years ago. What I learned: it is very strange not to have a job! At first I was happy to be able to do some of the things I wouldn't be able to do while working. I have grandchildren and I'm able to be there when they get off the school bus. That gives me a specific purpose and helps my daughter out immensely. She can concentrate on here job. I have found that it is a good idea to have specific chores, or errands to do. One thing for sure the housework is never ending!
One thing you need to be aware of is that your identity that you had at work is gone. You are now retired! That's a huge change.
Now that it's been 2 years, I am certainly adjusted. I read, garden (indoors in the winter), I have a little volunteer work and as mentioned, spend time with the kids. My husband is also retired and he works about 32 hours a week now.
I hope this info let's you know that you are certainly not alone in this new stage of your life.

One more thing. A month after I retired our dog, 14 years old passed on. That was a huge blow. We immediately adopted 2 dogs. They certainly keep us very busy!

imalee, that is sweet!

Iamlee..............thanks, I think I am starting to adjust already :). My grandsons are about 90 miles away, tomorrow I am going to go and get them when they get off of the school bus and bring them home with me for the weekend, looking forward to that! I have always gotten them but it involved much more planning, my son would bring them halfway and it was always much later in the day because of work schedules.

As for the volunteering, two things I have always wanted to volunteer for are the adult literacy program and the pet therapy program, I know my dogs would love to do that. I need to find out what steps I would have to take to get them and me qualified. And I do plan to spend more time in the garden, I have been a life long gardener but the past several years I have cut back, I guess as I got older I didn't have the energy I did in my 20s, 30s, 40s etc. So I have plans for a much larger veggie garden like I used to grow and of course more flowers.

Amazing about your dog, as I had a similar experience, we had to have our 12 year old boxer put down in Jan, which added to the job stress, and 3 days after I found out the company had been sold my Dad passed away. But things are fine and I am enjoying my free time.

Edaleputt--My sister has been volunteering with Adult Literacy, it sounds interesting. Her client is a 20 something girl who graduated HS with a special ed program, though she does not 'seem' 'special' she has some interesting challenges in the lessons they do. My mom just loved the dog visits in rehab. I hope that works out for you, it should be very rewarding.

For years we have been getting together an equine hippotherapy program using our horses for people with disabilities and therapy. One day we hope to convert to a non-profit so that when we leave this world our horses will have a good management and be a benefit to others.

Animals can add so much to a persons life.

Blossombuddy! I couldn't agree more!

Good Morning---Edaleputt and all--just checking to see if you are OK and happily retired! I'm sad to hear of your boxer. It's a really big deal when we lose an old friend. Blossombuddy good luck with your equine hippotherapy program. It's a great way to help folks with all kinds of problems.

I am the coordinator for a dog training program in Minnesota. Our dogs register with the Delta Society to become therapy animals. Maybe they could be of some help to you. http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

Been working on our horse program.. in the past we marketed horses to people with disbilitys. a few of my animals are older than dirt andnot to marketable, but have a useful life for someone wanting to visit them and be petting animals etc.

Blossom, be Very Very Very Very careful when introducing folks with disabilities to a horse as a pet only.

http://hunterintraining.blogspot.com/2011/01/helluva-way-to-start-2011.html

Someone with any kind of physical limitation might not survive what I did - and when Romeo kicked me, he wasn't being malicious, but playful. Unfortunately, he forgot how little I am, and I forgot how big and strong he is.

AngelSong, that is very sound and well taken advice.. I have been a horsemen all my life and the animals I hang around know me. And there is always that chance in introducign someone new silly things can. We take every precaution we know of.

Is not just horses its any therapy animal.. heck, I had a rabbit bite me once.. silly wabbit! He was not malicious either. A friend was handign me the bunny and oops, dummy me put my hand underneath its neck and bottom and that was the wrong place to have a finger! Still got the finger, but I can remember the pain!

We need to screen clients before they come too to know what their goals are. Petting, riding, driving.. whatever the case. And of course take ample time in introductions. Things go a lot slower when you are workign to re-habilitate fromn an injury and one wants to get back into the saddle than when you have been ridign all the time and are of sound mind and body. This is indeed a different equine world! Cruelty is not an option, nor is rushing the client or the animals.

Hi All,
I'm 64 years old and I just retired on March 18th and will be collecting social security. It was of my own choosing and due to the mounting stress of my job I had begun having some medical problems. Since retiring they have gone away! Stress can do some strange things. I am very happy now and have been very busy doing the things that I never had the time or energy for when I was working. Ihad worked for almost 50 years and do not miss any of it. Today we bought materials for 6 - 8'x10' raised beds. Tomorrow I am starting 3 flats of seeds for the beds. I have missed gardening for a long time. Like Edaleputt, our 3 dogs and 2 cats are happy that I am home now. They have enjoyed almost daily outings in the car for errands and car rides just or fun. Soon it will be warmer and we will be going out to our favorite state forest area to run. Hopefully we will be able to get my husband retired in a year or so, but until then, he is our source of health and dental benefits. He will qualify for Medicare in December and me in January. None of us know what tomorrow may bring, so our theory is live today and take it day by day.

Yes, stress can do some strange things. Dont get us going on bummercare. The situation is the biggest snafu this government has done ever. Unbelievable. Thats all Im saying.

Cute dog there BTW!

Wilkiepup, I feel just as you do! This not working is wonderful! I am enjoying it like crazy. I also am going to do more gardening this year. Years ago I had a huge garden but little by little my job and age made it smaller and smaller, lol. I am so busy all the time I am not sure how I had time to work. So glad you are enjoying it also. If I was just a bit older so I could get Medicare, darn it! But I am sure that will work out as well. It is Cobra for me right now.

Enjoy your critters and free time, they are a couple of cuties. I would love to see pics of the other 2 dogs and cat.