Four Tough Problems You Will Face During Your Retirement Years
Slowing down is normal. Becoming lethargic? Not so much.
I am old. At seventy-nine, I’m in the fourth quarter of life. Am I ready to face and overcome the problems lying ahead? How will you deal with any or all four issues? Some day you’ll see old age changing you.
The aging process
Most of us have entered old age when we retire. Retirement and old age are like riding a bicycle. We must keep moving forward to stay upright. We’re all the same, only different. Not everyone can handle problems with ease like others. But, how we address the issues will determine our satisfaction level during retirement.
I gained insight from reading the Mayo Clinic article on aging. Mayo’s closing remark on aging was “You can’t stop the aging process, but.”
So, I thought of ideas to navigate the rivers of retirement and aging. Of course, many more thoughts and directions are available on aging, but my list is the common man’s thoughts on the problems we face.
The four challenging problems staring at us as we grow older:
- Income
- Housing
- Health
- Relationships
Let’s take a realistic, though brief, look at each. These are my insights:
Income
It’s not going to change much over the years of retirement. Yes, your income will have incremental changes. Your Social Security and retirement 401K’s will increase, maybe, but not enough to overcome inflation. So, adjusting your lifestyle has to be on the table. Your contentment level of where you are in retirement will play a significant role. Contentment is not giving up; it is, instead, the satisfaction of your position in life now.
“There are two ways you can be rich. One is to have all you want, the other is to be satisfied with what you have.” — Unknown.
Housing
In retirement, most of us are empty-nesters.
While I am concerned about all four problems gifted to me in old age, this I ponder the most: our housing situation. We have, some would say, the best house for our generation. It’s a two-bedroom, two-bath, on a half-acre lot. But we’re in our late seventies and early eighties. How far do I push the envelope till a sudden health care crisis demands professional care? So, a continuing care retirement community remains an option for us.
“There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife. Confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” — Homer.
How about you? Is it time to downsize to a smaller house? What options are even open for you to consider?
Health
This is a big one since the seventies and eighties do not play fair with our health. At our age, we need to get the vaccine, pronto. If you don’t that’s okay with me; I’m not pushing it. I’ve had three men my age no longer walking on the top side of the grass. Covid-19 took their breath away.
My wife and I have a group of health care providers checking in on us throughout the year.
See your doctor; Don’t put it off. Since you are older, you have less time to recuperate if a severe illness puts you down.
“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.”— Joyce Meyer.
Will you be making your appointment today with your primary care doctor?
Relationships
Your social life will change for many reasons. Your life-long close friend has died and you know there’s not enough time left to develop a deep intimate connection again. Other things to add to the mix are family members and friends who have moved away. Declining health confines you to your house or apartment. Even when a friend invites you to lunch, you have to say no because of your health or your spouse’s health.
But I have found my relationship with a close few friends have deepened. Even my remaining family ties have strengthened. In our older years, it is so important to keep connected to family and friends. Our family does it this way.
“Cherish your human connections — your relationships with friends and family.” — Barbara Bush.
Make some phone calls or text messages to family members and friends today. Please don’t hesitate.
So, how do we tackle these problems?
I began my story by saying old age will slow us down a bit. But becoming lethargic is not an option to pursue. Laziness has no place in the home of us retirees. Sure, naps are in but laying in bed all day will add a heavyweight to all four issues you’re facing. Not a good thing.
The encouraging part is all four problems, when taken separately, are manageable. My granddaughter asked me some questions about old age and you can read my replies here.
The answer is to discuss and adjust
Discuss all four issues with your spouse, close friend or counselor. Then open yourself up to make the adjustments necessary to live your retirement years as a happy and satisfied person. You can do this, I’m sure.
You’ve read my story to the end. That doesn’t always happen, so a big thank you for doing so.
Richard
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