Tag-Archive for » Seniors «
When Johnny or Jill come marching home after losing jobs, guess which bunks they take? Well, of course the top in their parent’s home. Add to the burden a grandchild or two, and you have the sure-fire answer to why some seniors can’t retire at 65.
There are lots of folks in this new boat, as companies have downsized, and the recession continues to bring job losses to young adults who had looked for a life away from Mom and Dad and now find themselves back in the nest eating the same bird seed they hoped they’d left for higher perches. Many of them had trouble keeping those fancy, well-feathered nests, and crowded conditions aren’t a recipe for happy homes, especially for those not used to living extended family style.
In Britain it’s become enough of a problem that 40% of those adults who expected to retire at 65 now say they can’t because they have responsibilities in caring for adult children. This is a sizable chunk of older folk who can’t get into those golden years so long as they have extra family members to support. A poll taken of nearly 1500 parents with children ages 18 and older revealed the fact that seniors are saying their retirement has been significantly impacted so they can’t save enough for retirement.
Micki and Richard Snyder are retirees in the small town of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Richard works much of the time as a carpenter around Natchitoches, but work has been slow this season. Micki retired from Federal Civil Service work and takes in foster children. A daughter is returning home, after leaving a few years ago to make her way in New York City. She is engaged to someone in England, but because her visa had expired she had to return home. Home, however, didn’t have a job, so consequently she’s coming home to folks.
The impact on the Snyders? Micki Snyder talked about it like this, “She has no place to go right now, so we are taking her in. Of course, that will increase our responsibility and take time away from others. But I told her she has to contribute and do her part to help.”
The daughter has children, being raised by the grandparents, and isn’t expected to stay long. Micki explained, “She will be sleeping in a bunk bed. That’s the space we have. Explaining to the children will be hard. This isn’t an easy thing. It will be extra expense and time as well. But we’ll do the best we can.”
“How long will she be with you.?” Micki then replied, “Possibly just a few months; that’s what she says. She is planning to get married to some fellow overseas. I guess that’s it; we’ll know as we go along, but those are the plans so far.”
The Snyders are known in Natchitoches for helping others and doing the right thing to reach out in the community. But like many seniors, they enjoy their personal time as well but find that the combined issues of grandchildren to support and other responsibilities have caused them to delay full-time retirement. Happy they say they are, but nevertheless like other seniors with added family burdens, their personal plans in some regards have been delayed.
New York Life uses the topic to talk about retirement and how important it is to recognize the issues facing folks as they make their plans these days. The company writes about what are called “boomerang kids,” who are those young adults who have moved back home. In fact they note that according to the Pew Research Center in 2009 13% of parents with grown children acknowledge adult children have moved in with them. The trend is usually associated with difficult economic times. Monster’s 2009 Annual Entry-Level Job Outlook is quoted as observing that 40% of 2008 graduates still live with their parents and in October 2009, as observed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15.6% of young adults from 20 to 24 years of age were unemployed and likely to be dependent on others for support. Many return as well because of their increased debt, from college loans and their attempts to live a lifestyle they could not afford.
The entire senior class at Chicago’s only public all-male, all-African-American high school has been accepted to four-year colleges. At last count, the 107 seniors had earned spots at 72 schools across the nation. Mayor Richard Daley and Chicago Public Schools chief Ron Huberman surprised students at an all-school assembly at Urban Prep Academy for Young Men in Englewood this morning to congratulate them. It’s the first graduating class at Urban Prep since it opened its doors in 2006. Huberman applauded the seniors for making CPS shine. “All of you in the senior class have shown that what matters is perseverance, what matters is focus, what matters is having a dream and following that dream,” Huberman said. The school enforces a strict uniform of black blazers, khaki pants and red ties — with one exception. After a student receives the news he was accepted into college, he swaps his red tie for a red and gold one at an assembly.
See article in full here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/happynews/ct-met-urban-prep-college-20100305,0,3299917.story
Garage Door
The boss walked into the office one morning not knowing his zipper was down and his fly area wide open. His assistant walked up to him and said, ‘This morning when you left your house, did you close your garage door?’ The boss told her he knew he’d closed the garage door, and walked into his office puzzled by the question. As he finished his paperwork, he suddenly noticed his fly was open, and zipped it up. He then understood his assistant’s question about his ‘garage door.’ He headed out for a cup of coffee and paused by her desk to ask, ‘When my garage door was open, did you see my Hummer parked in there?’ She smiled and said, ‘No, I didn’t. All I saw was an old mini van with two flat tires..
An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, ‘Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.’ The gentleman replied, ‘Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!”
Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: ‘Slim, I’m 83 years old now and I’m just full of aches and pains. I know you’re about my age. How do you feel?’ Slim says, ‘I feel just like a newborn baby.’
‘Really!? Like a newborn baby!?’
‘Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.’
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, ‘Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly..’
The other man said, ‘What is the name of the restaurant?’
The first man thought and thought and finally said, ‘What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know…. The one that’s red and has thorns.’
‘Do you mean a rose?”
Yes, that’s the one,’ replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, ‘Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?’
Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged.. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted hedidn’t need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.’
Couple in their nineties were having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they’re physically okay, but that they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair.
‘Want anything while I’m in the kitchen?’ he asks.
‘Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?’
‘Sure…’ ‘Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?’ she asks.
‘No, I can remember it.’
‘Well, I’d like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, soas not to forget it?
‘He says, ‘I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries..’
‘I’d also like whipped cream. I’m certain you’ll forget that, write it down?’ she asks. Irritated, he says, ‘I don’t need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream – I got it, for goodness sake!’ Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs… She stares at the plate for a moment, then says
‘Where’s my toast?’
A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:’So I hear you’re getting married?
”Yep!’
‘Do I know her?’
‘Nope!’
‘This woman, is she good looking?’
‘Not really.’
‘Is she a good cook?’
‘Naw, she can’t cook too well.’
‘Does she have lots of money?’
‘Nope! Poor as a church mouse.’
‘Well, then, is she good in bed?’
‘I don’t know.
”Well why in the world do you want to marry her then?’
‘Because she can still drive!’
Three old guys are out walking. First one says, ‘Windy, isn’t it?’ Second one says, ‘No, it’s Thursday!’ Third one says, ‘So am I. Let’s go get a beer…’
A manwas telling his neighbor, ‘I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it’s state of the art… It’s perfect.’ ‘Really,’ answered the neighbor. ‘What kind is it?’ ‘Twelve thirty..’
Will, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical. A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Will and said, ‘You’re really doing great, aren’t you?’
Will replied, ‘Just doing what you said, Doc: ‘Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.”
The doctor said, ‘I didn’t say that.. I said, ‘You’ve got a heart murmur; be careful.’
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool… After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, ‘Crushed nuts?’
‘No,’ he replied, ‘Arthritis.’