Well I guess I’m at a real crossroads in my life.At my yearly checkup the surgeon that did my hip replacement last year suggested that I might consider retiring. I’m only 54. My other hip isn’t normal and arthritis is attacking both sholders.
I’ve been driving a cement mixer the last three years and everyday is painful.
The problem is that for the last 20 years my jobs have been of the physical kind. Truckdriving,antenna installation, mechanic, machine operator. All requiring strength coordination and range of movement.
Now the range of movement is lacking and the strength is waning. Next I guess goes the coordination.
Well enough whinning.
I need some ideas about where ,how, a 54 year old can start over.
I haven’t done mental work for at least 20 years and I’m not the salesman type.
I guess male gigalo is out too.
I’m really at an impasse here.
Any ideas or trends you folks have noticed would be appreciated
Hard to say, not knowing all of your skills or experience. Is there a desk job in the company or industry you work in? Maybe the dispatcher of cement trucks, or a equipment repair & maintenance supervisor, or some such? Or maybe a security guard, light assembly work, something where you can sit and work without a lot of heavy lifting? If not, there are always aptitude tests. Check at a local community college to see if they have something like that. You can always file for disability with Social Security (assuming you’re in the USA, of course) but that’s not a guaranteed deal by any means. Hmm, I bet that if you told the Social Security people that you didn’t want to file for disability, but wanted to work, they’d be glad to put you in touch with some sort of vocational expert who can help you search for another career.
Good luck!
Thanks ralf
I took one of those on line aptitude tests a while back. Guess what??? I’d make a pretty good carpenter:)
Jeez, sounds like you should have taken the online aptitude test 30 years ago! 
Best of luck, Justwannano. The trick is to try to find a match for the skills (and limitations) you have, even if it’s in a way you may not have thought about before. It sounds like you’ve got good mechanical skills. Can you use those somewhere else? Maybe in an auto parts store? Us amateurs can always use advice from someone that knows a knutter valve from a muffler bearing. Or maybe teach your skills to us amateurs - high school auto shop, that local community college, maybe? Can you switch to driving something else - a forklift, a cab, a school bus or city bus, or light delivery like UPS or the US Mail?
Did you talk to your employer about doing something there that you’re more suited for? If they have a good work record, a lot of employers will work with their employees to find something that still works for both of them. This saves you the hassle of searching for another job, too!
If you do have to file for partial or full disability, get all the supporting documentation you can. Medical evidence from your doctor saying you can no longer do your current work is invaluable. Be sure that everything is written down, and in full detail. Let the doctor know you need this for your case. Supporting evidence from the employer can help, too. Hearsay evidence or evidence from less credible sources (neighbors, homeopaths, chiropractors, etc) is given less weight. Don’t build a case on just that if you can help it.
It helps if the evidence is consistent over time. If your doctor’s reports say you felt fine in May, August, and September, but hurt in July, and October, it won’t help your case any. Think seriously about getting a lawyer experienced in this area of law to help you. It’ll cost you some, but it can be the difference between approval and no approval at all.