Jane Brody

Longtime New York Times writer Jane Brody writes about her own encore career in today’s Personal Health column, “In Act 2 of Life, Doing Work That Matters.”

Brody cut back her hours 10 years ago when she officially retired after 32 years as a science writer. “I have, however, continued to do the work I love most — writing this weekly column as a contract writer and speaking to lay and professional audiences about fostering good health,” she writes.

She enjoys spending time with her grandsons and friends, traveling and pursuing her hobbies. Yet, she writes, “I realize that I am still missing something — the personal (as opposed to financial) giveback to social causes that I might support, like helping parents and schools turn out healthier children and helping young people achieve a wholesome work-life balance.”

Brody cites Dr. Peter I. Pressman as an example of someone who has found such a “giveback” encore career. After he retired in 2003 after 40 years as a New York breast cancer surgeon, Pressman found he wanted more structure in his life and missed the intellectual and social interaction with colleagues. Now, at age 72, he is directing a program that helps women assess their genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

He told Brody, “My professional goal had always focused on bettering the lives of women, and this is something meaningful that enables me to continue to help women and remain involved professionally.” Though he works only two days, he has found he gets more done.

Brody cites Civic Ventures and Encore.org and and outlines the argument Marc Freedman, CEO of Civic Ventures makes in Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life.

“According to Mr. Freedman,” she writes, “the time is now to put in place a new model of retirement, both for the sake of individuals and for the society in which we all live. Those who are pioneering this new model, he says, ‘are not celebrating their freedom from work, but rather their freedom to work, in ways that hold the promise of personal fulfillment, economic benefit and social renewal.‘”

She also quotes Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners, authors of Don’t Retire, Rewire! as saying, “Rewiring is different from retirement because it starts from inside you. Rewiring is not about responding to someone else’s goals for you or living out society’s agenda for you. Rewiring comes from you, your personal motivators, your vision, your dreams, your goals and your values. That’s why rewiring is so satisfying for so many people.”

Brody writes, “As 70 million baby boomers approach 65, the country is facing both an impoverished Social Security system and empty retirement accounts among millions of older people.

“In place of the hand-wringing and doomsday predictions, Mr. Freedman suggests creating new approaches and opportunities for 60-somethings, especially in the public and nonprofit sectors.

“Like members of the Experience Corps (created by Mr. Freedman) who help children succeed in school, these people might work part time as volunteers, with their expenses paid, to fulfill important community needs.”

By 2050, the average 65-year-old may well live to age 90.

“Dr. Pressman has found his niche,” she concludes. “What will you be doing with all those years?”