Your Retirement

[Meghan4now]

This question is for all, from just occasional under-dresser to transitioned transperson.

How do you see yourself in late retirement? What about assisted living. How do you believe you will be treated? Will you have the same freedom as you do now? Will you have to compromise? What will you be able to do on your own? With help?

It is coming like it or not. Plan ahead.

[Ressie]

The answers depend on a few things. Money: assisted living facilities are expensive. I have enough to spend about one week in a nursing home, so who's gonna pay for long term care? Mental and physical state: Will I even know where I am? Will I be ambulatory? Incontinent? I've seen many seniors in retirement facilities lately from memory care to independent living. One good point, if you end up in the right place, you'll very likely have a few friends.

Do your best to take care of yourself in the present time. Get some exercise, walking, biking, stretching. Eat veggies, keep weight down etc.

If you wanna keep CDing, the goal is to stay in your own home as long as possible!

[Dana44]

Ah , I am retired and still going strong. I keep in shape and hope I live longer than my parents. I don't think I will ever be in assisted living.. But one never knows. It does cost a lot to live in assisted living. I keep in shape so I don't need to have any help. Save your money for retirement and plan ahead. We have quite a few years left and I am trying to live right and keep well.

[Teresa]

I retired from my photography business several years ago, I worked from home anyway so there was no great change in lifestyle , I slotted domestic jobs in with my business . I don't get much spare time because the house and garden is large and demands a lot of attention , I'v always had plenty of interests and hobbies to occupy any spare time. Retirement hasn't meant easing back and putting my heels up , I really don't see a change in the way I'm treated apart from my CDing has changed my life and that of my family.

The big change coming up is separating from my wife and setting up my own home to dress as I choose , I'm not even giving age and retirement a thought , there is so much to do but I admit finances are the biggest factor.

Despite that my intention is to set up an art group and run it from my new home . As for thoughts on transition , dressing full time is the first step after that I truthfully can't say, age may dictate the final decision . Planning ahead is going to be tricky because of my separation, I can't say how that will be accepted but i have made it clear I won't have spare money for the extras in my life or my family and I've suggested my wife cuts back in preparation for her retirement .

[Charona]

A very great deal will depend on how long I can keep my driver's license. I live in the country and I don't know of any public transportation. Losing my license will put paid to motorcycles, as well as the car. When that happens I will have to move into town, which in turn means I won't be able to hunt or plink in my back yard. Not only that but I will have to dispose of a lot of "stuff" which has accumulated over the decades. I was told the ancient curse "May you live in interesting times." I see interesting times ahead.

[RADER]

I built 2 Assisted living homes and a nursing home. They are no more than a Ware House for people.
I want to stay in the home I built, and dress in the home I built, until the End.
Yes those places are expensive. When my wife was very Ill, just before she passed, I was going
to place her in a assisted living home. The doctors would not allow me to take her home.
I had to Guarantee $7,000.00 per month for 3 years before she was allowed to go in.
Rader

[Allisa]

I have pondered that question many times, now that I'm semi-retired and still putting in some time in the work force I figure if I can still be productive as I go maybe somewhere down the line I'll figure out the answers. I know, I know plan ahead but so far in my life I've kind of played everything by ear, not having off spring who will look after me when I'm feeble is not an option so I guess my stubbornness will have to do. I'll just have to keep my Karma on the good side and rely on the kindness of others. I have had first hand experience with assisted living/nursing homes and in my opinion it is a slow and very sad existence while waiting for the inevitable to happen. After all who knows what adventure lies ahead after this one is over. Excellent questions.

[ToniG]

As I'm in "early" retirement due to health, don't know what my future holds. IF I were to end up "convalessing" somewhere-my current Dress-when-I-please routine would be stopped. But for now, will take things one day at a time. Since I'm not interested in transitioning-wont worry about that. Toni G...

[Jaymees22]

I'm afraid once we reach that point it will just be a fight for survival, so it doesn't matter whether we dress or not. The best scenario is to die at home or during a short hospital stay. Assisted living is expensive and somewhat better than a nursing home. If you're really well off they have continuing care communities.

[Pat]

This is actually something my therapist and I have discussed a few times. I'm taking the opportunity to stack the deck in my favor. My family is supportive and knows my wishes. I have a health care proxy in case I'm non-responsive for some reason. And I've changed over all my identity documents to put the law on my side in terms of how I'm treated. As for money -- no answers really. We all know financial ruin is pretty easy to achieve once you leave the workforce so we just have to be prudent. I always tell folks that a primary part of my retirement plan involves a large asteroid destroying the earth before things get too hairy for me. ;)

[Rhonda Darling]

Like most, I recognize the importance of being able to remain in my own place in order to be able to continue to dress til the end. It's not that you don't have rights when you are in assisted living or other managed care, it's just that they ignore you and don't give a crap what you say unless you have a younger competent advocate looking out for your interests. They also tend to be binary thinking, and want to sort you out by genitals to prevent hankie-pankie, as that can breed lawsuits.

If you have enough money, you can pay people to dress you any way you choose in later life -- wanna be a kumquat? no problem sir, er ma'am, er Ms. Quat. The rest of us will have to take our chances with our aging.

YMMV

[mbmeen12]

Couple of extremes to MY answer. One assisted living to driving away your last day from full time employment.

I dont want to live in assisted living. Just sitting there looking out the window in diapers. Rather do that in my house.
My last day of work, seriously think about BA.

[Krisi]

How do I see myself in late retirement? Honestly, I don't think any of us can answer that question. There are far too many variables. Some of us will decline naturally, some will die more quickly from disease or medical conditions, and some will die quickly from heart attacks, strokes and the like or accidents.

Certainly, life in a nursing home will be different from being physically fit and living in your own home if it comes to that.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Meghan :hugs:, I wil probably be in the old folks home with support hose and orthopedic shoes.>Orchid...:daydreaming:...