A Tough Decision: Some Older Workers Face Retirement Early

For some the pandemic has meant a delayed retirement, but for others it's sped up their plans.

WHILE SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD TOPUT OFF RETIRMENT DUE TO THECOVID CRISIS... OTHERSHAVE HAD TO SPEED UP THEIRPLANS.ALEXA LIAC-KO--- SHOWS US THEBIG HURDLE SOME SOON TO BERETIREES HAVE TOOVERCOME AND WHY HAVING ALL THEANSWERS BEFORE STOPPING WORKISN'TALWAYS POSSIBLE.NATS: WALKING TO THE GARDEN.AT THE END OF SUMMER, CHRISTINACURFMAN WOULD TYPICALLY BERUSHING TO PREPARE HER SECONDGRADE CLASSROOM.NATS: LOOK AT THESE PEPPERS!BUT THIS YEAR.44:34 I STARTED A GARDEN.

I'VENEVER PLANTED VEGETABLES MYENTIRE LIFE, BUT MY MOM ALWAYSHAD A GARDEN, 44:43 AND I LOVEIT.HER NEWFOUND HAPPINESS COMINGWITH JUST AS MUCH HEARTBREAK.17:19 I SUBMITTED MY RETIREMENTPAPERS..AFTER 28 YEARS IN THECLASSROOM.22:14 I LOVED EVERYTHING!

ILOVED EVERY PART.39:08 FOR ME, TEACHING WAS ABOUTTHE CONNECTION WITH KIDS ANDTYING SHOES AND HUGS AND HELPINGYOU WITH YOUR HAIR, IT WAS ABOUTTHOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

BUT WITHCOVID-19 THREATENING THOSEPRECIOUS RELATIONSHIPS, CURFMANWAS FORCED TOCONSIDER GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.37:45 I HAD A STUDENT ASK ME "ISTHIS CORONAVIRUS GOING TO KILLUS ALL?" AND I WAS LIKE OH MYGOODNESS.I'M NOT DOING THISANYMORE.SHE KNEW HER BODY COULDN'T TAKETHE RISK.16:09 I HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNEDISORDER.

IT'S SIMILAR TO RA, SOI HAVE TROUBLE WALKING.16:50 THE MEDICATIONS THAT ITAKE KIND OF LOWERS YOUR IMMUNESYSTEM TOO.ON TOP OF THAT, A FEW YEARS AGO,SHE SPENT WEEKS IN THE HOSPITALFOR A BLOOD CLOT IN HER LUNG.19:42 I WAS SAYING GOODBYE TOFRIENDS AND FAMILY..19:35 IT LOOKED PRETTY DIRE, ITLOOKED LIKE I WASN'T GOING TOMAKE IT, AND I WASN'T WILLING TOTEST THAT AGAIN.BECAUSE LOSING HER HEALTH WOULDMEAN LOSING TIME WITH THOSE SHELOVES MOST.

35:10 I'M A MOM MORETHAN I'M ANYTHING ELSE.35:18 I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOKAT THEM EVERYDAY AND SAY, 'IWANT TO BE HERE FOR YOU AND IWANTTO BE THERE FOR THE REST OF YOURLIFE AS MUCH AS I CAN BE.ESPECIALLY WITH HER DAUGHTER'SWEDDING JUST MONTHS AWAY.

35:37I WANT TO BE THERE FOR HERWEDDING, I'VE WAITED 30 YEARSFOR THIS.

SO, SHE IS STEPPINGAWAY FROM ALL SHE'S KNOWN.34:19 I'VE CRIED ABOUT IT EVERYSINGLE DAY.AND THE FINANCIAL HIT OFRETIRING EARLY AT 55, CURFMANSAYS, DOESN'T HELP.21:41 MY RETIREMENT PENSION IS$1000 A MONTH, BUT MY HEALTHCARE IS $2000 A MONTH, SO I'M INTHE HOLE ALREADY TRYING TO MAKEUP FOR THAT.

IT'S A HUGEFINANCIAL DECISION, BUT IN THEEND, YOU'RETALKING ABOUT YOUR LIFE ATSTAKE, SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE ITWORK SOMEHOW.

CURFMAN IS NOTALONE IN FACING EARLYRETIREMENTTHE BROOKINGSINSTITUTION ESTIMATES THATBETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE, 2.9MILLION OLDER WORKERS LOST THEIRJOBS BECAUSE OF COVID-19.THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMICRESEARCH FOUND THE UNEMPLOYMENTRATE IN APRIL 2020 WAS 15.4PERCE F WKE 6ANPERCE F WKE 6ANOHOLEROMAR T3 ERT -PERCE F WKE 6ANOHOPERCE F WKE 6ANOHO TOPERCE F WKE 6ANOHO TO4PERCE F WKE 6ANOHO TO4 EAPERCE F WKE 6ANOHO TO4 EA OPERCE F WKE 6ANOHO TO4 EA OANOLDER FEMALE WORKERS ARE ATHIGHE RK UNMPYM THANMEN.HTTPS:MARTIN BAILY, SENIOR FELLOW,BROOKINGS INSTITUTION1:53 WE'D SORT OF WOULD LIKE TOSEE PEOPLE WORKING A BIT LONGER,YOU GET MORE OUT OF SOCIALSECURITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TOCOVER AS MANY YEARS WITH YOURRETIREMENT SAVINGS, AND THAT'SBEENMADE MUCH TOUGHER BECAUSE OFCOVID-19.FOR CHRISTINA CURFMAN, THE TOUGHCHOICE HAS COME WITH ANOUTPOURING OF SUPPORT.NATS: 52:33 ITS TRADITION AT OURSCHOOL WHEN YOU RETIRE, EVERYONETO FILL OUT A SCRAPBOOK PAGE OFSOME RETIREMENT ADVICE.EVEN IF SHE WASN'T READY FOR THEADVICE QUITE YET.NATS:TIME TO ENJOY YOUR POOL, YOURPETS AND THE OUTDOORS, OH PEOPLEKNOW ME!!

54:47 LOOK FORWARD TOTHE BEST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE, WEWILL MISS YOU.

AND SHE WILL FEELA VOID THAT ONLY THE LAUGHTER OFCHILDREN CAN FILL.

BUT, CURFMANKEEPS REMINDING HERSELF OF ONETHING: 56:10 IT'S NOT THE WAY IWANTED IT TO END, CERTAINLY.

IDIDN'T GET TO SAY GOODBYE TO MYCLASS, I DIDN'T GET TO SAYGOODBYE TO MY FELLOW TEACHERS,BUT THAT WILL COME., I'M ALEXA LIACKO.SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND APOTENTIAL SIGN OF LIFE IN THECLOUDS OF VENU