I am so sad

[pattilou52]

Today my daughter and I were in the uniform shop getting her scrubs for work when a charming little lady came in to the store.   She asked the clerk if she could fill out a job application.  The clerk began talking with her and the story unfolded.   This lady is 80 years old and her husband is 86.  They were both out applying for jobs.  In the great crash of 2008, they lost all their savings.  They were able to sell their condo and are now living in a small studio apartment.   Social security benefits are small, medical bills are large.    I am not sure of the wisdom of having so much money tied up in the stock market at their age but it does not matter now- all that matters is that the money is gone.   I got the impression that there was no pension - it's pretty much the money from the condo sale was all they had.      I know they can probably get help from social service agencies but this broke my heart.   She even asked if she could clean the store.  After she left, the clerk, Britt and I all cried.   Here was a couple who probably worked hard all their lives only to see it spin out of control over no fault of their own.   Some days I really don't like what this world has turned into.

[namesjusgrammy]

Nov. 7, 2009 at 9:21 AM

That is sad Patti. It's also why I quit my sales job. Stories like that are getting all too common in this economy. I think society promotes needing more. People save for years, think they are on easy street but the money doesn't last forever.

[ainteasy]

Nov. 7, 2009 at 9:51 AM that is very very sad......

[Laurieanne42]

Nov. 7, 2009 at 10:21 AM

It's such a sad sad situation. This is happening often and it makes me so sick to think that in this country, we can't even take care of our elderly. These folks work all of their lives so that they can be comfortable in their latter years and this happens. It's horrible.

[GigantaursMommy]

Nov. 8, 2009 at 2:02 AM

I feel so bad for people like this. One of the baggers at the commissary must be close to ninety now and she works there for tips every day and even though I only give the teenagers 2-5 dollars depending on how many groceries I have I give her up to 10 which is the most I can spare. It disgusts me to see our elderly having to work after they worked their entire lives to be able to retire comfortably. I help out where I can.

[BakingShirl]

Dec. 6, 2009 at 8:20 PM Oh, how awful. I see many more elderly working then ever before. With the cost of medicines, food, heat & electricity, it gets harder and harder to keep afloat! My Dad hasn't been able to take his Aricept meds for almost 3 months now due to the cost if the pill ($495). I had to make the decision to let that one go, as he needs all of the other 8 to survive( diabetes, cancer, heart, etc) Don't these greedy huge companies realize what they've done to this country and it's people? Shame on us.....