As people are living longer than ever before, many are choosing to ‘unretire’ and use their skills for the workplace for a longer time. That is according to longevity and ageing researcher Professor Andrew Scott. “I have colleagues teaching at the university who are over 80 years old,” he said. “They don’t want to retire and want to continue teaching as long as they can.”
Author of ‘The Longevity Imperative’ and a professor of economics at the London Business School, Scott was in Dubai for a talk and said that the world needed to change their views towards older adults. “Currently, they are viewed as a burden to the medical system,” he said. “However, they have so much to contribute to society and their expertise can be utilised.”
In the UAE, a retirement visa was introduced in 2021, allowing expats to stay in the country after retiring. Moreover, with the introduction of the Golden Visa, more people who are aged 60 or more are moving to the country, presenting the UAE with a unique opportunity to utilise their expertise.
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Scott spent over 10 years researching for his new book and said it was also important for society to realign themselves to suit the needs of a growing older population. “The concept of retirement needs to change,” he said. “Yes, older people shouldn’t have to work a full time job but they need a more flexible role where they can utilise and share their skills while also coaching the younger generation and mentoring.”
‘I am my own boss’
Dutch expat Heidi Struiksma arrived in the UAE in 1994 and worked as a human resources expert for several decades for some of the top companies in the country before becoming a freelancer here.
“I worked for over 30 years in the UAE, setting up frameworks on how to train local homegrown talent and make sure they are ready to take over leadership positions,” she said.
However, as she grew older, she found that she preferred to call her own shots and work only with companies with whom she identified with. That is how she became a freelancer in 2007. Today, the 70 year old enjoys flexible working hours and finds time to follow several of her passions.
“I am very passionate about coaching, mentoring and training young Emirati talents and being a freelancer gives me the time to do that,” she said. “I also only work with companies with whom my values align. My father always taught me that as an expatriate, my job was to put in place systems so that the locals can continue functioning even after I leave. This is something I have always carried with me.”
Heidi is also an active member of the Dubai Natural History Group and enjoys going on challenging treks. Last year, she travelled with a group of wanderlusts on a trek to Antarctica. She also volunteers with Sailablity at the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club where she supports children of determination to learn how to sail.
Challenges
However, Heidi admitted that being a freelancer and having a flexible work schedule as a septugenarian brings with it its own set of challenges. “I haven’t had a client for over a year and that is one of the biggest challenges,” she said. “The financial pressure is always there and you never know when the next client is coming. Another challenge is the medical insurance. It gets expensive as you get older.”
For a premium global insurance cover, Heidi said she pays Dh50,000 per year. Despite these issues, Heidi said she doesn’t want to leave the UAE unless she has to. “I love how there are people from all over the world here and you get to learn from so many cultures,” she said. “So unless I am financially forced to, I don’t want to leave this country that I love so much.”