Getting laid off this past year myself at 53, then turning 54 not long after, I quickly began to see the dynamics you describe here, too. It became crystal clear that getting each new job will likely now be harder, and that if I get laid off after 60, that might just be it. I hope things change and I've decided to put as much effort into creating my own consultancy and work on some other related projects that I hope to fall back on, repeatedly if need be. But given the evolving dynamics (outsourcing/offshoring, replacing older employees with younger ones to save $, applying AI wherever possibly and laying off employees, etc), I'm just not sure how long I'll be able to stay in the field of UX and design anymore.