Marvalene Bickerstaff, 80

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Grove

Title: Customer service representative

Background: Has worked at the hospital for 58 years.

How many hours a week do you work?

40.

Why not retire?  

I like to have my own independence

to do things I like without going into

the family budget. I still like to shop,

get my nails and hair done, and go to casinos sometimes.

Does your family want you to retire?

My daughters and son do. They’d like me to work part time. They know I like to work and my mind is still pretty sharp.

Best part of working past 80? Worst?

The worst part is not being able to sleep in. The best part is you don’t have to budget your money as much. You’ve got freedom.

Are you up to date on technology?

No, I’m not. I have the same flip phone I’ve always had, but I like it. I don’t do Facebook. But I do the basics on computers.

What is the best advice you ever got?

I always use the Kenny Rogers expression, “Know when to hold ’em, know when to

fold ’em, know when to walk away.” I tell young people, you can’t always say what’s on your mind.

What advice would you give to people who want to work well past 65?

They have to maintain their physical and mental health. That’s the main thing to me.

What’s the secret to staying healthy and active?

Moving around, using your mind, walking sometimes, and still doing some of your own housework – that’s about what I do. I read my Bible and magazines, shop, and go to church.

Do you work as much as you used to in your 40s and 50s?

Just about, yes.

How has your work routine changed?  

I’ve been working here for 58 years in different departments – in the medical staff office, in nursing as a nurse’s aide, and on the hospital floor as secretarial staff. You don’t get bored having different jobs.

What do you miss the most about being young?

To be truthful, I can’t say I miss too many things.

What do you see in the future?  

Working part time, seeing my grandkids graduate from college, teaching them to respect older people, and being kind to those who are less fortunate.

– Paul Eakins