Working part time a plus, says retiree

The face of retirement has been changing through the years and many individuals who "retire" often find that part-time employment is a plus, both for finances and for healthy living. In fact, the National Council on Aging reports that one in three Americans age 65 and older has a retirement job, working at least part time.

Whether in an occupation you are familiar with or trying something completely new, working part time in this next stage of life can offer an opportunity to stay active and bring dollars into your household.

As William Griebel, Kellogg retiree, notes, "I get a lot of exercise doing cookie resets with Next Source Company for Keebler. It also allows me to keep in contact with a lot of the retail people I did business with prior to retirement.

"The job was one I was doing prior to retirement so it was easy to move over to the part time job. I reset cookie/cracker/snack departments in Publix, Winn Dixie and Albertsons stores in the central Florida market," adds William. "The work is very enjoyable due to many of the people that work along side of me. It's always great to be able to spend time with a variety of people that all enjoy what they are doing."

The benefits of continuing to work

Staying connected - As William notes, spending time with other people is a key benefit of working part time. While volunteering, hobbies, and friendships help individuals feel connected, moving from full-time work to retirement is a big change and often requires adjustment. Continuing to work part time can be a logical step to ease the transition.

Additional income - Today people are living longer, which requires financial resources to be stretched. In fact, nearly 40 percent of Americans 50-years-old and up expect that they will need to continue working during retirement just to maintain their lifestyles. Here's why:

• Many retirees face higher than expected living expenses, like the costs of either caring for a parent or putting a child through college (and many retirees face both sets of expenses at the same time).
• Other retirees have seen significant chunks of their nest egg eaten away by an ailing economy.
• Some may not have saved enough over their lifetimes to maintain the lifestyles to which they are accustomed.
• Retirees overall are living longer and healthier than ever, yet the cost of health care in our country is skyrocketing.
• The average retiree at age 65 has a life expectancy of another 18 years or more--and can expect to spend much of that in very good health. But there's still the challenge of paying for that healthy life.

Personal satisfaction - Work, for many people, provides an opportunity to release creative energy and feel a sense of accomplishment. Changing from full-time to part-time employment provides a positive outlet, while still moving toward more leisure or non-working hours. Retirement also enables an individual to try some new and different occupations or pursue a long-time dream without the fear of failing to support a household.

Share your ideas...

Thanks to William for sharing his thoughts on working part time. Do you have a part-time job experience to share? Thoughts on how part-time work benefits you? Senior K welcomes your story on our Message Board.