The turmoil on Wall Street has local senior citizens wondering about the future of their retirement savings. 

But the seniors interviewed last week said they’d still manage, even if their stock portfolios were wiped out. 

“Most of us have prepared for this possibility,” said Jack Shaffer, a retired Bell Telephone employee. “I could lose my entire portfolio and still survive.” 

Nationally, retirees are expressing more concern about having enough money. A recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found only 29 percent of retirees were very confident about having enough money for a comfortable retirement — a drop from 41 percent the previous year. Thirty-nine percent felt they were likely to outlive their savings, up from 29 percent in 2007. 

Shaffer, 83, lives in the Southampton Estates retirement community in Upper Southampton. He moved there in 1998 from Northeast Philadelphia. 

Shaffer said he has a long life to look forward to — his mother lived to 101. Her retirement savings ran out about seven years before her death, but she was able to stay in the senior home where she lived because of the home’s benevolent care fund, which ensures seniors can stay even if they’ve exhausted their funds. 

Many communities, including Southampton Estates, have similar funds. 

Lois Brandt Justice, 77, a retired teacher who lives in Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, said: “I feel that I have been a good steward of my money. Yes, I’m worried that the stocks are losing money and so forth. But I’m not so worried that I’m losing sleep over it.” 

Justice sold her pension after her retirement and invested in stocks and mutual funds. She also receives Social Security and her late husband’s pension. “I really feel I couldn’t do much else,” she said. 

Gene Wills, who retired two years ago from his job as a global accounts manager for an engineering and electronics firm, said wants to stay in his Middletown home as long as possible. He doesn’t plan on touching his 401(k) for another five to 10 years, and he isn’t worried — yet. 

“I’m not very concerned about the economic slowdown, to be honest with you,” said Wills, who would only say he’s “older than 60.” 

“I have a pension coming. I prepared fairly well,” Wills said. “However, with the type of losses I look at in my 401(k) today, if I continue to have those losses without gains in the marketplace, then sure I’m concerned. We all should be concerned.” 

Donald Lee, 84, a former Abington resident who lives at Ann’s Choice in Warminster, is worried about the future worth of his retirement accounts. A few years ago, he put some money in a fund that invests in commodities. 

In the meantime, he’s living on the required distribution from one of his retirement funds. That amount could go down come next year if the stock market continues to fall, he said. 

“I can compensate for that by taking other money, but that will use up the money faster,” said Lee, a retired engineer. “Maybe I’ll live longer than my money will last.” 

Ralph K. Badmann, 82, and his wife Eleanor, 78, said the Great Depression taught them to live within their means. The couple has lived in Southampton Estates for 10 years. 

“We’ve just lived frugally,” said Ralph Badmann, who owned his own truck accessories business. “We still live frugally. You didn’t buy more than what you could afford.” 

Sid Kirkpatrick worked for Acme Markets for 45 years. Kirkpatrick, 90, moved into Southampton Estates 21 years ago from Feasterville. 

He said he’s not worried about running out of money. But he is worried about the bailout plan and Wall Street. 

“Anytime Congress is involved, I worry,” he said. “They have a mega-crisis on their hands.”