The problem is most people in that age group have invested very heavily in their communities and they're not willing to move. I don't think having government programs that compel them to move to get a job will work when their employability is quite limited because of physical changes and they don't have the educational levels to work in cities. So there really are some very serious problems.
On the scenario you painted, I've met a number of older workers in the fishing industry with very similar scenarios. They find that in our community there isn't enough adaptability within the employing population to accommodate their specific needs. Some people can't stand because their feet have been smashed while working in the fishery. It would be very difficult for the woman you described to work in a retail environment and stand all day. She couldn't do it because of health constraints. But to retrain her if she still wishes to work--and many of us do--we don't have the infrastructure and support to allow that to happen.