Made to 'feel old' at work

I must have been in my early fifties at the time, teaching in a primary school.
The teacher in the next classroom came in one day to ask :
"How many pennies were there in a shilling in the olden days?"
I thought it very funny (fortunately) but did take early retirement at 55 shortly after that.

I am 65 and work in the NHS as a nurse. My best friend who will be 75 this year works in the same role. Admittedly we only work part time (24hours). The only negative comment was to her and was from a Consultant Anaesthetist, who should have known better.

Also worked in the NHS until I retired ,,,,,found it about the only place I had worked where there was no ageism (I was the same age as virtually all my colleagues !

there were however two incidences of ageism when I worked as a temp for a while after I moved from the South to the Midlands, before I found a permanent job ...one was in a computer firm, where there was a permanent job going, and as I would have taken anything the Human Resources dept gave me a pile of CV's to go through and to send out letters inviting people for interview ....she said DO NOT send appts to anyone over 25 !!!! Why, I said ...she said because I can't ask them to do the banking or run errands for the milk etc ...I said I wouldn't mind, its a job I want ....

Another incident, also in the Midlands ...I was working at another temp. job with the Finance Director and General Manager, who were looking for a permanent member of staff ...the FD asked me to apply as he was pleased with my work ...BUT the GM said No we are looking for someone younger (and more glamourous !) ...I subsequently bumped into another member of staff in town after I had left, who said they had had to employ THREE people to do the job I was doing as the young girl they employed had no idea how to use the computer (and she was younger than me !) No idea how to talk to clients on the phone and no idea of keeping the books to trial balance ........had to laugh !

I've seen both sides of this coin. In a couple of jobs I worked alongside youngsters who were incapable of using their initiative (needing constant supervision) and when they ran out of work, they'd pick their mobiles up and listen to music, instead of asking what could they do next.
I've also worked in three places with the oldest person in the company and they threw their weight around due to their seniority. All behaving like stroppy teenagers.
Just bad luck, I assume.

I've just remembered an experience I had related to ageism at work.
It was when I was at an age to think about early retirement - we were thinking of moving to another part of the country. I applied for a job there, went for an interview. As well as me there was a man about the same age as me, and 4 much younger people. This man and I were sent home after the interview.
I guessed part of the reason was financial - we had long service increments, at the top of the pay scale. (it was a Local Govt job.)
It didn't matter in the end, I was one of the first to get an early retirement package in my current job.

I found ageism in the NHS as I worked until getting my state pension at nearly 62. Managers expected me to retire when I was widowed at 57. Why? I needed to work more than ever. I didn't want to carry on so long but we all need an income and I don't know what the managers think I would live on.
On one occasion an HR Manager, who should have known better, referred to staff over 50 as elderly. I explained to her that in the NHS Care of the Elderly refers to those over 75.

I worked until I was 73 and retired in 2012. I never had a problem with ageism, in fact I applied for the job when I was 52. The form had no place to put your age down.
I still have my naturally mousy hair colour. It is in the genes my Mum had auburn hair until she was past 90

I was a school administrator, the young teachers I really enjoyed working with, and it enabled me to see how lovely young people are. As I am single I probably would have had a different opinion of younger people if I hadn't worked with them.

One of the young teachers came into the office one day and said to my colleague and I that he had been at the school 2 years and not been off sick. We said we had been there 20 years and not been off sick, he said "I wasn't born then". We all laughed.

I am still working part time at 71 and have never felt as if I should not be there . I put in a fair days work for a fair days pay but if I felt I could not pull my weight I would leave.

After finding myself unemployed at the age if 53 I spent a miserable 3 months unemployed. I applied for a well paid jiob, complete career change and got it. I am now 59 was promoted 15 months ago and just starting a new project. I like my job and my colleagues. I have had no ageism. I sure the younger team members think I'm eccentric though but I can live with that

I too began a new job when I was 50 and was given a 3 months trial "to see if you can keep up". 13 years later, I'm still there and now train the new young members of staff who join our dept. I've never experienced any ageism in the workplace, but then neither I, nor my boss, would stand for it. Respect for anyone who does a job well, irrespective of age.

I think I made myself feel old at work. Took redundancy from job I had for 20 years in media. Forgot how much older I was when then doing shifts in a new environment and felt like a rabbit in the headlights. Lack of training, different technology. Was a nightmare. Now scared to try again.

My husband is currently in dispute with his employer. MOnly one bit is his manager's suggestion that "at your stage in life, when you're not looking to advance your career" why don't you stop doing this busy and exciting job and accept a minor role instead, or words to that effect. He's only 59 and became convinced that she was just trying to get rid of him. Eventually it looks like she may succeed, although we are trying to fight and at the very least expect a fair compensation!

I was fed up at work because I could see all these youngsters getting on while I was standing still. It dawned on me one day that it was because I was very good at my job so they wanted to keep me where I was, and also they thought I would not take to new ideas because of my age. Well I showed them. In my own time I took an open University Course and got a degree. I also went to college and got another in Art History. They couldn't ignore me then but when I applied for a job which also meant promotion I think they were shocked. I got the job and kept it until I retired. So much for ageism!

nannynormal I bet you smiled when you heard that! Good result! They say you will not be missed until you have gone and that is so true.

I only suffered ageism in one job, I was barely 50, the only others in the office the same age were the boss and his wife everybody else was 20's and 30's. The boss was rather fond of one of the younger ones and I found out later that when they were discussing cutting back on staff she had suggested that I should go as I was old and had a husband to keep me! I didn't know this and asked to go part time for family reasons, after a short while I was let go, found something else no problem.

I'm nearly 77 and still working, although part time, in health care. I love it and seem to get through as much work as people younger than me. My colleague who is younger than my daughter sent me a text saying please never retire. I shall do one day!

At 61 bereaved at 59 I managed to find a job at our local supermarket (can I mention Asd.a)

They are "great" no discrimination against age what so ever,lots of colleges are in their late 60, but they have and do, take mature staff on (such as myself)

The younger ones are quicker faster learners, but us mature people are stayers, not flitting from one job to another, I for one hope I am kept on at As.da until retirement arrives. We have a good mix of young/mature etc and it seems to work fine.