JoAnn Lundy was surprised to realize she will be 72 in a few months. The senior woman from Rapid City figured at this age, she'd be retired and sitting at home with her husband. She didn't imagine that retiring from her 22 years in the insurance business in Ohio would be so boring.

"I figured that once I retired, that would be it," Lundy said. "But you can only cook and clean for so long."

When Lundy saw an advertisement for South Dakota's Experience Works program in the paper, advertising employment for workers 55 and older, she went in and signed up.

Experience Works placed Lundy at the Rapid City office for Communication Service for the Deaf in July 2007, and she has been working there ever since.

Experience Works is a national, nonprofit organization that works to provide training and employment services for people ages 55 and older. The program was established in 1965 and is the largest of Senior Community Service Employment Programs through the U.S. Department of Labor, according to Kim Cook, employment coordinator for the Rapid City office.

With the aging of the baby boom generation, the Department of Labor Web site says that by 2014, Americans ages 55 or older will account for 21 percent of the work force. In recognition of this growing population, Sept. 21-27 is National Employ Older Workers Week.

Right now, Experience Works has about 50 employees being trained in area nonprofit organizations, but Cook said she hopes to increase that number to about 80. The Rapid City office covers most of the West River area and has workers ranging from ages 55 to 84.

The workers train for six months to a year or longer, depending on their needs, Cook said. During their training, the employees are paid by Experience Works, which gets its funding through grants, private donations and from the Department of Labor. When the training period is complete, the program works to get the worker a job that is compatible with their new skills. Sometimes, the host organization will hire the employee.

"That's the best-case scenario," Cook said.

That's what happened for Lundy, who was hired by the communication service after a year working for the company, being trained to answer phones, organize files and be a telephone equipment distribution program specialist.

She works 20 hours a week, riding Dial-A-Ride to work because she can no longer drive. Lundy has a genetic condition that has made her legally blind. But the condition doesn't affect her work; she has special glasses, an enlarged monitor and a talking keyboard to help her get through the day.

Soon, she is going to start learning American Sign Language so she can better communicate with the deaf community that uses her agency.

"I want to learn the ASL so I can communicate better with them," she said, but for the most part, communication is not a problem.

Patricia Wise and Cheryl Red Bow also got jobs after working with Experience Works. Both work at Cornerstone Thrift Store, on 11th Street in Rapid City. Red Bow is entering her second year with the store, and Wise will have her one-year anniversary in November.

Wise signed up for Experience Works when her husband became ill and was unable to work. She said she worked for the program for about three months before Cornerstone hired her.

Red Bow left a more-than-25-year career at Sanmina-SCI when fibromyalgia left her unable to continue her job with the electronics component manufacturing firm. Experience Works placed her at Cornerstone in January 2007, and she was hired by the homeless shelter thrift store in May. Both women went from working part-time to now holding full-time positions.

Finding a job after the age of 55 can be a challenge, Red Bow said.

"It's just a matter of finding the right thing that you can handle," she said.

Training with Experience Works gave Wise the skills she needed to be a cashier at the thrift store and helped Red Bow discover new skills.

"I think I found some skills I didn't know I have," she said. Red Bow works in the back of thrift store, sorting and pricing donations.

The women said they feel blessed by their placement at Cornerstone and their experience with the program.

"It's a good program," Wise said. "We're both really happy, and we love it here."

"I think anybody that's older should," Red Bow said, urging eligible residents to enroll in the program. "People think because you're older, you can't do anything."

Older workers can face prejudice from employers, Cook said.

"Sometimes, (prejudice) is a problem," she said. "Sometimes, it's a plus, because they have those life skills that go with them."

Employers need to realize that experienced workers can be more reliable than fresh-out-of-college employees, Lundy said.

"I think the older people have already sowed their oats," she said. "They're more settled in their ways than the younger folks are," and so are less likely to leave a job, Lundy said.

Cook agreed.

"We do need to get the word out that these people are more dependable than the younger generation," she said. "They are more dependable and reliable and faithful."

Ilene Brown joined Experience Works because she needed to find a job in order to adopt her two grandsons. The program placed the 55-year-old at Youth and Family Services, working in the kitchen. Brown loves her job as a cook for the children in the Head Start program. She had spent several years working in food service at a casino on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and so feels comfortable in the position.

"I like this job," she said. "It's really going good with what I'm trying to do."

YFS hired Brown after her training with Experience Works was completed in August. Now, she works full time at the facility.

She encourages other older people to apply for the program and gain confidence in their abilities as workers.

"People think they're too old to work," she said, but that isn't true. "Some people will appreciate your experience. … I get a lot of support here from the workers."

Working full time is also better than simply staying home and being bored, she said.

"I like it because I'm tired when I get home. It's a good tired," she said.

She said frustrated seniors shouldn't give up their hopes for employment.

"They are still worth something in this world," she said. "There are so many resources out there; go for it. Use them. Take advantage of them."

In addition to job training, Experience Works also offers their employees classes in writing resumes and helps provide work and interview clothing if needed.

"They are in there to get results for you," Lundy said. "They will help you in any way they possibly can help you. I feel that if it had not been for Experience Works, I wouldn't be here."

For more information about Experience Works, call Cook at 343-3363 or toll-free at 800-450-5627.