Posted on 12/06/2017 10:23:53 AM PST by thescourged1
I need some advice. I'm unable to continue on in my current occupation in warehousing and storage. I've been doing it for many years, but now my knees are so shot that I can't even do light labor comfortably or stand for very long. I have a friend who is a vocational rehab counselor that can get me set up with a ticket to ride on an education to get into a field that is more compatible with my physical problems.
What makes it all the more thought-provoking, is that I just turned 50. That's not old, but old enough that it makes me ask myself how much time do I really want to spend in school, knowing that I will hit retirement age in as little as 17 years.
Putting the age weirdness aside, my real question is what are the real employment trends right now and what is safer from being encroached upon by foreigners and automation? I know some of you Freepers are business owners, recruiters, HR specialists and educators. Your on-the-ground experience is much more valuable to me than articles written and statistics compiled by those with an agenda.
True, true, true and true.
Luckily, there are plenty of nice freepers to help somebody out.
Real Estate.
But I would suggest specializing in selling commercial warehouse properties.
It depends on what you are comfortable doing. Everyone will recommend a computer job but if you aren’t comfortable with it, don’t do it. You’ll grow to hate it.
Make a list of things you like to do and see if any of them are money-able.
The Disability just doesn’t pay that much and places too many restrictions on you. Not only that, you don’t want to depend on the government because you have to recourse if they decide to screw you.
Private disability plans are better but harder to get into. Disability is like sword over your head all the time.
Going from active (walking,etc.) to sitting at a desk will really make your knees go south. I have been waking with rice crispies (snap, crackle and pop) since I was 25 (I am 47); I work in retail construction and run a small cattle operation, were I to transition to a desk, I would be immobile. I have to keep moving or sink like a shark with no fins. My two cents.
Have faith in God. What are some things you love to do? Pick one and you’ll never work another day in your life.
Sales
Somebody always needs to by something
Logistic planning
What’s your passion? Do you like guns? What about getting certified as a gunsmith? It’s a highly skilled sit down job that will always be in demand.
That’s what my daughter is considering. She has a degree (part 2 of a double major) in geography. It’s her passion and if there was ever a contest where one could make money on it, she’d be rich! Her love of maps and all that goes with them is what her exploring the GIS path.
Are you aware of any top notch schools/programs? Thanks
Do you like keeping things lined up?
Do you hate to see photos squeezed vertically or horizontally?
Do you know the difference between serif and sans serif?
Can you tell the difference between a nationally produced advertisement and a locally done furniture store ad?
Then look into Graphic Design.... easy to learn and lots of jobs.
“Are you aware of any top notch schools/programs?”
I use a number of GIS sites, but don’t know anyone that is a GIS designer. I’m just fascinated by how it works.
First things first, actually, what have you done on the medical front to deal with the underlying problem? Or even just to identify it?
At age 19, I was diagnosed with bilateral chondromalacia, (which spelling I won’t absolutely guarantee) a pre-arthritic condition. I was offered surgery for it, but at the time knew 10 people who’d had the surgery, and only one of them was off the crutches. I was, at the time, an aircraft mechanic for the USAF. I turned the surgery down. I retrained into still photography, did ten years in that field, and then voluntarily retrained again into satellite communications, doing a further 12 years in that field. Retired from the USAF with 24 years of service. In all that time, I had knee pain not eliminated or even adequately controlled by the assortment of NSAIDS prescribed for me. Not terrible pain, but limiting, never the less. About 14 years after I retired, I got cockscomb extract injections in the knees. Within a few days, the pain was gone. I’ve been retired now for a bit over 20 years, and have just recently begun having momentary pains in the knees. Those injections were about 5 or 6 years ago. Not to mention that the surgeries for knees have improved tremendously since then.
OTH, I’ve also had both hips replaced since 2009, possibly because of the knee problems.
Yep. YMMV. I worked for a few years as a teacher, after a decade of going to school to become one, and spent more time on my feet then than I did as a mechanic, and did a lot more paperwork. I’ve worked in a couple of warehouses, since then, too. Back to being a mechanic again, and liking it a lot more. Not too bad for a 62-YO guy with bad knees and replacement hips.
Short form. Don’t try to be a teacher. If you hate paperwork as much as I do, being a mechanic isn’t perfect, but it’s better than being a teacher. If you’re good with paperwork, and by that I mean LIKE doing paperwork, there are lots of good jobs. I’m actually training now as a machinist, which also involves a lot of standing, walking, and some lifting, but I’m doing it strictly for fun. Something I was too dumb as a teen to realize would have been the perfect job for me then is a great hobby now. Building my own home machine shop. And only as much paperwork as I want there to be.
Good luck! Oh, and stay away from narcotic pain meds, if at all possible.
OS
“Do what you can to improve yourself but...50+ is not a good place to be switching careers.”
True, that. But sometimes necessary anyway.
Been there, done that. A couple of times. Just don’t give up, and be prepared to be flexible. Semper Gumby!
I started with my current employer loading big industrial washing machines by hand, and did it for about 2-1/2 years before moving to a job fixing the machines, about 2-1/2 years ago. Just celebrated my 5th anniversary with them.
OS
You are so correct-and that is something my comp clients were/are always cautioned about when/if they start talking about that-I tell them it is their decision, but that if they decide to lawyer up and go the SSDI route, I will close their case-my job is to help injured people return to work-not collect disability benefits beyond what workers comp pays.
1) your knees will keep getting worse, as you walk to classes
2) options: full or partial knee replacement
Depending on the state you live. If you were any where near Memphis, TN I’d recommend Dr. Lawerence Schrader. He’s done both my husband’s Partial knees. And one was on the back side of his 1-4 scale. Just did my Son in laws, and he’s a 6’6” man, 200 lbs, with calves the size of my thighs, from having had diabetes, heart issues for years before stomach reduction surgery to loose 200 lbs. He is back to work, had a wet floor fall, but no damage to the leg repair, in under 2 months. PT is done at home and walking. Only 1 who does this type of surgery. Even his full knee is superior to those offered by most orthos.
You can walk the same day, drive in 3. Climb stairs in a week, Kneel back most of the way. Lots more rotation than regular full knee replacement and just as strong.
Many of my friends who get The Disability are anxious about it. If the government ever cracks down on it and makes people re-apply, they are done and they know it. When the government damages you, you can’t go to the government to get relief like you can when a corporation damages you.
I had a guy on a ministry team who had to drop out because he was trying to get Disability. He was basically house-bound for months because he was scared he would get investigated and the truth would come out.
As part of your career search, I recommend the book “Do What You Are.” They surveyed personality types that tend to prefer certain kinds of work. When I walk people through the book, each of the 16 most common profiles has a list of 10 things that personality type prefers in a work environment. Once you identify the closest match to you, that list of 10 things should be a VERY good match. Then you put the list of 10 things in order and compare or cross compare it with job types trending well to find the best match. Each of the types also has lists of occupations commonly preferred by each of the types.
I say all of this because I believe that you will compete better in jobs that you are naturally inclined to do.
You might see if your current employer provides tuition reimbursement. You could get a degree that they’ll pay for and transition into a better job with your employer. You might also look into a sales job for equipment you’ve been using. Ie forklifts or stretchwrappers.
Good luck. It’s brutal out there.
A neighbor and friend of mine who had a work related back injury was about to become an independent contractor-she asked me about SSDI after an ambulance chaser tried to talk her into going for it-he even promised to show her just how to fake it to get a high disability rating-I just told her exactly what would happen if/when she got caught lying-doing work she was not supposed to be able to do, not to mention making more than the allowable income-it was enough to dissuade her-she went to physical therapy and work hardening instead-she and I work for the same contractor now...
Having worked with comp clients for some 30 years, I can tell you it is not “if” you will be caught if you are getting benefits you are not entitled to but “when” it will happen-it always turns out better-and keeps you from being prosecuted for fraud-to return to work unless you really do have the kind of disability that SSDI was intended for.
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