Women, Aging and Employment

5 posts / 0 new

Wed, 2013-02-27 09:22

MegB

This thread comes as a result of a discussion here.

Many older women find themselves unemployed or underemployed. Perhaps some, after a stressful career, enjoy the relative freedom of working in a sector where they can leave their job at their job at the end of the day. For some, working in retail or fast food might be fulfilling. For many, they've been given no choice.

Poverty, depression, diminished self-esteem - these are all issues that many aging women face as their skills and experience become devalued. Here's an interesting study contrasting workforce experiences of older men and women.

Wed, 2013-02-27 11:27

lagatta

It would be interesting to find Canadian studies, and more current ones. Women who are the stated cohort in the paper now have attained far more educational equality with men - in Québec, the difference is particularly stunning, with the formation of the Cégeps and Université du Québec system (and in English, the merger and development of Concordia University), that led to a huge increase in the number of women with postsecondary degrees and diplomas, as opposed to those a decade older - and in general, a huge increase in postsecondary education among young women and men of working-class backgrounds with no parent who had attended such an institution.

On the other hand, there is a general economic slump and "jobless recovery" with so much production - industrial but also services such as call centres - outsourced to other continents.

As for Canada vs US, the existence of a health system here is a big difference for women, and for all people of "a certain age" on limited incomes, including those who are not yet officially seniors.

Here is an activity, a "mini-conference" on remaining full "Citoyennes" throughout life, from la Fédération des femmes du Québec (who also spearheaded the Bread and Roses marchess) http://www.ffq.qc.ca/2013/02/citoyennes-a-part-entiere-pour-toute-la-vie-2/ for "elder" women in mixed associations (only in French)

Here is the FFQ category on elder women/ageing: http://www.ffq.qc.ca/mots-cles/femmes-ainees-vieillissement/

Wed, 2013-02-27 23:18

MegB

I know, the information is somewhat dated and US-based. I can't seem to find anything more current that's both Canadian and in English. Thanks for the links though - I'll muddle through with my inadequate French. Thankfully my youngest and only daughter left in the public school system is in French Immersion, so I'm not quite so rusty as I was a few years ago.

Wed, 2013-02-27 23:36

lagatta

Try google translate, it has much improved.

Thu, 2013-02-28 08:07

MegB

Thanks, I will.