I'm an 83-year-old yoga instructor. I'm not your typical grandma — I still work to feel fulfilled and supplement my Social Security.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Barbara Brown, 83, who works as a yoga instructor in Richmond, Virginia. Brown said her work has been fulfilling, given that many of her classes are at nursing homes . Though she needs to work to supplement her Social Security , Brown said she has no intention of retiring. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
I started working after school at the age of 15 and have been working ever since. My family wasn't well-off and needed help, so I took it upon myself to attend college at night and work all day.
While I was in school, a gentleman from JPMorgan recruited me to work for the company. I began my career as an auditor after earning my degree in accounting.
I spent over 15 years at JPMorgan, and it was a wonderful experience, but it wasn't easy. I then worked at smaller companies as a controller, overseeing accounting operations. I also worked for entertainment companies and startups in New York.
Business Insider's "80-over-80" series draws on interviews with the growing group of Americans working past their 80th birthdays. They discussed their careers, retirement planning, living expenses, healthcare, and life lessons. If you are 80 and older and still work, fill out this form to contribute to the series.
Read our capstone story from the series and watch our video .
I moved to Richmond about 20 years ago. My husband got sick and had a stroke, so we moved here because my son was going to college here. Richmond is very different from New York, but I found a job at a visual arts place, where I stayed for about 10 years until 2009.
After retiring from that job, I became a yoga instructor, and I'm still running my business full-time at age 83.
