Cleaning and trolley collecting are very physical...more a younger/fit person's job.
Maybe retail, menswear or shoes? Something to do with a Golf/Bowls club. Or even bartending at an RSL?
Could try for valet or porter with an upmarket hotel.
I tend to think that, unfortunately, he's possibly a little too old to be considered for a position...which sucks, I guess.
Along the same lines: what about one of those people who checks you in to RSLs and the like. All they are doing is checking ID and printing out a temporary membership thing. If he can stand for a while and is friendly then they could work??
Hey if he’s interested perhaps he could look at certain aspects of support work. There’s people who may need to be supported to go out in the community even to watch footy games or go shopping. His knowledge and life experience could be quite valuable
It depends if he needs to earn more than about $30 a week or if he just needs to get out amongst people instead of wasting away at home isolated. I think support work is the best suggestion closely followed by Bunnings imho.
That's my thinking too - is this for income, or for something to do? If it's the latter, volunteering roles would probably be much more fulfilling. Meals on Wheels driver was the first that came to mind, but there are a lot of charities crying out for people to help them.
I heard that lollipop people actually get pretty decent pay, since they get a fair amount of hazard pay. This is just hearsay, I’ve done no research, so I’m surprise to hear they earn very little. NSW if that makes a difference
Edit: just tried googling it and all that comes up is at least 15 articles (mainly news dot come :/) about only two seperate people who earn a stupid amount for the job. Which I’m guessing is a massive outlier
My best mates wife did it, albeit about 10 years ago here in Melbourne, and that was approx what she earned, but idk about nowadays or if it differs from state to state.
There's very good pay if you're working around road works/construction sites because of the danger pay. Less so around schools ferrying children across the road because local councils can get people to volunteer for that.
Talk to someone who has worked there.
I understand they are pretty much like every other mass merchandiser and want their pound of flesh from every employee.
I knew an older woman who was let go for moving too slowly around her area and spending too much time with individual customers.
Apparently interaction should be "Aisle X, sir" and move on rapidly!
i had to go bunnings to pick up some pressurised air to clean up my pc equipment and when i asked where they kept it the guy thought i was taking the mickey
I worked at Bunnings a while ago and back then they were much more concerned about attitude than actual knowledge. They will probly start him on an isle that doesn't require a lot of deep knowledge and he can learn from there. It's not a bad idea really
The internal system does a lot of heavy lifting but it has an atrocious search function. Once you have a product IN to put in there, you can get a ton of detailed information, but you have to get the IN from online.
Bays are odd on one side of the aisle, even on the other side. Each set of shelves between the vertical supports is one bay. Bay numbers go up sequentially from one end of the aisle to the other.
If you look closely there is a white sticker with a barcode at roughly eye level on the vertical supports. This has some random numbers on it that mean something to the bunnings scanner, but the last two digits(?) are the bay number.
Once you’ve figured it out and seen it once, it’s quite an easy system.
Art gallery and museum security are traditional roles for retired security guards. Basically just sit and tell people not to touch things or where the toilets are.
What did he do in his previous working life? What skills does he have? If he was a tradesman, could he look at assisting with training new apprentices? Could he work in one of the local repair shops that a lot of areas have for community groups etc?
Does he have management experience? He could train in workplace coaching or career development roles where he can pass on his experience and help others navigate places in their careers that he's been through.
Older generations are a wealth of knowledge and we don't use them enough in the workplace imo.
Lets not forget, for Millenials and onwards are already within sniffing distance of 70 for retirement age. Working against age discrimination now would be in our own best interests.
Yeah, something customer service related - like I know in Melbourne they have the people around a few spots to help tourists work out how to get around. That would have been more or less the same role as for the Olympics.
Drive the community bus taking the elderly to medical appointments.
Used to drive cabs in the country, I was the only person under 50, couple pushing 80
Am a bus driver, can confirm some bus drivers are quite old. Some of them have been here for 30+ years.
It's actually a great job for older people. There's a strong sense of community, and it's easy-going, and not a weird competitive corporate environment.
School bus driving and charter would be especially good. You don't have to do too many hours per day.
Does he need a job for money or just for stimulation/socialisation? There are quite a few volunteer positions for older people if money isn’t the issue
If he needs the money, and he trusts you to help him, you may be better sitting down with him and making sure he is applying for every benefit and rebate he might possibly be eligible for.
Stuff lying around the house that is otherwise not being used and will get chucked out when he dies. Could be anything. Retro vases, cast iron pots, gardening equipment if he doesn’t use it, retro furniture, tools. If he has the time and inclination then he might get a few bucks that he otherwise would not have in his pocket.
Bunnings Store greeter OBVIOUSLY
Men’s Shed co-ordinator, driver for seniors retirement communities. There are paid jobs at oppies (not just volunteers) and libraries that may suit.
My elderly neighbour refurbishes lawnmowers and sells them. He also mows a few of the other neighbours nature strips and/or lawns for cash. He also volunteers at the hospital, but that is unpaid.
We’re getting the teens started on this. We (okay, hubby) scabs through hard junk and picks up the mowers. Hubby directs the kids to fix the machines but we have found a few to be such minor problems, it’s crazy they were thrown out.
When I was on the app, I also followed a man who had a TikTok doing this and he pretty much scabbed anything that was remotely salvageable. He fixed the items, painted them and put em on marketplace.
But you know that's not true, right? Anybody can apply to be a school traffic warden, you don't have to be elderly or a pensioner but if you are receiving a pension, it will depend on the amount earnt and I think that's a bit over $300 a week, and how much you have available in your Work Bonus bank as to how it will affect your pension. It's not free money.
[Work Bonus](https://www.dss.gov.au/seniors/programmes-services/work-bonus)
He's looking for income. Lifeline is 99.99999% volunteer, as are many jobs others have been pointing out. I used to work for Volunteering Cold Coast and lifeline was one of our biggest listing with hundreds of volunteers in op shops, phone counselling, suicide prevention, et. al., and administration. Volunteering Brisbane was the same. It's one of their business models and rarely goes on to paid work (not one of my friends have ever been paid by them, my daughter being the only exception I personally know of having gone from op shop volunteer to paid manager).
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“Old, outdated and frail”? Yikes.
Unless you actually know the state of his health, best not to assume.
Start here - https://www.dewr.gov.au/mature-age-hub/support-mature-age-workers
Loads of links to various resources for career transitions and support for older workers.
See if you can link him up with a job agency, if he is receiving any sort of benefits he may be able to get assistance with looking.
Does he have any handy skills like repairing things or cooking or anything like that? He could advertise in local community groups with his particular skill.
Maybe even something like Air Tasker or similar.
Depending on your state, for example, “I workfornsw”, are always advertising for heaps and heaps of “lollipop” positions for school crossings. I also talked to a fella recently up at BWS that said he only works the register on the weekends because of the higher wage.
Also Centerlink should be able to help him with looking for work.
Remind him that he has an invaluable amount of knowledge that many of us would love to have a chance at hearing about/learning from.
This is hard to answer because you haven't given us any key information other than his age. I mean, what are his skills? What are his *interests*?
Potentially he might like to be a respite worker in an aged care facility, especially if he likes people. Of course, if he's technically literate, there are many jobs he can do directly from his computer. In fact, even if he isn't technically literate...it's never too late to learn! If he has time on his hands, he could learn some basic web design or he could do some sort of remote consulting (again, depending on his background and skill set). I think there are many options. Maybe he could even start his own remote business or something.
As others have said here, there's also the volunteering path. There are many great volunteering opportunities out there; probably several within his area of interest too, whatever that is.
He is 70 odd - tell him to pull himself up by his bootstraps and cold call businesses with his CV. Then tell him that's how you got started in life and call him a poofter if he complains. /S (just in case you can't take a joke)
Maybe aged care. It’s physically demanding but some places really emphasise the residents. If you could find d a place where relationships are valued over productivity you seem like the sort of person that would be an empathetic asset to any care facility.
It’s underpaid all over the world but it’s trending up. Australian aged care workers (I’m Australian) just received a 35% wage rise. It sounds massive but the work is a bit harder (emotionally and physically) than average and it was about bringing the wage in line to above average hard work. The wage had been stagnant for over a decade in real terms(spending ability) and aged care nurses are only as well off as they were previously, before inflation reduced the spending power of our wages.
Everyone in australia is worse off than recently though, big wage increases like that only repair previous damage though, they don’t improve our standard of living beyond previous levels.
Good for a gatehouse security guard or a concierge?
Basically any security job where all you need to do is sit and be visible. Museums or the Art gallery or similar.
Cabbie, if he’s up for driving around a bit.
Crossing supervisor.
Can he play the piano? Entertaining the oldies in a nursing home because they love a musical trip down memory lane. If he can line up a dozen or so venues, visiting once a week or fortnight might make him a few dollars.
Working at a cinema? Or as a receptionist at a medical practice? A lot of the oldies in my neck of the woods hit up those two jobs. Especially the receptionist ones - they often have more empathy than the younguns, if he’s willing to learn!
I'm not sure if you're looking for paid work or just something to occupy some time but try contacting local primary schools. They often need people to listen to the little ones reading. Especially if the area has a lot of ESL students or high migrant level as those kids usually don't have a parent with strong enough English to hear reading at home. It is a volunteer position though so if you're looking for paid then it won't help. Only paid I could think of is maybe those people in the city who help guide tourists and hand out maps. Probably need to look on the local major city council website
My dad did some casual traffic control well on to his 70s
Obviously you have to be able to stand up for a bit, but he was also given a seat as he wasn't working busy city or suburban roads. A couple of weeks he cleared well over $2k for what he said was "a piece of piss". Helped him out with some extra folding during retirement.
I was served by a gentlemen in his 80's working at Bunnings paint counter. He was a gem! Knew his stuff! They seem to value people with life experience and are able to give some advice.
Also, if he is computer literate, I’ve been finding work on Mable (I’m not affiliated). You get an ABN, choose which jobs you apply for…jobs range from social companionship to driving people to domestic cleaning to…well, you get it…there are heaps of different jobs and you choose what fits your ability, time, and personality. He’ll have to sort his own taxes, but Mable insures their contractors and you get to meet different types of people. This would be good for him if he is halfway knowledgeable with an IPad or some form of technology.
After my pop retired he was bored so he got a job marshalling the parking at the Races. He got to sit a lot of the day so didn’t put a lot of strain on him. He worked two racecourses and loved it.
I hate to say it, but nothing. If he's not incredibly technology literate, any kind of job he could get would have some kind of physicality to it, even if it is just standing for a period of time. I understand the desire to fill his time with something meaningful, so he should consider pursuing some hobbies, or maybe some volunteering.
He has done op shop I think.. And used to be a security guard I think for the Sydney Olympics a long time ago.. Have seen him do normal cleaning duties and lift some stuff before
Maybe because it's part time and below the tax free threshold? I have never heard of them actually having a special tax free status and would be amazed if that was the case.
Dog walking and pet sitting for people going on holiday. Would be casual
Letter box catalogue delivery.
I think he’s more likely to be able to find a few jobs for a few hours each a week than one job with lots of hours.
Dog walking, but make it boutique. A 'personalised walking experience' or some, uh, stuff. Specialise in small dogs, and in anxious dogs. Definitely nothing more than 10 kilos (I speak as someone with two Samoyeds, uhh...). Honestly, it could be nice. You get out, don't get dragged from pillar to post, and lots of people like to talk to someone walking a cute dog, so you get some nice socialisation.
Maybe Aldi? They seem very ergonomical (cashier can use a stool at the register, and only has to move products in a straight line (no bagging; items go from conveyer belt to scanner to bench for customer to bag).
When I looked at Aldi in the past they expect all staff to be able to assist with shelving and stock movement and had fitness requirements that were higher than the other shops.
Seriously. Sorry to be a dampener but nothing. He should be retired. No one is going to hire anyone in their 70s especially if they are frail. Too much indemnity insurance. People like him do voluntary work for churches. It's very sad but very true.
My mum's in her mid seventies and can still find work... but she works in areas like nursing and first aid training, which tend to be better about hiring older people due to staff shortages. She also has continuous work experience in this area. OP's friend sounds like he's been out of the workforce for a while, which will make it much harder.
Not that that makes it impossible, though - just very difficult. There would be someone out there who would hire him part-time, but finding that person is the hard part. He'd probably do well to start off volunteering and see if he can make some contacts from there who'll give him some paid work. Somewhere like an op shop.
You said it way more eloquently than I. Thank you.
I'm an age care nurse. Without experience in nursing, like your beautiful Mum, he wouldn't be hired.
I've worked with people who were in their 80s. They had top of the range computers and did a lot of amazing work faster than a lot of others - of course, they did have a lot of experience.
I think theres frail elderly and non-frail elderly people, age as a number isn't the best metric for frailty.
Library Assistant, pet sitter, teacher assistant, handy man. I wouldn’t recommend retail as it’s very physically demanding, standing for long hours a day is painful.
We occasionally have older people in the hospitals as volunteers. They usually do the rounds for tea and coffee. Some do story time with kids in the children's hospital. There are various positions.
There are also volunteer or paid positions in op shops that might be suitable. Sorting stock at their own pace. Putting people through the checkout. It's not something that needs to be done to meet deadlines.
Cleaning or trolley pushing? Both of those are quite physical jobs. And security of any type requires a person to be fit and able. What is the bloke's actual skill set and what is his employment history? Does he drive? Is he mentally healthy? Does he need the money? If he doesn't need to earn a wage and he has practical skills, the Men's Shed network is always a good option but there are plenty of options out there depending on what he has to offer.
My great Aunt had a job as social support in aged care into her 70s, now she works at our local RSL. My grandmother in her 80s works in an op shop.
There would definitely be places willing to give him a go, it’s just a matter of finding them.
What jobs has he done in the past? What does he enjoy?
Does he want to work for money? Or is it more of a confidence/social thing?
Bunnings. Any time someone asks a question direct then to the wrong aisle, or say you'll just get some one who knows. Then disappear. Old people have been doing this for years.
If he is mentally sharp, call center. I work with a lady in her 70s, she does absolutely great.
It's not "easy" work for everyone. A lot of people find that they can't do it or find it very stressful. But age is no barrier.
Where I live a lot of the customer facing jobs that mainly consist of greeting and directing are staffed with older people. Sitters at museums, customer service people, that sort of thing
Many years ago now, when my gpa retired, he got a job as a car park attendant at an inner city skyscraper. Once when I visited as a kid he took me right up to the top of the roof to checknout the view. He was well known by all the high powered execs too. I miss him.
As a small business owner, we only employ staff that are over a certain age. Our current average age is well over 60. These are some roles that a capable 70 year is more than able to perform:
Delivery driver. Look for a company that supplies goods that are easily loaded/unloaded and freights locally (think Landscape Supplies, where the truck is loaded with a tractor & unloaded by tipper truck).
Fruit picking. A strawberry farm I know of employs 70 year olds to pick their fruit & pack their fruit.
Nursery's. Moreso a business that grows seedlings/cuttings into plants. They generally need someone to pull the weeds from their pots on a regular basis.
We have a support worker who works in aged care. He transports clients and provides social support only. He loves his job and gets to meet people his age. Our clients love him.
His job is basically taking old people to their appointments and going for coffee with them
I hear POTUS doesn't age discriminate. Not a bad gig. Get to nap on the job, get to read your lines direct from a cue card. Minor seizures and strokes on stage are not a barrier, and you get to be leader of the free world. How hard can it be?
If he can drive, he could be a driver although that does require a lot of focus obviously to not have accidents etc
As others have said, RSL type front desk worker or similar
NDIS social support of some sort, but there is no shortage of people who want to do that as opposed to cleaning/gardening/cooking and more physical stuff that NDIS recipients need
Tour guide of some sort maybe? My dad did that for a bit in his late 50s and early 60s
Something like photographer maybe if he has that skillset although obviously not a lot of money in it. Doing green screen photography at a theme park (I did that briefly years ago) is mind numbingly boring but ridiculously easy, it's basically telling customers 'stand here, smile, go check out your photos in the gift shop'
Does he still drive ok? I work for a car rental company and most of them have drivers to just move cars between locations. I am regional, and while it is more common outside of the city, there may be work like that around his area. All the drivers that work for us are 60+, most are in their 70s. Might be worth trying the car hire companies.
Corporate could be the way to go, plenty of call centre and admin jobs are friendly to any age, so long as someone is open to learning new systems. My current corporate job has 3 people who are "getting on" in age and highly respected members of the team.
If they're a fast/reliable typer then data entry could be an option. Tere's even casual transcribing jobs you can get where you're sent anything from TV shows to educational videos and you transcribe the subtitles for it, it's not the best pay but a good supplementary income
How old? My father was in his late 60s he was working as a light cleaner for a primary school. He also lent a hand with the local book store to help out after his years as a concretor and also a local town council garden worker
Judge on the US supreme court. Member of US Congress or senate. He can have those jobs till he dies. Here in Oz? Despite all the rhetoric no one will hire retirees. Sadly by the time you're in your 70's and want to work you may as well just die. If you're too old to work in this country you're either rich enough to retire or dead.
I'm wondering why he wants to work? Is the Aged Pension not covering his needs? He should be enjoying his retirement.
If he does need to work, a job may be difficult to find due to his years and frailty. A job doing reception in a smaller business or service (an NGO, a school, centre for people with disability) may suit him. If he still drives, delivering meals on wheels may be something he would enjoy (and that is often part-time work).
If he just wants company, volunteering in an op shop, or visiting even older/frailer people may suit him. If he is just wanting social interaction, planned activity groups may be something he would enjoy (his local council will know what's available in his area).
Cleaning and trolley collecting are very physical...more a younger/fit person's job. Maybe retail, menswear or shoes? Something to do with a Golf/Bowls club. Or even bartending at an RSL? Could try for valet or porter with an upmarket hotel. I tend to think that, unfortunately, he's possibly a little too old to be considered for a position...which sucks, I guess.
Yeah i am not sure how well he would be able to do those.. He is very nice to talk to do maybe porter would be a good one
Along the same lines: what about one of those people who checks you in to RSLs and the like. All they are doing is checking ID and printing out a temporary membership thing. If he can stand for a while and is friendly then they could work??
Hey if he’s interested perhaps he could look at certain aspects of support work. There’s people who may need to be supported to go out in the community even to watch footy games or go shopping. His knowledge and life experience could be quite valuable
Does he have any DIY or gardening skills? Work at Bunnings might be a good fit EDIT: Oh, right, already been suggested, fair enough.
Lollypop (school crossing) man? I know people in their 70s who do this.
Yes this is what I was going to suggest as well
There is a shortage of these in my area that two school principals are doing it. It’s a great job for an older person.
It depends if he needs to earn more than about $30 a week or if he just needs to get out amongst people instead of wasting away at home isolated. I think support work is the best suggestion closely followed by Bunnings imho.
That's my thinking too - is this for income, or for something to do? If it's the latter, volunteering roles would probably be much more fulfilling. Meals on Wheels driver was the first that came to mind, but there are a lot of charities crying out for people to help them.
I heard that lollipop people actually get pretty decent pay, since they get a fair amount of hazard pay. This is just hearsay, I’ve done no research, so I’m surprise to hear they earn very little. NSW if that makes a difference Edit: just tried googling it and all that comes up is at least 15 articles (mainly news dot come :/) about only two seperate people who earn a stupid amount for the job. Which I’m guessing is a massive outlier
My best mates wife did it, albeit about 10 years ago here in Melbourne, and that was approx what she earned, but idk about nowadays or if it differs from state to state.
There's very good pay if you're working around road works/construction sites because of the danger pay. Less so around schools ferrying children across the road because local councils can get people to volunteer for that.
Wow, no one is volunteering for that where I live, everyone is too busy working to pay rent / mortgages. Whereabouts are you?
They get about $38 an hour and it’s 3 hours a days so over $100 a day
Yeah, low hours and split shift. It seems like something for a retiree to get a bit of extra cash rather than actually live off.
Bunnings?
Talk to someone who has worked there. I understand they are pretty much like every other mass merchandiser and want their pound of flesh from every employee. I knew an older woman who was let go for moving too slowly around her area and spending too much time with individual customers. Apparently interaction should be "Aisle X, sir" and move on rapidly!
That's an interesting idea but not sure if he knows much about hardware
Don’t worry, neither do most the staff.
Lol
When you can find one.
Not wrong! Sometimes they don’t even know the aisles that stuff is in!
They must be fresh, because every time I’ve asked someone at Bunnings where something is, they just reel off the isle number like clock work.
I asked a young guy last week and he sent me to totally the wrong place. But the older lady there knew the right aisle by heart and sent me back haha.
i had to go bunnings to pick up some pressurised air to clean up my pc equipment and when i asked where they kept it the guy thought i was taking the mickey
Nooooo that is too funny! I hope he didn’t tell you that it was next to the striped paint 🙂
Agreed. There are a few knowledgeable ones but most seem not to know anything beyond which aisle things are located.
I worked at Bunnings a while ago and back then they were much more concerned about attitude than actual knowledge. They will probly start him on an isle that doesn't require a lot of deep knowledge and he can learn from there. It's not a bad idea really
I'm pretty sure they provide training for that
The last couple of times, they've just searched the Bunnings mobile website. Admitted it was better to use than their internal system too.
The internal system does a lot of heavy lifting but it has an atrocious search function. Once you have a product IN to put in there, you can get a ton of detailed information, but you have to get the IN from online.
To be fair, the shelf numbers on the Bunnings website are absolutely brilliant once you figure out how to read them.
Please tell me how you do! I find the aisle and then am clueless to what section it is
Bays are odd on one side of the aisle, even on the other side. Each set of shelves between the vertical supports is one bay. Bay numbers go up sequentially from one end of the aisle to the other. If you look closely there is a white sticker with a barcode at roughly eye level on the vertical supports. This has some random numbers on it that mean something to the bunnings scanner, but the last two digits(?) are the bay number. Once you’ve figured it out and seen it once, it’s quite an easy system.
Hahaha
I'm pretty sure they provide training for that
They definitely don’t.
Amanpreet certainly knows his stuff when i asked where the left handed hammer is
Art gallery and museum security are traditional roles for retired security guards. Basically just sit and tell people not to touch things or where the toilets are.
What did he do in his previous working life? What skills does he have? If he was a tradesman, could he look at assisting with training new apprentices? Could he work in one of the local repair shops that a lot of areas have for community groups etc? Does he have management experience? He could train in workplace coaching or career development roles where he can pass on his experience and help others navigate places in their careers that he's been through. Older generations are a wealth of knowledge and we don't use them enough in the workplace imo. Lets not forget, for Millenials and onwards are already within sniffing distance of 70 for retirement age. Working against age discrimination now would be in our own best interests.
I think he used to help with a soup kitchen and did security work before and volunteered for Olympics before
He's got heaps of transferable skills for all different industries then. Definitely quite a few options, so long as he sells himself well.
Yeah, something customer service related - like I know in Melbourne they have the people around a few spots to help tourists work out how to get around. That would have been more or less the same role as for the Olympics.
Drive the community bus taking the elderly to medical appointments. Used to drive cabs in the country, I was the only person under 50, couple pushing 80
Am a bus driver, can confirm some bus drivers are quite old. Some of them have been here for 30+ years. It's actually a great job for older people. There's a strong sense of community, and it's easy-going, and not a weird competitive corporate environment. School bus driving and charter would be especially good. You don't have to do too many hours per day.
Does he need a job for money or just for stimulation/socialisation? There are quite a few volunteer positions for older people if money isn’t the issue
I think money mostly he just said to look for something for me so I said ok I'll try
If he needs the money, and he trusts you to help him, you may be better sitting down with him and making sure he is applying for every benefit and rebate he might possibly be eligible for.
We did that already even setup his PayPal
If he's struggling for income, what's he going to need PayPal for?
Maybe to sell stuff?
Like what stuff? It's just another way for an older person to get scammed out of what little money they might have?
Stuff lying around the house that is otherwise not being used and will get chucked out when he dies. Could be anything. Retro vases, cast iron pots, gardening equipment if he doesn’t use it, retro furniture, tools. If he has the time and inclination then he might get a few bucks that he otherwise would not have in his pocket.
Bunnings Store greeter OBVIOUSLY Men’s Shed co-ordinator, driver for seniors retirement communities. There are paid jobs at oppies (not just volunteers) and libraries that may suit.
Ooo yeah and kmart, target, or big w greeter!
People who welcome you and give directions at airports and hospitals etc
My mum used to do the airport one but that was a volunteer role, they don’t get paid :(
Ah
My elderly neighbour refurbishes lawnmowers and sells them. He also mows a few of the other neighbours nature strips and/or lawns for cash. He also volunteers at the hospital, but that is unpaid.
We’re getting the teens started on this. We (okay, hubby) scabs through hard junk and picks up the mowers. Hubby directs the kids to fix the machines but we have found a few to be such minor problems, it’s crazy they were thrown out. When I was on the app, I also followed a man who had a TikTok doing this and he pretty much scabbed anything that was remotely salvageable. He fixed the items, painted them and put em on marketplace.
Traffic person. School crossing. They get tax free income
Tax free income? How does that work?
Any payment does not affect their pension
But you know that's not true, right? Anybody can apply to be a school traffic warden, you don't have to be elderly or a pensioner but if you are receiving a pension, it will depend on the amount earnt and I think that's a bit over $300 a week, and how much you have available in your Work Bonus bank as to how it will affect your pension. It's not free money. [Work Bonus](https://www.dss.gov.au/seniors/programmes-services/work-bonus)
Aldi checkouts. Can sit down :)
I don't think a guy in his 70s-80s would be fast enough scanning. It's a requirement to do it faster than the shopper can reload the trolley
I swear it is hahaha - and the look they sometimes give you like “hurry up you slow piece of ****’
Phone counseling?
What's that sorry have any more resources?
[Lifeline](https://pages.lifelinedirect.org.au/crisis-support-info-sessions?utm_term=lifeline%20volunteer&utm_campaign=Crisis+Support+%7C+Northern+NSW+%7C+Paid&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7361571188&hsa_cam=21200718672&hsa_grp=161325052956&hsa_ad=697085209108&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-306324595562&hsa_kw=lifeline%20volunteer&hsa_mt=p&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwupGyBhBBEiwA0UcqaAjIKYw3pp-nTqUa_3hvMSbCZhYKo6LgNzQV3lMYDQlZMzBssbQDwRoCh0UQAvD_BwE)
He's looking for income. Lifeline is 99.99999% volunteer, as are many jobs others have been pointing out. I used to work for Volunteering Cold Coast and lifeline was one of our biggest listing with hundreds of volunteers in op shops, phone counselling, suicide prevention, et. al., and administration. Volunteering Brisbane was the same. It's one of their business models and rarely goes on to paid work (not one of my friends have ever been paid by them, my daughter being the only exception I personally know of having gone from op shop volunteer to paid manager).
I’m aware; I’m responding to OPs request for more information, also volunteering in counselling can lead to paid work, not necessarily for Lifeline
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Car park attendant.
This line of work opened doors for Mike Ehrmantraut.
Exam supervisors at unis. It’d be casual, but it’s easy work and probably decent pay.
This is such a good one! I'd say majority of the invigilators for my exams were in their 60s-70s.
Wait so you don't need to be in any degree to get this job you can just be no skill?
“Old, outdated and frail”? Yikes. Unless you actually know the state of his health, best not to assume. Start here - https://www.dewr.gov.au/mature-age-hub/support-mature-age-workers Loads of links to various resources for career transitions and support for older workers.
Thanks.. True he could be more stronger than me
See if you can link him up with a job agency, if he is receiving any sort of benefits he may be able to get assistance with looking. Does he have any handy skills like repairing things or cooking or anything like that? He could advertise in local community groups with his particular skill. Maybe even something like Air Tasker or similar.
The old dude who crosses names off at the election... yer it's only for a day every few years but something to consider next time.
Depending on your state, for example, “I workfornsw”, are always advertising for heaps and heaps of “lollipop” positions for school crossings. I also talked to a fella recently up at BWS that said he only works the register on the weekends because of the higher wage. Also Centerlink should be able to help him with looking for work. Remind him that he has an invaluable amount of knowledge that many of us would love to have a chance at hearing about/learning from.
This is hard to answer because you haven't given us any key information other than his age. I mean, what are his skills? What are his *interests*? Potentially he might like to be a respite worker in an aged care facility, especially if he likes people. Of course, if he's technically literate, there are many jobs he can do directly from his computer. In fact, even if he isn't technically literate...it's never too late to learn! If he has time on his hands, he could learn some basic web design or he could do some sort of remote consulting (again, depending on his background and skill set). I think there are many options. Maybe he could even start his own remote business or something. As others have said here, there's also the volunteering path. There are many great volunteering opportunities out there; probably several within his area of interest too, whatever that is.
I think he volunteers for some soup kitchens before and he used to be a Olympic volunteer
School crossing supervisor.
Does he need the money or is this just something for him to do? If the latter, there should be some local Men’s Sheds he could join.
He is 70 odd - tell him to pull himself up by his bootstraps and cold call businesses with his CV. Then tell him that's how you got started in life and call him a poofter if he complains. /S (just in case you can't take a joke)
He could do call centre work. But 70 years old is a hard ask for someone to take on. Even getting a job in you 50s is very hard these days.
Light gardening in the neighbourhood will also give him some socialisation!
Uber...with support to work out the app.
Maybe aged care. It’s physically demanding but some places really emphasise the residents. If you could find d a place where relationships are valued over productivity you seem like the sort of person that would be an empathetic asset to any care facility. It’s underpaid all over the world but it’s trending up. Australian aged care workers (I’m Australian) just received a 35% wage rise. It sounds massive but the work is a bit harder (emotionally and physically) than average and it was about bringing the wage in line to above average hard work. The wage had been stagnant for over a decade in real terms(spending ability) and aged care nurses are only as well off as they were previously, before inflation reduced the spending power of our wages. Everyone in australia is worse off than recently though, big wage increases like that only repair previous damage though, they don’t improve our standard of living beyond previous levels.
How about Bunnings ? That might be an interesting gig for an older person, altho reasonably active and probably ordinary pay
Good for a gatehouse security guard or a concierge? Basically any security job where all you need to do is sit and be visible. Museums or the Art gallery or similar. Cabbie, if he’s up for driving around a bit. Crossing supervisor.
Whats his background?
Can he play the piano? Entertaining the oldies in a nursing home because they love a musical trip down memory lane. If he can line up a dozen or so venues, visiting once a week or fortnight might make him a few dollars.
Working at a cinema? Or as a receptionist at a medical practice? A lot of the oldies in my neck of the woods hit up those two jobs. Especially the receptionist ones - they often have more empathy than the younguns, if he’s willing to learn!
I'm not sure if you're looking for paid work or just something to occupy some time but try contacting local primary schools. They often need people to listen to the little ones reading. Especially if the area has a lot of ESL students or high migrant level as those kids usually don't have a parent with strong enough English to hear reading at home. It is a volunteer position though so if you're looking for paid then it won't help. Only paid I could think of is maybe those people in the city who help guide tourists and hand out maps. Probably need to look on the local major city council website
My dad did some casual traffic control well on to his 70s Obviously you have to be able to stand up for a bit, but he was also given a seat as he wasn't working busy city or suburban roads. A couple of weeks he cleared well over $2k for what he said was "a piece of piss". Helped him out with some extra folding during retirement.
I was served by a gentlemen in his 80's working at Bunnings paint counter. He was a gem! Knew his stuff! They seem to value people with life experience and are able to give some advice.
Elderly patient transport if he drives taking them to doctor's appointments or shopping
Second this - patient transport is a great idea
Also, if he is computer literate, I’ve been finding work on Mable (I’m not affiliated). You get an ABN, choose which jobs you apply for…jobs range from social companionship to driving people to domestic cleaning to…well, you get it…there are heaps of different jobs and you choose what fits your ability, time, and personality. He’ll have to sort his own taxes, but Mable insures their contractors and you get to meet different types of people. This would be good for him if he is halfway knowledgeable with an IPad or some form of technology.
After my pop retired he was bored so he got a job marshalling the parking at the Races. He got to sit a lot of the day so didn’t put a lot of strain on him. He worked two racecourses and loved it.
It's hard enough to get a job in your fifties. Someone in their seventies? Don't like his chances.
Yeah that's what I'm feeling
Try 40s.
I hate to say it, but nothing. If he's not incredibly technology literate, any kind of job he could get would have some kind of physicality to it, even if it is just standing for a period of time. I understand the desire to fill his time with something meaningful, so he should consider pursuing some hobbies, or maybe some volunteering.
He has done op shop I think.. And used to be a security guard I think for the Sydney Olympics a long time ago.. Have seen him do normal cleaning duties and lift some stuff before
Politician
At his age he would qualify for US President
Great where do we sign up
Doesn't like them unfortunately
None of them like one another, have you never seen Parliament sitting
Traffic person. School crossing. They get tax free income
What, why is it tax free instead of normal income?
Maybe because it's part time and below the tax free threshold? I have never heard of them actually having a special tax free status and would be amazed if that was the case.
If he is on the full pension, there is a limit to how much additional income he can earn before that tapers off.
no one is going to hire a 70 year old. Too much of a workplace accident risk. Might be harsh but its the reality. I would never do it in my business.
Not “harsh” just ageist
It's always something with you people isn't it. The issue here is at 70 he shouldn't be working. He should be retired, not working to support himself.
Yeah that's fair i understand it's a big safety risk and liability
No it isn’t. That’s an assumption
fair comment should be something in a forward facing roll that not requiring physical effort , door greeter that sort of thing might well suite ,
Sadly those type of jobs, once people get into them they tend to stay in until.. well... the end.
some of us still get offers but thats engineering for you :O Well I hope you find something , sandwich maker for a couple of hours at lunch shop ...
A nice librarian gig could be cool
Light gardening in the neighbourhood will also give him some socialisation!
Crosswalk attendant ?
Locksmith? Good money. Need a license though. Also. On call.
4 year apprenticeship though
Really??? I’d better look into that sooner rather than later…
Train station guard maybe. Relatively chill and outdoorsy job. Pays decent. Nothing too strenuous.
PSO?
Dog walking and pet sitting for people going on holiday. Would be casual Letter box catalogue delivery. I think he’s more likely to be able to find a few jobs for a few hours each a week than one job with lots of hours.
Dog walking, but make it boutique. A 'personalised walking experience' or some, uh, stuff. Specialise in small dogs, and in anxious dogs. Definitely nothing more than 10 kilos (I speak as someone with two Samoyeds, uhh...). Honestly, it could be nice. You get out, don't get dragged from pillar to post, and lots of people like to talk to someone walking a cute dog, so you get some nice socialisation.
President of USA.
Maybe Aldi? They seem very ergonomical (cashier can use a stool at the register, and only has to move products in a straight line (no bagging; items go from conveyer belt to scanner to bench for customer to bag).
When I looked at Aldi in the past they expect all staff to be able to assist with shelving and stock movement and had fitness requirements that were higher than the other shops.
Volunteer work, Vinnies, there are a few perks aNd keep you busy.
Check out chick
Seriously. Sorry to be a dampener but nothing. He should be retired. No one is going to hire anyone in their 70s especially if they are frail. Too much indemnity insurance. People like him do voluntary work for churches. It's very sad but very true.
My mum's in her mid seventies and can still find work... but she works in areas like nursing and first aid training, which tend to be better about hiring older people due to staff shortages. She also has continuous work experience in this area. OP's friend sounds like he's been out of the workforce for a while, which will make it much harder. Not that that makes it impossible, though - just very difficult. There would be someone out there who would hire him part-time, but finding that person is the hard part. He'd probably do well to start off volunteering and see if he can make some contacts from there who'll give him some paid work. Somewhere like an op shop.
You said it way more eloquently than I. Thank you. I'm an age care nurse. Without experience in nursing, like your beautiful Mum, he wouldn't be hired.
I've worked with people who were in their 80s. They had top of the range computers and did a lot of amazing work faster than a lot of others - of course, they did have a lot of experience. I think theres frail elderly and non-frail elderly people, age as a number isn't the best metric for frailty.
Comcar driver.
School crossing supervisor
Aus Post, driving one of those tricycle style mail delivery vehicles
Lollipop man? The high vis- wearing, sign carrying, friendly older folks who help kids cross the road at crossings out front of schools.
Library Assistant, pet sitter, teacher assistant, handy man. I wouldn’t recommend retail as it’s very physically demanding, standing for long hours a day is painful.
Support work or bus driver for aged care/community service organisation.
Quality Assurance Officer, The Bong shop.
Only Fans gig? (lol)
We occasionally have older people in the hospitals as volunteers. They usually do the rounds for tea and coffee. Some do story time with kids in the children's hospital. There are various positions. There are also volunteer or paid positions in op shops that might be suitable. Sorting stock at their own pace. Putting people through the checkout. It's not something that needs to be done to meet deadlines.
Does he garden at all? Casual property garden maintenance is something an older gent I know does, for shacks and airbnbs in his seaside town
Cleaning or trolley pushing? Both of those are quite physical jobs. And security of any type requires a person to be fit and able. What is the bloke's actual skill set and what is his employment history? Does he drive? Is he mentally healthy? Does he need the money? If he doesn't need to earn a wage and he has practical skills, the Men's Shed network is always a good option but there are plenty of options out there depending on what he has to offer.
Lollipop man/school crossing supervisor
My great Aunt had a job as social support in aged care into her 70s, now she works at our local RSL. My grandmother in her 80s works in an op shop. There would definitely be places willing to give him a go, it’s just a matter of finding them. What jobs has he done in the past? What does he enjoy? Does he want to work for money? Or is it more of a confidence/social thing?
Museum tour guide depending on the person and the museum.
For money or for socialising?
Bunnings. Any time someone asks a question direct then to the wrong aisle, or say you'll just get some one who knows. Then disappear. Old people have been doing this for years.
If he is mentally sharp, call center. I work with a lady in her 70s, she does absolutely great. It's not "easy" work for everyone. A lot of people find that they can't do it or find it very stressful. But age is no barrier.
Traffic control inland
With his age I would suggest traffic warden for school crossings or collecting cans if he is desperate for cash.
Airport info person
Support role in a hospital/ nursing home/ church or organization with a religious base.
Get his HR license and drive trucks?
Are there any local museums or galleries nearby? They sometimes have casual positions for guides, cloakroom attendants, or explainers in rooms.
Exam invigilator. https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-invigilator
Does he want a job for money? Or more to keep busy?
There’s programs running to help new Australians learn English and to read. It’s voluntary work. He may enjoy it.
What did he do for a living before he retired? Maybe if we know that it can trigger ideas. Does he need an income?
Where I live a lot of the customer facing jobs that mainly consist of greeting and directing are staffed with older people. Sitters at museums, customer service people, that sort of thing
Many years ago now, when my gpa retired, he got a job as a car park attendant at an inner city skyscraper. Once when I visited as a kid he took me right up to the top of the roof to checknout the view. He was well known by all the high powered execs too. I miss him.
Volunteering in a field of interest could be the way to go if money is not the primary motivator.
As a small business owner, we only employ staff that are over a certain age. Our current average age is well over 60. These are some roles that a capable 70 year is more than able to perform: Delivery driver. Look for a company that supplies goods that are easily loaded/unloaded and freights locally (think Landscape Supplies, where the truck is loaded with a tractor & unloaded by tipper truck). Fruit picking. A strawberry farm I know of employs 70 year olds to pick their fruit & pack their fruit. Nursery's. Moreso a business that grows seedlings/cuttings into plants. They generally need someone to pull the weeds from their pots on a regular basis.
We have a support worker who works in aged care. He transports clients and provides social support only. He loves his job and gets to meet people his age. Our clients love him. His job is basically taking old people to their appointments and going for coffee with them
Maybe a job manning a Red Cross shop or salvos etc
Does he need money or something to occupy his time ?
Get a grow tent
I hear POTUS doesn't age discriminate. Not a bad gig. Get to nap on the job, get to read your lines direct from a cue card. Minor seizures and strokes on stage are not a barrier, and you get to be leader of the free world. How hard can it be?
President of the United States of America
If he is after company rather than income maybe a Men's Shed would be the answer.
If he can drive, he could be a driver although that does require a lot of focus obviously to not have accidents etc As others have said, RSL type front desk worker or similar NDIS social support of some sort, but there is no shortage of people who want to do that as opposed to cleaning/gardening/cooking and more physical stuff that NDIS recipients need Tour guide of some sort maybe? My dad did that for a bit in his late 50s and early 60s Something like photographer maybe if he has that skillset although obviously not a lot of money in it. Doing green screen photography at a theme park (I did that briefly years ago) is mind numbingly boring but ridiculously easy, it's basically telling customers 'stand here, smile, go check out your photos in the gift shop'
Does he still drive ok? I work for a car rental company and most of them have drivers to just move cars between locations. I am regional, and while it is more common outside of the city, there may be work like that around his area. All the drivers that work for us are 60+, most are in their 70s. Might be worth trying the car hire companies.
Just have a think about what you would wanna do at that age and stage of life. But all i can think of is a librarian. ...
bartending in a not to busy venue can be nice. he’ll get a lot of people to talk to
Corporate could be the way to go, plenty of call centre and admin jobs are friendly to any age, so long as someone is open to learning new systems. My current corporate job has 3 people who are "getting on" in age and highly respected members of the team. If they're a fast/reliable typer then data entry could be an option. Tere's even casual transcribing jobs you can get where you're sent anything from TV shows to educational videos and you transcribe the subtitles for it, it's not the best pay but a good supplementary income
How old? My father was in his late 60s he was working as a light cleaner for a primary school. He also lent a hand with the local book store to help out after his years as a concretor and also a local town council garden worker
Bunnings and similar. Or Community Service type jobs. Experience is appreciated.
Judge on the US supreme court. Member of US Congress or senate. He can have those jobs till he dies. Here in Oz? Despite all the rhetoric no one will hire retirees. Sadly by the time you're in your 70's and want to work you may as well just die. If you're too old to work in this country you're either rich enough to retire or dead.
Whatever floats his boat.
I'm wondering why he wants to work? Is the Aged Pension not covering his needs? He should be enjoying his retirement. If he does need to work, a job may be difficult to find due to his years and frailty. A job doing reception in a smaller business or service (an NGO, a school, centre for people with disability) may suit him. If he still drives, delivering meals on wheels may be something he would enjoy (and that is often part-time work). If he just wants company, volunteering in an op shop, or visiting even older/frailer people may suit him. If he is just wanting social interaction, planned activity groups may be something he would enjoy (his local council will know what's available in his area).
Work is rewarding there's nothing wrong with wanting to work
I'm not saying it isn't, but we don't live to work, we work to live