Arlene

Arlene, 62, was laid off from her job as a garment worker from Rosel Sportswear in Heighten, Penn., last year when production moved overseas. Between babysitting for her grandchildren and doing household chores, Arlene has been searching for employment in the few garment factories left in Pennsylvania with no luck. Arlene’s unemployment ended in January, and she desperately hopes to find another job.

My Story
Working in the garment industry has kept me busy over the years. Since my husband died, I’ve been working a lot and I spend my free time babysitting my grandchildren. But, I have a lot more free time since the plant I worked for moved overseas and laid off hundreds of employees, including myself.

As a 62-year-old grandmother, I feel it’s too late in life to be retrained. I’ve tried to find a job in retail, and I’m told that I’m not the right age. So, you don’t have many career options at my age. Being unemployed as an older adult is scary, because I can’t afford health care if I get sick and I won’t be able to afford to live on my own forever with no income. Luckily, I was able to pay off my home two years ago; therefore, I’m not worried about losing it.

People in my town have really been hard hit by the job crisis. They can’t afford their homes, and I’ve seen a lot of homes foreclosed in Carbon County. My grown children are doing well right now, but I fear they won’t be able to afford to do things for my grandchildren in the future, like send them to college.

Times are just hard for people right now and I hope it will get a little easier. People shouldn’t have to make a choice between—Do I eat? Do I keep warm? Do I get health care? These simply aren’t choices that Americans who’ve worked all their lives should be forced to make.