Most old (50+) programmers I've worked with have spent most of their time in some variation on theme of management, only to occasionally sit down and write code when their unique expertise (Fortran, Lisp, Cobol, APL etc.) is needed, occasionally to great surprise. A few move on to start highly specialized consulting firms focusing on the sort of things the 'kids' don't know anything about (Fortran, Lisp, Cobol, APL etc.).
The only 50+ programmers I've worked with who where still employed as programmers as their main/only responsibility where those who'd been at the company since "the early days", had written and/or designed all the companies core systems and thus where the ones who understood the system better than anyone.
The only 50+ programmers I've worked with who where still employed as programmers as their main/only responsibility where those who'd been at the company since "the early days", had written and/or designed all the companies core systems and thus where the ones who understood the system better than anyone.