max age to do a physical job.

stu12345_2

I'm 55 and done mostly physical jobs for last 10 years.im slim with some good muscles. , current job is full-time physical with bosses I hate., current workmates are 65 ,slow and lazy and hide a lot.
but I feel I get tired now after a shift( sleep is the most important thing in my life,sad eh?)( I'm no fun).,( I've noticed a big change in recovery since I was 45)I'm at least 10 years.away from retirement ,unless I receive an inheritance,( I have a frail parent who is 87 and she says when she passes on,I am to sell her home and try retire with the money,around £100,000,),( she retired at 55 and hates to see me exhausted)( my dad died  23 years ago,at 57 , 1 year after retiring from a physical job)( heart attack)
I. did a job interview on Wednesday for another outdoor physical job.the interviewer could see I was slim and fit,but he said the team I would be working with are fast and in mid 20s. you could tell I looked worried at that point .

so, trying to figure out if I will last to retirement age doing the jobs I do.. I can't afford to go part time for at least another 6 years.
I also am paying off £10,000 in debt on a dmp.i also have an HND to my name I got in 1999 and have never used the diploma.

oldernonethewiser

I worked with people in their 70s who did physically demanding jobs however if anyone is not physically capable it down't matter what age you are.

If you feel you are struggling look for work you feel more able to do.

stu12345_2

oldernonethewiser said:

I worked with people in their 70s who did physically demanding jobs however if anyone is not physically capable it down't matter what age you are.

If you feel you are struggling look for work you feel more able to do.

I just get so tired so often. that is the type of work I have the most experience with.so it's the norm for me. eg.  but you never see road or building  site labourers at 70. you get my point. some jobs you can do at 70 ,but not eg bin men, bricklayers etc

I guess I'm just looking for replies from folk that did work to 65 in heavy manual jobs,in particular outdoor ones and how they managed it.
as I can't see my employer making adaptions for me,I'm not disabled, or do I eventually become like my lazy workmates who are 65 and cut corners with their tasks and hide a lot at work and take lots of unofficial breaks.
management won't sack them cos as these staff have told me , to my face,"we've been here for 10 plus  years( even 20 years) and we deserve  the right to hide and cut corners,we've done our grafting"
,sadly the management seems to secretly accept this.

oldernonethewiser

If you personally are not able then it doesn't matter what other people did. 

stu12345_2

oldernonethewiser said:

If you personally are not able then it doesn't matter what other people did. 

I mean did these other people change their diets or sleep.what did they do to manage the work and recover their body daily?
did they smoke or drink? or did they give it up?
as I am slim, have great muscles, but get tired.more tired than I was at 45 ,even at 50..
my diet is superb, so is my hydration levels, I don't drink.but I smoke 6 cigarettes a day.

TELLIT01

Some people well into their 70s can do heavy physical work perfectly well, others half their age can't.  My neighbour is a scaffolder in his mid 30s and he doesn't think he can carry on doing that for much longer.

[Deleted User]

You need to look for another less physically demanding job. Ignore what others think or say. It is what you want that matters. Health comes first. Look in the retail sector or public service like the NHS. They need people. Be positive You have a lot to offer.

oldernonethewiser

Stopping smoking will help no matter what else you do.

See a doctor if you are worried about fatigue levels.

Some people smoke, drink and eat too much and do physically demanding jobs - everyone is different.

stu12345_2

TELLIT01 said:

Some people well into their 70s can do heavy physical work perfectly well, others half their age can't.  My neighbour is a scaffolder in his mid 30s and he doesn't think he can carry on doing that for much longer.

I look like a little Mr universe lol. but boy oh boy do I need my sleep. and on my days off, I sleep a lot.but still feel knackered.

stu12345_2

I stopped smoking twice via champix, but that has been off the market for 2 years.i won't use any other method, cos other methods are simply replacing nicotine with nicotine, eg patches,mints,vapes.
the key is to take no nicotine,but take dopamine,which champix provided

I spoke to stop smoking clinic for champix or zyban.,both are unavailable at moment .they told me Google daily and if I see they are back on the market phone the stop smoking  clinic again.

tbh I feel fags play little impact as I've smoked lightly for 33 years. I feel it's just my age and internal recovery systems that are getting slower and slower..
I have a Mediterranean diet and avoid alcohol completely.
I had my testosterone levels checked etc at doctors and it showed average. all blood work is showing normal. lung function is also normal for my age.
I have applied for 2 desk jobs, but not sure if I will get them as it's not my usual occupation and fear I will become fat with poor heart health sitting on my backside all day.
I did have a desk job 15 years ago.i was fat, stressed and took no exercise.,I drank a lot due to the pressure of the job.
my current manual labour job isn't stressful, it's just tiring .
I don't need the gym as I get all the exercise I need in the job .6 hrs a day, and that is more than anyone does in a gym daily.

[Deleted User]

Also if you get a job with a pension scheme you will have a few years to build up a pension to help in retirement.
12 years in the NHS scheme plus state pension plus using the possible inheritance of £100000 wisely could give you a reasonable retirement.