By Larry Frieders
Batavia, Ill.
Are these the Golden Years?
There’s always a wiseacre who will chime in with something such as, “Golden my patoot. I gotta decide between paying for drugs or food,” or something similar.
Some believe that our latter years are fearful and they’re quick to share that view, even though it’s true for a minority of older us. Maybe they’re unhappy that there seems to be nothing they can do about putting the brakes on the only true reality of life, aging is inevitable. But why make the worst of it?
The American Dream is real. Jobs are available. We can save for the future and still enjoy today. That first tiny apartment gives way to the bungalow which needs to be expanded when the family grows. Then it’s more cars and an extra garage. The children move on and the old house is too big. Downsizing is sad, but honestly good for everyone. Except in some unplanned situations, the old homestead nets enough cash to get a smaller home. It costs less to live, there are fewer demands on time and yard work. It’s likely there will be money in the bank and a steady stream of income, small, but the real financial needs are minuscule compared to a few years earlier.
Our later years can be filled with anxiety, or joy. Everyone can select an outlook on life. It’s a choice. It isn’t imposed on us, or found in some thing out there. Joy isn’t just a feeling. It’s a decision to see the best instead of whining about the worst.
Once a person joyfully learns that it’s no longer important to have a mansion on several acres of lawn, the decision to move forward, is easier to make. Two individuals can live comfortably, even elegantly, in an apartment of less than one thousand square feet, especially when there are two bathrooms.
As the number of vehicles is pared back and the old homestead sold, the combination of saved cash, lowered costs, equity from the old home, and a modest pension can set up a person, or couple, for a modern apartment that’s designed specifically for those Golden Years. That doesn’t mean a nursing home, but an apartment where life‘s rewards are heaped on the tenants.
All needs (not wants) are met; a roof, a kitchen, laundry, cable TV, internet, parking, storage, meals, housekeeping, entertainment, trips, new friends, and the comfort of knowing that help is available without frantically searching for it.
The new places offer fully independent living with security and amenities. When needed, there is assistance with daily living. As bodies and minds continue to fade, support is a quick phone call away. It’s far easier to gradually move into assisted living and memory care as needed than to stressfully search for a place when it comes up unexpectedly. That’s peace of mind.
At first glance, costs might seem high, but it doesn’t take long to see how the new costs are comparable to before, with significant reductions in responsibility to keep things running. Most of us are blessed with Shiny Golden Years. Of course, not everyone can select the last home that meets every desire and allows for living that resembles a full-time vacation, but they can get very close. Some will disagree, but nobody will be abandoned just because of age.
Art stopped by to chat about something he wasn’t satisfied with at our new apartment complex. After waiting nine months, it still wasn’t to his liking. Art finished with a comment I won’t forget, that in the end, we’re all in God’s Waiting Room. It can be a good thing, or not. It’s up to each of us to make the decision for joy and not for despair.