Terry Hornbuckle State Mature Worker Coordinator Iowa Department on Aging 55 and Looking For Work

 National demographics and trends  Iowa demographics and trends  Why do people 55+, 65+, 75+ continue to work?  Employment barriers  Senior Community Service Employment Program

The following chart shows the number of U.S. births from 1940 to 1994 in thousands.

Year and Sex25-34 years years years years 65 years and over Total: Men Men Women Women *US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Persons with a disability Persons without a disability 16 years of age and over Percent of population in labor force Unemployment rate years of age and over Percent of population in labor force Unemployment rate * US Bureau of Labor Statistics

 Average baby boomer has only saved between $30,000 and $40,000 towards retirement  Need for health care coverage  Economic downturn diminished investments  Social Security pension not enough  Changes in employer pension structure reduces pension benefit amount (trend is to move away from the defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan)

 Social Security changes results in increased work incentives (higher compensation with greater age at retirement)  Improved health and declines in physical demands of a job  Self-fulfillment  Encore careers

 Workplace prejudices ◦ Older workers are seen as high in loyalty, work ethic, reliability and experience ◦ But – concern that older workers may be less creative, less willing to take initiative, unable to work in physically demanding jobs ◦ Cost more in wages (experience) and health benefits ◦ Employers are less likely to train older workers as there is less time to recoup costs  Urban Institute, Facts Sheets on Population Aging, 2007

 Physical changes – ◦ decreased muscle strength ◦ decreased range-of-motion ◦ perceptual – visual changes starts around age 40 (farsightedness, need for greater contrast, decrease in visual acuity) ◦ Perhaps some mild cognitive changes – short-term memory impairment Penn State University, 2008

 Technology training needs (computer training)  Educational background  Transportation and rural Iowa  SSI/SSDI perceived income “barrier”  Adaptive needs – who will pay for adaptations  Caregiver issues (mainly a women’s issue)

 Homelessness  Once unemployed, older workers take 54.7 weeks to find a job whereas younger workers take 38.9 weeks to find a new job ◦ AARP May 2011 Fact Sheet  Ageism is still alive

 Iowa Workforce  Iowa Department of Vocational Rehab  Home and Community Based Waivers support work training and placement for certain disabled populations  Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)

 Title V – Older Americans Act, administered by the Department of Labor ◦ Nationwide including Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands and D.C.  Goal: “To foster individual economic self- sufficiency and promote useful opportunities in community service activities…for unemployed low-income persons who are age 55 or older…”  Training to work program

State resident Age 55 or more  Household income 125% of federal poverty level (family of one for $13,613)  Unemployed at the time of application  Currently not job ready (have a need for training)

 State of Iowa Senior Internship Program (SIP) - administered via Iowa Department on Aging  Experience Works  AARP  Senior Service of America, Inc. ◦ SCSEP serves every county in Iowa

 All supplemental funding was allowed to expire (ARRA and supplemental provided for additional participants to be served)  25% across the board cut to SCSEP baseline of PY 08  Changes to the state of Iowa ◦ PY 10 slot allocation (without extra funding) 741 ◦ PY 11 slot allocation 579

 Undergo skills assessment from which training goals are established with assistance from the provider agency staff who then follows the participant while in training  Assigned to a Host Agency - nonprofit, (501(c)(3)) or a governmental agency **  Wages (minimum wage, highest of state or federal) are subsidized via federal grant dollars while in training  Work part-time, hours per week  Cannot take the place of an employee or empty position

 Provider agency assists in job placement  Participants are followed for 15 months after obtaining a community job and if needed may return to the program if the job placement fails  Lifetime maximum of 48 months in SCSEP  Continue to work with Iowa Workforce in job seeking and training activities  SCSEP training can include classroom training, computer training, literacy education but dollars are limited

 SCSEP can provide for: ◦ Annual physicals ◦ Work related needs i.e. transportation (short-term), work incidentals (clothing, eyeglasses, tools), child and adult care, temporary housing shelter and other social services to help overcome work related barriers ◦ Job related training, training supplies and materials

 65 years of age or older  Have a disability  Limited English proficiency or low literacy skills  Resides in a rural area  Veteran  Low employment prospects  Homeless or at risk for homelessness  Failed to find a job using Workforce benefits

 Female = 70%  Minorities = 10%  High school diploma or equivalent = 41%  At or below poverty level = 86%  Individuals with disabilities = 27%  Living in rural areas = 56%  Age 75 or older = 11%  Veterans or qualified spouses = 22%  Individuals receiving public assistance = 56%

 Terry Hornbuckle  State Mature Worker Coordinator  Jessie Parker Building  510 E. 12 th St., Ste. 2  Des Moines, IA   