aztecan:
Hello all, It's been a while since I've posted. Time seems to get away from me. I am facing a situation that, while not dire, is somewhat unsettling. When I was diagnosed in 1985, the doctor told me I had three years to live and that I should get my affairs in order. I didn't do either. But it did leave a lasting impression on me. Like many of my LTS brothers and sisters, I always lived with the knowledge that death was just a cough or sniffle away. Even after starting meds in 1996, that thought still guided my life. So, I lived to the fullest, but never really planned for retirement. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would live long enough to even consider retiring. It seems I may have been wrong. My employer announced they would be closing my branch office at the end of the year. Another agency is considering hiring some of us, but, at 63 and on my third career, the idea of retiring is something I find very attractive. But, it is also frightening, because I never really thought it could happen to me. Anyone else facing this type of situation? I'm just wondering how you adjusted, and whether you approached it with the same trepidation I am feeling.
HUGS,
Mark
BKKKevin:
Sadly a major side effects of just about every HAART regime is growing old...
allanq:
Mark, Right now it sounds like you have a kind of generalized fear of retiring. Perhaps it would help if you broke that down into the specific things that you’re afraid of. Is it the financial stress of living on a reduced income? Is it that you depended on work to provide structure to your daily life? Is it the social connections that work provided? If you are offered a job in a new agency, what are your main concerns about taking it?
Good luck.
Allan
OneTampa:
Very relevant discussion topic for me too. Am semi-retired on SSI which is greatly reduced income. Up for a few gigs to supplement retirement income to meet living expenses.
Trying to keep self in mental and physical good shape now almost age 70 and past 35 years Positive.
It is stressful and challenging at times.
Keep going as best as I can.
Take Care All,
OT
👍🙏🏽♥️
aztecan:
I know, I was remiss about not posting a follow up. Thanks for the responses. They were helpful and gave me food for thought. I decided to postpone retirement until 2022. I think the thing that was really concerning me was that I was being forced, in a sense, into considering retirement when my former employer decided to close my office. I did take a position with another agency, and it has been an interesting change. It is an agency that is run by and for Native Americans, primarily, although they take anybody with HIV. That said, I am still planning on retiring in July 2022. I chose that date because that is the month I will turn 65. I will be enrolling in Medicare, and then begin taking advantage of the state programs I have helped others use for years, including letting the state pay my premiums for a Medicare C plan. I know my income will decrease, but, I think I will be able to adjust. More than that, it is a time of my choosing that I have been able to plan for.