Retirement Articles from NY Times: Halfbacks, Loneliness, Childless Couples, and More

Sept 25, 2012 — The NY Times does a great job of writing helpful features for its readers. This month’s special Retirement section is no exception, so we are passing along links to some of the more interesting stories, which are difficult to find unless you know the exact title of the article. We hope you find them useful in planning your retirement.

Heading South, but Stopping Short of Florida. This piece profiles several couples who thought they would retire to Florida, but who decided for a variety of reasons to retire along the way. Indeed there are many parts of the mid-South where the 55-64 and over 65 population is increasing by 60% or more. You will find these folks reasons for moving here interesting and perhaps compatible with your own.

Childless and Aging? Time to Designate a Caregiver. It is a serious problem to be getting old and have no one younger to take care of us. Sure, most of think we will never be incapacitated, but the fact is we will – if we live long enough. Many in this situation assume friends will pitch in, except that as you age your friends either die or become unable to help. Phyllis Korkki has put together a thoughtful piece on the various issues childless people face as they age, plus the steps they can take to insure a happier future.

A Longer Life is Lived with Company. A University of California, San Francisco, study found that self-identified lonely people had a 45% greater chance of an early death, as compared to those who reported they were more connected to others. This article outlines the problem and provides helpful tips – such as making friends with people who are younger than yourself, and becoming a volunteer.

The Tightwire Act of Living Only on Social Security. Paul Sullivan profiles several retirees, single and married, who are somehow getting by on an average monthly payment of $1,200 per individual.

Volunteering. Employers Oversee an Army of Retiree Volunteers. Many corporations have programs that encourage volunteerism, even helping with placement. Organizations these volunteers help can even apply for cash grants from companies like IBM. The article posted a great list of places to look if you want to be a volunteer:

BoardnetUSA.org
Catchafire.org
GetInvolved.gov
HandsonNetwork.org
OperationHope.org
and many more
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