Great Time for Older Adults to Follow Their Dreams

If you have an old passion, now is the time to revitalize it. The new year can usher in a new you. Never before has there been such a great demand for workers and many companies are especially seeking older adults because they tend to have a stronger work ethic. Currently, it is very easy to establish your own business no matter what your age, thanks to the internet.

74-year-old contemporary abstract expressionist painter Mary Joan Branstetter in her studio

 

At 74 years old, painter Mary Joan Branstetter never thought she would be having such a big career. In the past couple years, her daughter and son both almost died. It was only through her art and the encouragement of her husband that she was able to endure.

Her husband Mark knew she had talent and so he arranged for a workspace in their house filled with windows and outside light. It was just the right light and environs for bringing her brand of contemporary impressionism to life. Branstetter is a contemporary abstract impressionist and her recent collections found surprising popularity in the Pacific Northwest. Now, she has several art shows planned. “I started painting again after I retired. I am now a mother, grandmother of eight and great grandmother of four. My husband is a golf professional and retiring this year. He is a big part of my art because he has supported me and encouraged me to follow my passion,” said Branstetter.

Contemporary art by Mary Joan Branstetter

 

 

That support now is paying off in a significant way: A new career at 74 years old.  For many years, Branstetter had been doing hand-painted cards; they were noticed, and word spread. Now, she has had two art shows in Seattle and other venues planned. “My work is inspired by color. Color in the world is what makes life beautiful. My multi-cultural family has inspired me to see that the combination of everyone is a blanket of amazing differences. When you combine all that beauty together, it’s color at its best. The more color, the more beautiful the world becomes,” said Branstetter.

Contemporary art by Mary Joan Branstetter

 

Leigh-Ann Webster, who is the Executive Director at the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching and a Certified Personal Trainer, said this is an ideal time for an older adult to start a new business or career. “It is invigorating for people to begin new careers later in life, and these people can also bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the people they are serving. If someone is thinking about starting a new career path they should figure out how to do it and begin. I doubt they would regret this decision,” said Webster.

Start by writing down what it is your dream is, said Webster, who is 51 years old. Then, ask yourself why do you want to do to pursue this venture and what regrets do you think you will have if you don't chase after this dream? “If you still want to pursue your dream after this, then begin creating a roadmap and charting out what needs to happen, so you can take the first step forward,” said Webster, who is based in San Diego, California.

Re-Wirement May be Required

Career consultant Paula Fitzgerald Boos is a re-wirement coach. She helps older adults define their personal value and create a proactive plan to get them to their next great role. As a "third act/re-wirement" consultant, she works with clients as they make intentional and thoughtful choices about "who" they want to be by designing a life of richness.

She said anyone can start a new career at any age. “A mistaken belief continues to be that careers and professional lives are linear. This is not the case,” said Boos. Some of her clients have made dramatic vocational changes later in life. One of Boos’ clients was an artist who became a non-profit development leader and started their own website related to art and returned to creating more of their own art.

Another client was a corporate marketing and communications leader at Boeing who became a photographer. “There continues to be more research confirming the value of age diversity in teams, and more companies are getting on board with the idea that having different generations in the workplace can contribute to strong culture,” said Webster.

There are many talented people who didn’t get their career rolling until later in life. Duncan Hines developed his cake mix brand when he was 73 years old. Anna Mary Robertson Moses was nicknamed Grandma Moses and started her American folk painting career at age 78. In 1938, Louis J. Caldor, an art collector in New York, saw Moses’ paintings in the window of a drug store. He bought their supply and ten more from her house for $3 or $5 each. The next year, three Grandma Moses paintings were included in New York's Museum of Modern Art exhibition titled "Contemporary Unknown American Painters”.

Too often it is fear that holds individuals back. “Facing your fear, choosing change, being a half a shade braver leads to growth. “Humans are designed to continue to keep growing until we die,” said Webster. Many of today's older adults are redefining what it means to be retired and they are following their passions. Having a job after official retirement is becoming increasingly common. Employers are increasingly recognizing that mature workers often have strengths that some younger workers don’t.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the labor force will increase by 8.9 million, or 5.5%, from 2020 to 2030.

The labor force of people ages 16 to 24 is projected to shrink by 7.5% from 2020 to 2030. Among people age 75 years and older, the labor force is expected to grow by 96.5% over the next decade.

John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute. He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com.