Elderly people in the United States are increasingly coming out of retirement to look for work because of the recession. The need to pay for housing, medical bills and even food is forcing older workers back into the labour market, according to a study by the non-governmental organization Experience Works. Almost half of the 2,000 low-income survey participants over 55 years old need to work to keep their homes, the study says. Experience Works is the “nation’s largest nonprofit provider of community service, training and employment opportunities for older workers,” according to Reuters.

The news agency reports US Department of Labor data as showing that in August 2009 two million people over the age of 55 were looking for work, an increase of 69 percent over August 2008. US News reports a glimmer of hope, however, in noting that the unemployment rate for workers over 55 decreased slightly from June 2009 to July. Unemployment figures do not include people out of the work force, for example retired people, who have decided to look for jobs again. US Bureau of Labor Statistics spotlight on older workers, July 2008

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