An insensitive attitude towards older workers

April 6 was the date that 65 was no longer the official retirement date. It was also the day when I was made to feel old and, possibly, past it. After a long career as an NHS departmental manager and then as a lecturer, my son suggested that I should take it a little easier, no more driving 40 miles a day, leaving home before 7am and arriving back home as and when.

For the last 10 years, I have enjoyed working freelance at my own career, or in any jobs I just enjoyed.

On this day, I was working in a local visitors’ centre when a middle-aged couple, whom I have seen once or twice before came in. The man called across the room so everybody could hear that he thought I would have retired and then went on to insinuate that I was now safe and could not be sacked due to the new law.

I was by now too hurt and upset to catch his exact words. When he had enjoyed the food I had made for the café, he then made some patronising remark about keeping me on. I was in a difficult position as could not retaliate without running the risk of bringing the establishment into disrepute.

More people will have to work into old age so will they regularly have to run the gauntlet of this insensitive behaviour?

I only hope to run into this gentleman on neutral ground.