Retirement Has its Challenges

Contra Costa Times

November 18, 2007

As seniors, we find that our needs aren't quite as many as they were when we were younger. We no longer need to have the latest fashions to wear as we don't go out as often. Business attire is something that most of us gave up years ago and now settle for something that's comfortable. 

I know that I have closets full of clothes that I no longer wear, but am afraid to toss them for fear that one day I may want to wear something in there. That, of course, would be if I could get them on my new older body. Boxes of shoes with those stiletto heels are also saved on the closet floors. Just in case I ever get brave enough to put them on and try to walk without falling down. I did wear a pair of them to the Halloween party I attended, but only from my house to the car, and the car to the party. I then got my comfy slippers out of my purse and hid the shoes under the table. 

Many of our fashion priorities change with our age and we tend to lean toward those things that feel comfortable to wear. We also treasure things that we can put on and take off without help. My Halloween long gown required someone to zip and then unzip the back of it for me as my arms didn't want to reach that far any more. I even asked for help with my necklace as the darn thing was a pain to try to clip behind my neck. 

As seniors, we need good medical coverage and that may be the most important thing of all. Our incomes were fine for when we were working, but retired incomes and today's prices are two different things. Social Security hasn't caught up with the true inflation rate and we are left to count pennies to survive. 

We also need companionship, whether it be human or animal; we don't like to live all alone. Family becomes very important as you depend on them for love and help when needed. 

Then you have your wonderful friends. Now friends are the family you picked for yourself. Some of us are lucky enough to still have friends from our childhood to reminisce with. Loved ones are important to us, for we realize how fast life is closing in on us now. When we were kids, life was just for fun and games and went on forever. We know better now, so we appreciate and value the time still left to us. 

Something of interest to entertain us, a good meal, a warm bed and someone to love is about all we need. That doesn't seem like too much to ask for does it? We no longer have to worry about where to go and party on the weekends as every day is a weekend to us. Staying out all night and then going to work with no or little sleep is not our thing any longer. We can go to bed whenever we want and get up as late as it pleases us. Well, most of the time that's true. 
If you're still a homeowner, then you have a few more needs, depending on how agile you are. You may need someone to help clean the house or do some of the yard work. I've found that you need to have a good homeowner's insurance policy. You also need a handyman to help with the big jobs as standing on a ladder to paint your home is not as easy as it once was. 
Cleaning out rain gutters is not a job for seniors. We need a much younger person to walk around the roof and clean those for us. I know for sure that if I ever got the courage to get on my roof, I would need the fire department to get me off! I'm lucky enough to have an electrician as a neighbor and I can call him for any electrical problems. I'm not brave when it comes to stuff like that and turning off the power to the whole house before touching a broken switch is a pain. 

A plumber you can trust is a very important person to have on your senior need list. I found Tom Rizzo through a friend many years ago, and I don't know what I'll do if and when he retires. He has saved my life more times than I can count and mainly it's when the sewer lines on this old house clog up. Of course they always pick the worst times to do that, like the day before guests are to arrive. Tom is always first on my list for obvious reasons. 

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