Aging is inevitable it starts the minute we are born and as we grow we are taught about healthy aging and what we can do to stay healthy by eating right and exercising so we are prepared to love and embrace life to the fullest. We are taught these things, but we don’t always follow through, that of course is why we have so many diets floating around and obese people in our country. With all the stress people endure during their life time we seem to find unhealthy choices to help us cope instead.
Is there really such a thing as aging gracefully and still being able to love life with retirement in view? I know many people start to feel like their usefulness and productive days are now over. It doesn’t have to be a scary transition and even though they may think that this has always been their dream of having the permanent vacation it seems we start worrying about ill health and other aspects of aging. We dream of doing as we please provided the money aspect has been planned for this time period.
Many people find that they don’t like being retired as much as they thought they would and go out and do volunteer work or even get part time jobs. Some older people actually go back to school which is great especially if it’s something they have always dreamed about and can now afford, but just never had the time. There are many adult classes that you can take at your local high school even, learn about computers, take an art appreciation course and learn to paint among a few that are offered.
I’ve been retired for a few years now because Bill gave me that opportunity and personally I love it even though I don’t have the money I had when I worked. I mentioned before that I have been thinking about opening a beauty shop only because I don’t feel productive and at times I feel useless and even start to wonder what good I am. Depression can run rampant among the elderly because we sometimes experience mild impairment of thinking and memory and we’re no longer able to do the things that we were able to do before.
Some of the symptoms of depression for older adults are an expressed feeling of being unworthy and being a bother or a burden, withdrawal from social activities and any decreased activity with no apparent physical cause, loss of interest and pleasure in things we previously enjoyed, loss of weight, loss of appetite, and restlessness. Of course these signs can be seen in any age group not just the elderly so even if someone you know is young and showing these signs you should be alert to them and see how you can help, seek advice from a professional.
Anyone can benefit from being around family and friends who can give security and support and that isn’t exclusive to just the older generation everyone young or old needs this, but often times don’t find it in time. We all want to achieve healthy aging and to be happy and embrace life, it is important to have close relationships with others and participate in regular activities that give meaning and excitement to life. Many things as I’ve mentioned include volunteering, visiting friends, maintaining some form of physical activity and even going back to school, with me learning to ride a bike.
It would be nice to have a new house with no problems, but at this late stage in our life that would be stupid to take on a mortgage and worry about being homeless in our old age. Bill was so anxious to retire after he turns 62 in December of this year, but now he’s wondering if we can afford it. If he retires at 62 then he is limited to how much he can earn on the side, but if he works till 65 then the limit is lifted and he can earn whatever extra he wants.
I guess that’s a decision he will make next year and knowing him he will probably put it off till he turns 65. As I’ve mentioned before besides his interest in motorcycles I have no clue how he would occupy his time and I know he would be bored. Of course there are lots of things that need work done on around the house, but he isn’t always qualified to do some of them and has to call for expert help from people that know what they’re doing and have the right equipment.
Always a problem with something lately every time we use the washer it leaks or has been backing up unless you stop it half way and Bill was putting off calling Shawn. We finally got our pipes cleaned out Sunday and thankfully the pipes are still good and nothing had to be replaced. Shawn did have to apply some industrial clamps to make sure the pipes were secure though. He just started his own business and told Bill he was concerned of course because of the economy.
Bill has known this young man since he worked for him when he was a teen. Shawn has done work for Bill over the years and always treated him good so Bill always recommends Shawn when people have problems, he helped Bill’s Son not long ago with his furnace. He wasn’t even going to charge Bill for the few hours he put in, but Bill wouldn’t hear of it and insisted on giving him some money. He gave Bill a heck of a good deal when we had the central air put in.
Bill is so good with people and he seems to know a lot of young men that have rode motorcycles with him over the years or worked for him that now have their own businesses which is great for us because we get a cheaper rate. It pays to be nice to people and often times Bill recommends them to others so it’s just good advertising and getting a discount doesn’t hurt either. This house is so old that we always have to have something worked on, but I really don’t think that’s how Bill wants to spend his time.
I know we wanted to travel some when Bill retires, but the way things are looking I don’t know if that is going to be an option. Maybe we’ll be able to take a few trips, but it wont be a steady thing and gas prices are going back up, doesn’t make sense to me since oil is at 38 dollars a barrel now. I was reading some of the posts on MSNBC.com because they have a lot of information like “Crude oil is getting cheaper — so why isn’t gas?” trying to figure this out for myself.
I certainly don’t think Obama is going to solve any of our immediate problems regardless of how people feel about him. I just don’t see it happening of course I know nothing about finance or economics, but from all accounts our government is bankrupt so how can they keep passing stimulus packages when there is no frickin money and no frickin jobs to make money to be taxed on. God only knows what the future of this world will become, sad isn’t it?
In 6 years I’ll be eligible to draw my SS unless it’s bankrupt too never thought I’d live this long.
With all the worry about layoffs and losing jobs Bill has been very lucky that the small company he works for is still going when so many large ones are going under. Some of his company’s work can be seen in the Lancaster R&A Magazine and as soon as it comes out online I will supply the link, they just featured a home that was renovated and his company did the precast stone for the exterior. This small company does excellent work so hopefully they will stay in business for awhile.
Bill’s very proud of the work they do, but he still wants to retire after he turns 62. He’s been with that company for over 40 years, but being a small company they really don’t offer a retirement package. So we will have to learn to cut some corners which shouldn’t be hard because we really don’t live beyond our means, we don’t have to have the best or the newest and we always get by, but we will have to find a few alternatives.
All the veterans I have ever known have taken advantage of the help offered through the VA and they should because they deserve all the help they can get for serving their country. I told Bill he should sign up for benefits because they would pay for all those expensive meds for his eyes. When he retires paying for insurance will be very expensive of course I’m not sure what all Medicare and Medicaid covers, but he should still sign up.
Bill’s health insurance rates went up 75 dollars a week at work and the coverage isn’t even all that great anymore. He even has to pay a larger co-pay for doctor visits and more on his meds so it makes no sense. Of course with the economy the way it is I guess everything is on the rise, gas is even going back up. They’re even going to add 10 cents more to cigarette taxes plus raise the state tax to 7 cents instead of 6 here.
I know everyone is worried and unemployment is the highest it has ever been. Everyone is cutting back on everything that was taken for granted in past years. I don’t think there should be a panic epidemic yet, but some people apparently do. I was totally shocked when I heard the news that one family because they lost their jobs killed themselves and their children. That type of desperation I really don’t understand because I do have faith in God that he will provide.
Bill is planning on retiring at 62 and he will be 61 in December so he is really looking forward to that day even though we have both known people that have died soon after retirement. I worry that he will become bored after awhile and not know what to do with all of that free time because unlike me he’s not interested in the Internet. Right now he’s pretty sure that he wants the life of leisure, but things don’t always turn out the way we dream.
He has been at the same company over 40 years PA Stone. It’s a small company, but they put out some very big jobs which surprised me after touring the small plant and the conditions that they work in. When we are out riding the bike he has pointed out some pretty impressive places and he has so much knowledge, but none of the guys that work under him wants to learn and I really don’t think they care it’s just a job. Bill takes great pride in what he does and I’m very proud of him.
I keep telling him that when he retires that company will go under because no one knows or wants to learn what he knows. I will almost guarantee that they will beg him to come back and if they do and he decides he wants to go back then it will be only part time because that place is killing him and he definitely needs a break from them. All he thinks about is his work and how he can get the job done. I know he gets so stressed with some of the stupid jobs they take.
We are leaving here Sunday morning to see my Son and Grandson and Pappy can’t wait to see Ethan, almost as much as me. The guys at work depend on Bill to do way more than what he should be doing and now their moaning and groaning about this new job that Bill is crafting patterns and molds for so they will have everything they need to run it while he’s away, dollars to donuts = meaning that I’m sure that they will wait till he comes back.
So next week I wont be around a computer so that means I better try to advertise as much as possible so I don’t slip way back to the back of my category where I wont even find me so happy blogging to you all.
