Actually, I had a head hunter contact me the other day. It seems 53 year-olds are still in demand.
At least you and your specific skill set are. You say opu were contacted by a headhunter - was this at your place of present employment? Because once you are unemployed - by, say, a division closing down - you immediately enter a category of “unemployable.”
Your anecdotal evidence doesn’t overcome the statistical fact that there is very prevalent age discrimination in corporate hiring. My contacts in personnel and “human resources” are very blunt about it. They say that they know that it’s an illegal practice, but since it is so common, no one is worried about getting prosecuted.
Of course, I am discussing hiring practices on a broad scale across America. You are using your own personal experience as an argument that I am mistaken. Your personal experience is great for you, but in no way proves that the hiring of 50+ workers is flourishing.