Seniors Embrace Gig Work to Supplement Retirement

Retirees turn to driving, dog walking, and laundry services to pay the bills and stay active

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:07am

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a set of car keys, a dog leash, and a folded stack of laundry arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the various gig work activities undertaken by retirees to supplement their income and stay active.Retirees turn to the flexibility of gig work to supplement their income and stay active, blending the practical and the personal in their post-career pursuits.Orange Today

A growing number of Americans have 'unretired' in recent years, returning to the workforce due to insufficient retirement savings, rising living costs, and a desire to stay active. Some are finding gig work, or contract jobs, through apps or digital platforms like Uber, Rover, and Poplin, delivering people and parcels, taking care of pets, or folding other people's laundry. The flexibility of setting their own hours appeals to retirees, but the work also comes with challenges like limited job protections and wages that may be insufficient to cover on-the-job expenses.

Why it matters

As more Americans live longer, the traditional concept of retirement as a 'cliff' or a day to work towards is becoming less of a reality. Retirees are increasingly turning to gig work to supplement their income and stay active, highlighting the evolving nature of work and retirement in the modern economy.

The details

Stu Goldberg, 74, with a Ph.D. in neuropsychology and decades of experience running his own business, now drives for Uber at night to supplement his income after his retirement plans didn't go as expected. Barbara Baratta, 72, retired as a pediatric nurse in 2018 but got restless and signed up with the pet care app Rover to walk dogs and use her nursing skills to administer medications to cats. Baruch Schwartz, 78, was a wedding photographer for decades until the work became too physically demanding, so he started driving for Uber and Lyft, deriving satisfaction from feeling needed. While the flexibility of gig work appeals to retirees, the work also comes with challenges like limited job protections, wages that may be insufficient to cover on-the-job expenses, and the physical toll of tasks like driving or dog walking.

  • Goldberg began driving for Uber after concluding his decades-long career.
  • Baratta retired as a pediatric nurse in 2018 and signed up with Rover shortly after.
  • Schwartz started driving for Uber and Lyft after his wedding photography work became too physically demanding.

The players

Stu Goldberg

A 74-year-old with a Ph.D. in neuropsychology and decades of experience running his own software and telemarketing company, who now drives for Uber at night to supplement his income after his retirement plans didn't go as expected.

Barbara Baratta

A 72-year-old retired pediatric nurse who signed up with the pet care app Rover to walk dogs and use her nursing skills to administer medications to cats after getting restless a few years into retirement.

Baruch Schwartz

A 78-year-old former wedding photographer who started driving for Uber and Lyft after the physical demands of photography became too much, deriving satisfaction from feeling needed.

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What they’re saying

“I like the freedom. I like the flexibility. I like meeting people. I like that most of the time I can get, once or twice a day, a good conversation with somebody.”

— Stu Goldberg

“I get my steps in and do hill climbing.”

— Barbara Baratta

“I feel like I'm on a mission.”

— Baruch Schwartz

What’s next

As more retirees turn to gig work, policymakers and companies may need to consider ways to provide better protections and benefits for this growing segment of the workforce.

The takeaway

The rise of 'unretired' seniors taking on gig work highlights the evolving nature of retirement in the modern economy, as retirees seek to supplement their income, stay active, and find purpose through flexible, contract-based jobs.