@Yvonne Smith and others - this does become a problem when a spouse passes and we don't have funds to live on for the remainder of our lives. We all do not want to live with our kids and they of course don't want us either. There are many agencies to help with various things , but housing is the hardest. We have many homeless people who work, but have no place to live. If they do live someplace it is in a motel. Sounds decent but your at their mercy. Many will only let you stay for so long. Another place to seek help is churches. Even if your an atheist or not a member they can help you or direct you to someone who can. Check places like Marketplace on FB or Nextdoor for items you may need. So many give away things for free. If I go first Mark should survive until he is to feeble. I on the other hand have instructed my Good daughter..Lolo she says....to buy a new pillow, wear gloves, have an alibi in place. Put me out, and make sure it worked before you call 911, once I am gone- can't fix this
I loved them ! Any time two females live under the same roof ...there will be issues. If they live in a house big enough it will cut die on those issues. Once We rid ourselves of the current daughter...and her daughter living with us..we a friggen done!
Actually, the biggest problem is for those whose income is not sufficient to pay their bills, but not low enough to qualify as poor, which differs from state to state. In Maine, people who make more money than I did when I was working as a paramedic qualify for state aid, which includes housing, food, medical care, and a whole lot of other things. Housing rates may be free or discounted, depending on income. In Maine, there is a non-profit that is largely funded by Medicaid. People who qualify for Medicaid get a free ride for pretty much anywhere they want to go within the state. People who are using the program will routinely be driven to Bangor (60+ miles each way) to shop for groceries because grocery prices are cheaper, while the rest of us have to weigh the cheaper grocery prices against the costs of gasoline. They are, of course, driven to doctor's visits, dialysis, and other medical trips, of course, but they are also driven pretty much anywhere else they might want to go, such as the library in Bangor, because it's bigger than the one in Millinocket, and federally-funded Medicaid pays most of the costs of the service, other income coming from state grants and other grants. Not only do they get a free ride, but they are asked to review the driver, and will complain that the car was too old, or that the ride was too bumpy, the driver was rude, or whatever, much as if it were Lyft or Uber. The same non-profit also has a grant to provide heating services. Although my wife and I are both working 30 hours a week and on Social Security, they paid to insulate our home a couple of years ago, bought us a heat pump, and will pay for a tank of heating oil each year. Hospitals and medical clinics throughout the state participate in a federally funded program that provides for medical treatment on a sliding scale, regardless of age, providing medical care anywhere from free on up. Income levels do not have to be what most people would consider very low in order to qualify someone along that sliding scale. Before we were on Social Security, and while we were raising our nephew, we qualified for free care. These are not what you might think of as free clinics. Every publicly funded hospital in the state participates in the program, and the clinics are the same clinics that treat people who are paying full price. Some independently practicing doctor's offices participate as well, but many do not. Maine also has a state-funded program called Meals for Me that provides daily free meals for elderly people who want to participate. We have not taken part in this, however. Another program, known as Meals on Wheels, sponsored by the Maine Agency on Aging, will deliver up to five meals a week to anyone 60 or older, for $3.50 per meal, with no income eligibility requirement. Some of these programs are only for people on Medicaid, however. The downside of receiving Medicaid benefits is that the state can claim your estate when you die, which you might otherwise have wanted to pass on to your children, the idea being that if your children wanted your estate then they could have provided for you. Maine's Democrat majority lowered the requirements for qualifying for Medicaid so that they can get more people on the program. That brings in more federal money to the state, and they get to claim whatever they want from people's estates. I don't consider that we're poor, but we qualify for Medicaid, although we're not on it. Noticing that we weren't being charged for co-pays a short time back, we found that we had been enrolled in Medicaid without having even applied for it, so we had to take steps to get off of it. Most of these are specific to the State of Maine because that's where I live but, considering that most of them are federally funded, in whole or in part, there are probably similar programs in other states. Finding them can be a problem. Here, our state Agency on Agency will do most of the legwork, not only for the services they provide but in making referrals to other agencies that provide other services.
@Kitty Dee Try doing a search entitled: Senior HUD Housing Near Me. Start searching around your location, try the county name. You will qualify due to age and income. I live in Jacksonville, FL. There is one of these actually a couple of blocks from the beaches and it is beautiful. There are also several more around the city. I'm sure they have nice ones somewhere in your vicinity as well. You get your Section 8, then apply at the place you want to live. 1 person gets a 1 BR/1 Bath. Your portion of the rent is around 1/4 of whatever your SS total is. There can be up to a 9 month wait, so APPLY asap. Most have vans to take the residents shopping and to doctor appointments. Minimum age is 65. I'm still too young, but in case my plans go wrong, I wouldn't hesitate to use that option. You just can't own any property or have any real assets. Sort of the same qualifications as needed for Snap. Please feel free to PM me if you want me to help you search.
Owning or Buying a Retirement Home depends on the age, finances and where the retiree wishes to live. Anyone trying to retire and have a good life on just Social Security is out of luck and will be dependent on others.
@Lon Tanner We are dependent on only our own dough being dribbled back to us by our wonderful benefactors. Good life? Pretty good, considering our monthly income is about what mine alone was at the height of my working career, though that was nearly 40 years ago. Frank
Going back to the 1st post. Thankfully I married a teenager that liked adventure. With enlisted rate high enough the Navy paid for her to travel with me. That began our life's journey. Once out of the Navy, we moved a lot due to either I didn't like the job or better opportunities or both. Back then with different skills changing jobs was easy. For whatever reason I lucked out when applying for and getting a job that had potential for advancement. A few years later our kids were old enough to be left on their own after school so my wife was able to get a job. She was able to get a high paying job & quit after getting the required quarters for Soc. Sec. I was able to retire early at age 54. Short version We both get pensions, we both get Soc. Sec. We both draw MRD's from traditional IRA's & self directed IRA's. 8 sources of income, no mortgage or car debt. Our early years living from paycheck to paycheck made a lifelong impression on us so wasting money just isn't in our way of thinking. When I croak my wife will not have financial or health care worries. That gives me peace of mind now.
The Chinese logogram for "war" is the symbol for a roof with two "female" symbols under it. Rather appropriate, I'd say....
@Mary Robi My nephew's Hawaiian-born wife of Chinese Ancestry claims that her frequent violent outbursts, often aimed at him, are the result of her cultural "Warrier mentality". But we think she's nuts! Frank
My SS is over twice what a lot of hard working retirees get, especially women, but I worked way too hard for too long to earn it. I also get about half the SS amount in a union retirement. Had my plans gone as planned and my place was paid for, then I would be doing really well. BUT, getting extremely ill and having to retire 15 years ago, I had to take out all my equity to survive on while I battled SS for 5 years before they finally recognized my nerve disorder as a total disability. Borrowing money to pay borrowed money is not wise but kept me alive. Now I realize I must sell this place in the next few years. It is just too much to keep up. Even the simple jobs like replacing a sink trap are just too much. Repairing appliances is becoming a thing of the past for me. The problem is any senior community, that would be a gentle step down from all the nice and custom things I have done to my home, would still drain my monthly income leaving me with no money for food or anything else. I have thought about taking the equity from the sale of my home and paying myself a monthly bonus to make such affordable, but that would last 10 years if PRICES didn't increase. I am realistically looking at a place of lesser desirability several steps down from my lower middle class palace.
@Von Jones You make me smile with your, NO NO Nannette! My neighbor Zek says this to his daughter when she comes to check on him and suggest drastic changes. Her middle name is Nanette. I came to his defense once and she held up her hand at me and said, "No no Fayette! It made me laugh. I think of this every time you post no no Nannette. Is this a saying where you live?
I don't recall where I heard it from but I love saying it. As far as I know I'm the only one who says it around here.