Retirement Woes: Living the Hustle in Your Golden Years
Elderly Retiree Vanessa Continues to Work at 85 Years Old
In a reality check, a ZDF documentary sheds light on the harsh realities of retirement as three retirees share their struggles to make ends meet.
Vanessa, an 85-year-old stalwart, climbs seven stories every day, her breath heavy with the weight of labor and age. Retired on paper, she continues to work as a foot care professional or a chair dancer for seniors — all to make the money stretch further than the meager pension she receives. Every month, she receives 1,400 euros but, after getting her bills paid, she's left with a scant 400. "The pension, it doesn't cut it," Vanessa admits, her voice lined with weary resignation.
The pension conundrum isn't isolated to Vanessa. Over the past five years, the number of people working past retirement age has risen by 25 percent, with nearly 1.5 million still toiling away. Shockingly, about a quarter of Germany's food bank customers are of pensionable age.
Angelika, a 75-year-old volunteer at a food bank, sums up the financial predicament succinctly, "The money only lasts for three-quarters of the month." Angelika supplements her 870 euro pension with 500 euros from mini-jobs at a supermarket — a move that takes a toll on her body but makes the difference between eating or falling off a financial cliff. Ageist hiring practices make it difficult for Angelika to find employment, leading to months of rejection before finding an occasional job.
Both Vanessa and Angelika have spent the bulk of their lives tending to their children and thus paid less into the pension fund. Economy aside, they also lack the support of a partner, either due to divorce or the absence of a financially stable spouse.
Emi, 71, had been self-employed for years and paid no heed to the pension fund along the way — a decision he now regrets. Faced with a slipping disc that depleted his savings, Emi took a full-time job as a German teacher, working long hours to earn 3,200 euros monthly. "I never thought I'd be working at 70, let alone as a teacher," admits the 71-year-old. "It is what it is, that's life."
Despite the challenges they face, Emi, Vanessa, and Angelika strive to maintain a positive outlook, embracing work as a means of community interaction and personal fulfillment. But the specter of uncertainty looms over them all, raising questions about the future and the sustainability of their lives post-employment.
The ZDF documentary "37°: Pension? Not enough!" dives deeper into these issues, providing glimpses into the lives of ordinary individuals coping with financial hardships in their retired years. The documentary airs on ZDF on June 3 at 10:15 PM. For more information, visit the ZDF media library before the broadcast.
- In light of the retirement struggles depicted in the ZDF documentary, Vanessa, a retired woman, actively engages in health-and-wellness activities like chair dancing for seniors and providing foot care services, not only for the physical benefits but also to supplement her inadequate pension in the realm of personal-finance.
- Despite the rising number of people working past retirement age, the financial strain is evident even among those who qualify for health-and-wellness benefits, such as Angelika, a 75-year-old retiree who works part-time at a supermarket to stretch her pension and manage her health-and-wellness expenses.
- Emi, a 71-year-old retiree, wonders how science could have aided in addressing the aging and women's health issues that have led to his financial predicament, considering his Pittsburg Discount as a self-employed worker left him ill-prepared for his golden years.
