Finances in Retirement

       I don’t recall where the email was sent from or why I accepted it.  I registered both Roland and me for a seminar on social security.  He had been asking me questions when I had taken my Sociology of Ageism class.  I thought we could attend this together, have questions answered, and have a free lunch.  I enjoyed the lunch part but had found my Ageism class much more informative than the seminar. Except for a few facts that apply specifically to Oregon, there isn't really much that I learned.

       During my school course, I had completed four assignments.  The subjects were as follows:  “Websites for the Aged”, “Financial Options for Elderly Care”, “Age of Retirement” and “Life After Retirement”. I started off my first paper by defining “Baby Boomers” which is/was an unusually high amount of births that took place between 1946 and 1965.

       I used a quote by Lena Horne to start off another.
 “It is not the load that breaks you down.  It’s the way you carry it.”  
       In my report I talked about how individuals may choose to save into a retirement plan but that there are situations that may come up that cannot be controlled – such as paying for the expenses of a loved one, economical situations or perhaps being scammed.

       I talked about social security in at least two of my assignments and how it was introduced in 1935 as part of the New Deal. Social Security was designed to benefit the elderly after they retired. President Roosevelt wanted it to work more like an insurance investment while others wanted to benefit through welfare.    I used the example of Ida May Fuller (here) 

       The community in which I currently reside is made up mostly of retirees.  Seniors are the backbone of our community.  We all need to feel useful no matter what age.  I think there are many seniors who are naturally hard workers. I enjoy working with them and spending time with them.  I suppose I always have.

       I mentioned a few entrepreneurs who did not start their businesses until after 50 or 60 years old.  One example I used was Harland Sanders who was 62 when he and Pete Harmon made an agreement to create the first Kentucky Fried Chicken.

       I talked about situations that may prevent one from their dreams – such as my dad, who had been forced to take a medical retirement.  I also mentioned the hardships of finding a retirement home.  Medicare does not pay for long term and finding an assisted living, particularly with memory care, is not an easy task on a limited budget.

       And then there are my own personal resources with Social Security of people I associate with.  The thing is, SS started out with more than 50 people contributing their tax money to one welfare check.  Today it's more like 2.5 for everyone.  We left before the business segment of the seminar (which I hadn't even known about) which I'm certain would have interested Roland more than did the SS, but we were both tired and he seemed anxious to get back to work.  

       We returned to Roseburg this morning for the Senior movie Wednesday.  It wasn't well attended.  I noticed eight different seniors leave not even halfway through "Men in Black".  Some seemed to like it but I think most were disappointed and would have rather seen  "A Dog's Journey".  I know I would have.