Opinion  

Stop making generalisations about the over-50s

Simoney Kyriakou

Simoney Kyriakou

What all these surveys indicate to me is that government and big corporations forget the individual amid generalisations. 

They paint a picture of bleakness - poverty, fear, ageism, past-one's-sell-by-dateism, of being forced out of the workplace due to caring responsibilities. 

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The message seems to be that the over 50s must stay in work to avoid grinding poverty, although in doing so, they face a disappointing, discouraging workplace environment. 

It's a cheerless message, without any thought for individual circumstances. 

Perhaps if more workplaces encouraged and paid for a session with an adviser for their employees, more individuals would realise they have different options and can start planning for their financial futures a lot earlier.