"Fresh meat" is much more likely to do as its told, & is far more impressionable and compliant. As people get older they become much more difficult to scare and intimidate. Mainstream employers don't like that. Yes, "ageism" is illegal in the workplace but the workplace is riddled with all kinds of prejudices, some of which are against the law too! Good luck making a case against any of them. Have you really not worked it all out at age 55?