For the past decade, 83-year-old Howard Ring has supplemented his Social Security income by working in a metal tubing factory. He’s one of 9 million Americans over 65 who have continued working past the traditional retirement age. For Ring, work offers more than a wage; it keeps him from getting bored and helps him pay his rent.The company he works for, Vita Needle in Needham, Massachusetts, has consistently supported this workforce — elderly workers with schedules that demand flexibility for things like doctor’s appointments, family visits — and of course, rest — with one caveat: “The only requirement is to be able to walk up and down the stairs,” Ring says. “You can be helped up and helped down; that’s OK too.”VICE News sat down with Ring at work to learn about the company that’s allowing elderly workers like himself to pay the bills.
This episode of VICE News Tonight originally aired Sept. 7, 2017, on HBO.