Charitable group (abbr

By James E. Patterson

In the history of senior Americans, August is an important month for a law that a former U.S. president called “one of the great peacetime achievements of the American people.”

It is also important because of an influential senior advocate who created an organization that fought discrimination based on age and mandatory retirement at 65.

On Aug. 13, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. It established a Social Security Administration, with a system to provide income security for workers who retired at 65. It also helped states provide financial aid to dependent children and the disabled.

Retirement is an individual decision — not everyone wants to retire at age 65. My uncle, a businessman in New Jersey, worked into his late 80s.

“I didn’t hit my stride in business until I was over 65,” he once told me.

Social Security was good for workers who did want to retire at 65. Some who wanted to continue to work faced pressures to retire at that age because of discriminatory employment practices that included assumptions that older workers were less productive and needed more medical leave from their jobs than younger employees.

Employers had another important financial reason as well. They could pay younger workers less than their more senior workers. Other age-discriminatory employment assumptions may have been job related or industry specific.

Employers may have felt that since Washington wanted older workers to retire at 65, they needed to help by pressuring them to exit workplaces. The Social Security Act was pejoratively called the “Old Age Act” by many, which probably also contributed to age discrimination.

I recall as a youth seeing elderly farmers, male and female, actively farming. I was raised partly in Indiana and partly in Alabama, where I saw elder farmers working long hours, seven days a week, often in harsh weather. Many still plowed fields with mules. Some of them lived into their 90s.

On Aug. 13, 1945, President Harry S. Truman issued a statement on the 10th anniversary of the Social Security Act. He said it was “one of the great peacetime achievements of the American people.” On Aug. 28, 1950, Truman signed H.R. 6000, the Social Security Act Amendments of 1950, which extended Social Security coverage to more Americans. Social Security remains an “essential part of the American way of life,” Truman said. Today, Washington insiders suggest the Social Security costof-living adjustment, or COLA, for 2022 could be between 4.7% and 5.3%. If true, this would be the largest COLA increase in over 10 years. An announcement is expected in October. Aug. 3 is the birthday of Maggie Kuhn, who, forced into mandatory retirement at 65, founded the Gray Panthers in 1971. The Buffalo, New York, native worked on senior issues for many

Maggie Kuhn, years before being forced to retire. American activist Kuhn (1905–95) waged a successful campaign against age and founder of the discrimination. She worked with Congress to ban mandatory

Gray Panthers. retirement and lived to see it signed into law. On Nov. 1, 1986, President Ronald Reagan, then 75, signed legislation banning mandatory retirement in most professions. “With the signing of this legislation, we take another important step by ensuring that the many individuals 70 years of age and older who have valuable contributions to make will now have the opportunity to do so,” the president said. The Gray Panthers remain at the forefront of advocacy for seniors. Find out more about them on their Facebook page. James E. Patterson is a Washington, D.C.-based writer and speaker.

Are you getting your share of the SILVER ECONOMY? Which buyers make up the Silver Economy?

• 962 million men and women over the age of 60 • A group with 11 times more wealth than millennials • Persons with a life expectancy in the U.S. is about 78.87 years • Persons who prefer in-person contact when possible • A group that wants to age at home as long as reasonable

Why do you want to reach these buyers?

• They are free of many economic burdens • They like to take care of themselves, be active, eat well, be fashionable, and have fun • They have more free time • They are looking for products and services to help them age well

“like” us on facebook to receive a free 6-month subscription!

Plus, you’ll receive event updates, story links, and more!

www.facebook.com/50pluslifepa

What sectors are on the rise?

The obvious:

• Home improvements/renovations • Tourism and leisure activities tailored for them • Caregiver solutions • Financial products geared for seniors • Retirement living

The not-so-obvious:

• Security technology – mobile apps, sensors, wearable devices, smart clothing, etc. • Pet care – pet sitting, walking, grooming, food, accessories, etc. • Gardening/lawn services combined with snow removal • Mobile esthetic and concierge services – hairstylist, manicurist, massage, facials • Personal services – running errands, shopping

What are you waiting for?

51% of people aged 52-70 spend fewer than 11 hours a week online. While businesses need an online presence, print adds power to a media campaign. Most boomers and seniors are open to and love classic media. 50plus LIFE—Covering Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties—is an excellent venue! Call to learn how we can help you reach our 150,000+ readers of 50plus LIFE! 717.285.1350 or email info@onlinepub.com