At 82 years old, elderly woman Patricia Wheatley continues to work in a small boat shop in western Pennsylvania, where she earns 16 dollars an hour (about 13.7 euros, according to the conversion indicated by the Spanish press), without being able to retire. It is not a choice motivated by professional ambition, but by the need to have extra income.
As he said in an interview with Business Insider, an international news source, cited by Noticias Trabajo, a website specializing in legal and labor matters, the North American Social Security reform is enough to make ends meet, but it doesn’t give him much room for what he likes to do most: offering gifts to his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Widowed since 2000, Patricia lives on a limited income, admits she doesn’t have large savings and recognizes that she never learned much about money management and investments. Still, she speaks calmly about the future and says that she doesn’t spend too much time stuck with worries that she can’t resolve.
A life path marked by dedication to family
According to the aforementioned interview, Patricia began her professional life as a music teacher in elementary school. Later, she volunteered at a youth development center and ended up teaching at a junior high school until 1973. Her path changed the following year, when she got married: from then on, her job became educating her children at home and helping her husband at the dentist’s office.
It was only in the late 90s that she returned to paid employment, mainly as a substitute teacher. Her life suffered a new shock when her husband died. At that time, the 92-year-old mother lived with the couple, one of the children was already married, two were at university and the youngest daughter was in seventh grade. It was necessary to guarantee financial stability without moving too far from home.
It was in this context that he decided to return to studies, at the age of 57, to obtain a master’s degree and work in school guidance/counseling. He ended up holding this role until 2014.
Afterwards, he still made substitutions for a few years, but the pressure began to take its toll. He even toyed with the idea of going to Walmart to “welcome” at the entrance, until a friend offered him a job answering calls and supporting administrative tasks at the boat store. He accepted and never left.
Today, for seven years in the same position, he helped organize the archive and took a notary license to support more tasks. With humor, he explains that he does whatever is necessary: vacuuming carpets, answering phone calls, organizing decorations or solving whatever comes up. She says that working keeps her thinking, making decisions and learning new things, something she considers essential to aging independently.
The weight of bills and the challenge of online shopping
Patricia confesses that she has never been a spender, but admits that she could have saved and invested in another way. Still, he achieved something he is proud of: he paid for the house where he lives in full. She keeps her car payments and mentions insurance and tax charges that sometimes take her by surprise. It also recognizes that the ease of online shopping can lead to unnecessary expenses, which forces it to impose discipline.
The real reason that keeps her working
If financial life is a concern, the root of the problem is simple: Patricia has 26 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He doesn’t give large gifts, he says, but when you add it all up, the amount becomes significant. He wants to maintain this tradition and, to do so, he needs to continue earning extra income.
In addition to work, he spends time with his family, has a garden with the help of his children and participates in church activities, such as Bible study. Regarding the future, he prefers not to dramatize: he says he just wants to be able to decide what to do with the house if the day comes when he is unable to take care of it. Until then, he feels stable, and admits that part of that stability comes from working in the store, which complements what he receives from retirement.
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