A PBS program recently night featured well-known Standford grads, discussing the plight, future, prospects, and needed changes in thinking and planning, re aging humans. If the "new 70," is only 50, the interesting fact is that on becoming 50, you are now considered a "senior" citizen, an "older adult," or an "aging adult" (active or not, well or not, involved in society for profit or not-for-profit, or not), and will continue to be labeled such, if you are fortunate enough to still be on the planet at chronological age 100 plus.
So, there were 50 years then, devoted to school and growing up, getting prepared for and being in the work world, family (or not) making, and then boom! The bar just keeps getting lower, and the years of longevity longer. But is there quality to those next 50 years?
Struggling in the work-a-day world and at creative endeavors that saw only modest success, I determine, (while care-taking a family member), to get a college degree by the year 2000. I did, and celebrated by 63rd birthday just before graduating. Finding a program that intrigued me, Arts in Education, promising further studies in the several arts (writing, drama, visual, etc) that I had always been involved with, and studies about applying this combination to both, or either, schools, or the community. I graduated from the Harvard School of Education with a masters, following my 65th birthday.
Now what, was the BIG question! Who in the world will hire me at 65. The years between now and then have been both surprising and frustrating. I found that to use my Ed degree, I needed further studies to certify me as a teacher, each certification was "state" dependent: in other words, to teach in public school, I had to be certified in the state I hoped to teach in. I explored PhD programs; but the amount of money I now owed (between undergrad, and grad work), was astronomical. I was, I knew, a writer, a maker of art, and had lots of experience working in the not-for-profit economy (with little profit for me as well), with animals, with kids, with adults of all ages.
I had an personal agenda that I felt passionate about: getting to Paris to finally meet the person who had served as creative muse as I wrote my first novel during the years, in Taos New Mexico, in my little studio-gallery, that pushed me to accept a teaching job overseas. Not in Paris, but in Taiwan, and Paris for three weeks during school vacation. I celebrated my 70th birthday in Taiwan.
Thinking then, that my yen to travel (on low-end social security) could only be satisfied by teaching ESL abroad, I spent a year trying to get a second job. But I'd long passed the age limitations. Unless I just went somewhere on my own, with the hope of getting a job once I arrived (definitely an adventure, that as a younger me, I had no qualms about), school systems in most "outside of the U.S." countries couldn't hire me at 70 plus, due, they said, to "limits placed on them re providing required health insurance for foreign teachers."
I tried, on limited income to make Taos, NM work, but the econ there had spiraled downward ever since 9/11, and the last time I was there, writing and painting away in my tiny studio-shop, gallery friends up and down the street were closing up shop.
Dozens of on-line resumes sent out got mostly no response. I gave in, gave up, and allowed my sister to say yes when I came to the top of a ten year waiting list to get into HUD senior housing in Northern California, and I moved in, with a suitcase, some books, paintings and my computer, and felt totally defeated.
Today, at 74, I've written several more (self-published) books, and created what I call "Remembrance Writing 101, The Easy Way to Write and Share the Stories of Your Life," and I teach at local (Marin County, CA) centers for "active aging," and have published a workbook: Remembrance Writing 101
Financially, I'm still dependent on my ss income to live, but have recently set up a not-for-profit called Dreamcatcher which I hope will bring in donations to enable me "to give older adults a written voice."
There's much self-publishing (or, "independent publishing") going on today, but many of my "students" (ages 60 to 90 plus) are not computer savvy beyond the e-mail or the occasional Facebook user (to communicate with family).
So, I've simplified the publishing process (the "Share" part of writing), to help other older adults to achive a print-ready collection, or chapbook, of their writes.
I haven't though managed (with an EdM and not an MBA) to propel any of these ideas into money-making wonders the way the Silicon Valley youth crowd can do (help, please)! But, there is still the RW 101 book to find a publisher for, and my novels, and my stories for kids. I'm not naive to the challenges of the latter: publishers (and agents - that vital liason to publishers) want people with "platforms," who already have audiences and buyers. What I have are self-published books, on-going art projects and a few writing classes for older adults.
The joy of both are, however, currently what I celebrate. Finishing (then endlessly proofing) a book, hanging a new painting or weaving on my wall or entering local contests for both writing and art, make me at least feel I am working (I am!), and producing. The grateful comments from my RW 101 writers make me feel I'm doing something worthwhile.
My sister, 4 1/2 years younger than me is an inspiration, in that she parlayed years with a former job into "on-call" consulting during these, her "retirement" years. While she, with a head for business has created a situation that pays off for her in terms of dollars, and I, with a heart (if not a business head) for the not-for-profit community, are at least pushing back at the dire reports re the economy, the dire predictions re the aging process, and finding both profit and meaning. Now then, what will I do for my next 30 some years???
I sure would like to find that rainbow called "paid opp," that place or places for me as an older, creative and caring adult with tons of experience and a bit of knowledge to share. Real publishers who give a few bucks up front, and send one on book-talk tours would be nice. And real galleries (or one of my own again) to show and sell my art-makings. As for Taos, and Paris, they still call to me; one day, when I'm old enough I guess!
Have an older friend in San Francisco North Bay Area? E-mail me at cjcarrollbooks@yahoo.com for further information about the RW 101 workshops or the book!
