Jane Woodcock says when her husband died in 2018, she quickly realized she did not have enough income to support herself and their five animals.
In 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the 68-year-old Woodcock started to see the price of everything rise, prompting her to find a job as a cleaner to help cover costs.
The Deseronto, Ont., resident told Global News she never imagined herself in this position.
“I thought I’d be retired because my husband died seven years ago and before that, I wasn’t working. He was working and supporting both of us and all the animals,” she said.
A 2024 report from Resume Builder found that four in 10 working seniors have unretired.
The report shows that 39 per cent of seniors who are employed returned to work after retirement, while the other 61 per cent have never retired.
The report cites increases in the cost of living and insufficient retirement savings as the top reasons seniors are returning to work.
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Woodcock, who has two dogs, two cats and a potbellied pig, says the cost of food to feed herself and her pets is getting out of control.
“Every time I go into the grocery store, stuff that I was always buying before, it’s like double the price and (it) just pisses me off,” she remarked.
Woodcock estimates she spends $400 a month just for food on the pig and says the cost of food for the other animals is also “ridiculously” high.
She has also had to make hard cuts in other areas of her life, like getting rid of cable and being cautious when she runs her heating and air conditioning.
“People should be able to live properly. If you’re hot, you should be allowed to turn on the air conditioner. If you’re cold, turn up the heat … It’s just too much,” she said.
Between her job and survivor’s pension, Woodcock says she has about $4,000 a month to cover expenses. Between mortgage payments, insurance and the cost of food, that money quickly disappears, she says.
“It’s a mix, and it’s still not enough.”
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