Meaningful work options for older Australians
Continuing to work in paid employment, or as a volunteer, can help keep you mentally and physically fit which keeps the ageing process at bay, plus the extra cash from a paid job is a godsend in these times of rising costs.
By Judith Maizey
Hollywood actress, Bette Davis, once famously said, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies”.
Former government human resources director, Lyn English, is living proof. She signed up as a volunteer at Brisbane’s Mater Hospital two days a week to keep herself mentally stimulated.
On Mondays, she writes up the charts for the endoscopy unit while on Thursdays, she drives patients to and from medical appointments.
She says she thought she needed to be occupied after a very busy job and the volunteer work gives a bit of structure to her life.
Now in her seventh year, Lyn, 74, says she would keep volunteering for as long as she could, although she would have to give up the driving role at 75 as per the Mater’s rules.
“I find I get that social interaction [from volunteering]. I have structure in my week and I feel like I am giving back... I also feel like I’m achieving something when I am in the endoscopy clinic,” she says.
Robyn Benney, 70, who has been a volunteer at St John’s Primary School, Lambton, Newcastle for the past 18 years, says she started when her first grandchild started school.
She works in the canteen as the coordinator once a week and volunteers at Newcastle’s Ronald McDonald House.
“It’s good to be useful, it really is, and you get more than you give, you really receive so much more,” Robyn says.
Her mother started the Maitland Cancer Appeal with a group of women after her daughter, Robyn's sister, died of leukaemia when she was 15.
“They raised hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars for research, and [volunteering] is something we’ve always done in our family,” she says.
“Honestly, the gift of giving is the greatest thing you can do... I will be doing it until it’s too hard to get out of bed in the morning. “It gets you out and about among young people, old people, all sorts of people. It’s very stimulating.”
As to paid work, there are quite a few companies such as Bunnings and Woolworths that are proactive in employing senior staff.
Bunnings estimates almost 30% of its workforce are aged 50 and older, with 91 being the oldest staff member to date.
“We learnt a long time ago that older and more experienced team members are a really important part of creating a great place to work,” Bunnings Chief People Officer Damian Zahra says.
“More often than not, they’ve got significant life and industry experience which makes them a really valuable wealth of knowledge for our customers and broader team.
“By sharing all the great knowledge, skills, and experiences they’ve built over their lives, our older team members often become mentors to their younger teammates.
“Many have had their own patient journey and want to give back to the health teams that supported them.
Sometimes, we have retired engineers and CEOs who just enjoy doing something to help others without any responsibility.”
The hospital’s 15 ward nannies provide services to mums and their families during a time of great joy, complex emotions, and challenges.
“They have collectively contributed more than 9,000 hours of service and have one of the highest attendance rates of all our volunteer roles across Mater," Judy says.
“Apart from these impressive numbers, their real impact is in the quiet confidence and compassion they demonstrate to their patients and families in an intimate and private space."
“This goes a really long way in helping form strong connections and creating a positive working environment which contributes to the inclusive culture we’ve created.”
Damian says the company was always looking to attract new, mature-aged team members.
“We have a really flexible recruitment process and use as many channels as possible to reach the communities we serve.
“We know not everyone is overly tech-savvy, which is why we accept walk-in resumes and are happy for anyone interested in working with us to chat with the team at their local store. We also advertise all our job vacancies on our careers webpage.”
Some of the reasons older people had for wanting to work at Bunnings were that they had a trade background and wanted to share their skills and knowledge in a retail environment or that it allowed them to stay active, social, and connected with their community.
“Others realised they weren’t quite ready to enter full-time retirement and were eager to continue working on a casual/part-time basis,” Damian says.
Volunteer Services South East Queensland Senior Manager, Judy Johnson, of Mater Hospital Brisbane, says they have around 30 different volunteer roles such as ward nannies, companions in cancer care and emergency, transport drivers, administration, tea and coffee trolley, hand and feet massage, pet therapy, and wayfinding ambassadors who are good for increasing patient step counts.
Around 65% of the hospital’s volunteers are seniors. “We ask for a three to four-hour shift once a week, same time, same day for a minimum of four months.
“Volunteers are treated as part of the care team at Mater. Helping others is very satisfying, you go home feeling like you have been useful,” Judy explains.
“The kindness I witness between strangers is inspiring. At Mater, you belong to a community of people who give their time to support others.
“Many have had their own patient journey and want to give back to the health teams that supported them. Sometimes, we have retired engineers and CEOs who just enjoy doing something to help others without any responsibility.”
The hospital’s 15 ward nannies provide services to mums and their families during a time of great joy, complex emotions, and challenges.
“They have collectively contributed more than 9,000 hours of service and have one of the highest attendance rates of all our volunteer roles across Mater," Judy says.
“Apart from these impressive numbers, their real impact is in the quiet confidence and compassion they demonstrate to their patients and families in an intimate and private space."
For more ideas on paid work, you can contact employment agencies that specialise in finding work for those over 50 such as Wise Employment on 1800 685 105 or you could look at starting a little lowstress business doing something you love such as pet sitting.
State-based websites such as volunteering.nsw.gov.au list volunteer work, and sometimes volunteer work can lead to a paid job, if that’s what you are looking for. Mater Hospital Brisbane is currently looking for more patient transport drivers.
Phone Mater Volunteers Service on 07 3163 8599, email volunteers@mater.org.au or visit mater.org.au.
This article is featured in National Seniors Australia’s quarterly member magazine, Our Generation.
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