Discouraged Older Workers: An Exploratory Study

The research literature has documented the social and psychological consequences of unemployment for individuals in our country. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the impact of unemployment on the older worker. This exploratory study examined the characteristics and experiences of seventy-three older unemployed workers, age fifty and above, who were discouraged and had stopped searching for a full-time job. The findings portray the discouraged older worker as potentially at risk of both economic and psychological difficulties. Participants reported feeling mildly depressed about their current unemployment situation, socially isolated and embarrassed, and were experiencing low life satisfaction generally. They also tended to use a low number of social and employment-related community services. Younger participants in the sample under age sixty, those with higher levels of education, and those suffering longer periods of unemployment tended to report having the greatest adjustment difficulties. These results reflect the challenges faced by the discouraged older worker and the need for targeted employment and supportive services to aid this population group.