It is mind boggling as I started thinking about all the jobs I have held since I was in school. I started out as a school library worker continuing until I graduated. I babysit for several families. I worked in many food establishments as a dishwasher and then dinner cook, and finally a banquet chef. I also did cleaning at motels and laundry work at rest homes. After my divorce I worked on a regular farm. Then I moved to Florida, and worked on a wildlife farm, plus I looked for somewhere to work and decided to try my hand at a local packing house. I sorted vegetables for 3 days from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm, with only short breaks. That job I quit as I did not enjoy driving 15 miles to my home that late at night. So my next job was one I held for a longer time as I created it. I started a housecleaning service and did it for over 10 years until I was laid low by Fibromyalgia. The weakness was overwhelming and I was forced to apply for disability and fought for almost 7 years to get it. I hated having to quit working and I hated the illness for robbing me of my ability to work. I returned home to Pennsylvania, and found myself with a family job of watching out for and caregiving full time for my mother. I did this for five years until she passed away last fall. So now I am looking for part time work to help me pay my bills and be independent from hand outs for as long as possible. I guess in lots of ways I am praying for some guidance as where to begin. I live in a small town that has been hit hard by businesses going out of business or moving out of the country. Our town is filled with empty houses and people looking for work. Maybe I need to reinvent the wheel and create another job. Any thoughts on this subject? Help me by telling me what job do you do now and did you need training to qualify for this job?
Maybe you can continue with caregiving as a profession. My husband's brother was here last month for a vacation with his family. He and his wife are both caregivers in a state-subsidized health center. They are employed by different centers although their work is the same - caring for PWD (persons with disabilities). My sister-in-law is earning $10 per hour while her husband gets $12 per hour, that's in California near the Hollywood area. They say that its good money since their rent is $1,200 only. And since overtime is unlimited, they seem to be enjoying the money that they earn.
Sorry Sandy, but the things that I have done or presently do would not help you with your problem. That said, I have however kept my ear open and have found that more and more professionals need data entry people. An acquaintance of ours has lupus and performs entries for a group of doctors and does it from home. Our insurance broker asked my wife and I if we might want to do some appointment setting for himself and his agents which could be done in his office (answering phones would be included) or at home. Real estate companies, doctors, lawyers and just about anyone with a business that is half way busy needs someone who can take in known data and put it in the proper box on a form. Does the town you live in have an after hour answering service? If so or if not, start one and include data entering as an addition for your clients. $$$. You obviously have some computer skills and the initiative to better yourself and the keyboard may be the pearl in your oyster. Hope that helps a small bit........God Bless
@Bobby Cole, Thank you for your comments. Our town is small but worse yet very few jobs, so I am out there looking. I got a application for working at Goodwill, and I also heard about a program that helps seniors get work called Pathstones. It is run by a government agency to train seniors on the job. Some help out at the rec hall and senior center, others at the library and other spots in town. So I am going to see about that as well. Any other ideas are welcome.