My most "MASSIVE" prepping mistake......."EVER". Way-Way-Way out in front of my other prepping screw-ups.

[Sourdough]

I never seriously considered Preparing for a transition to be OLD. Even with the earliest first warnings the spring I turned 74 y/o. Was just slowing down a little bit. Taking longer to do work projects. Noticed I had started procrastinating about starting dangerous projects. I kept telling myself that I was in good physical health and fitness for my age.

Errors I made. Between age 55 and 60 I should have set-up one or two trusts. They need to be aged five years before offering decent protection. I should have purchased or built a single level cabin/house most importantly that it be on fairly flat land, closer to medical/dental clinics. Then start spending part of every winter there, and slowly moving towards that being a place to turn 80 y/o. I did not even slightly foresee not being allowed to have a Driver's License. This has been crushing, with now needing to move everything.

 

[Supervisor42]

This could end up being a very useful thread for many members here.
Many here in their mid-sixties talk about running a chainsaw all day getting firewood, cutting and bailing hay, working their cattle, etc.
But when you prod them about how they will make it work in just ten years, they have NO PLAN, no kids to move there, and get offended.
They tell you that they will always be able to do that... FOREVER!!
@Peanut is the only one I know of that has been brave enough to document 'slowing down'.
Getting old happens, and it ain't nice.
Being hardheaded or stubborn will not stop it.
I have planned for it.
We will have 'helpers'.

 

[Bacpacker]

Well "IT" smacked me in the face 2 weeks ago. Who knows how it'll turn out from here.

 

[Dave V]

I never seriously considered Preparing for a transition to be OLD. Even with the earliest first warnings the spring I turned 74 y/o. Was just slowing down a little bit. Taking longer to do work projects. Noticed I had started procrastinating about starting dangerous projects. I kept telling myself that I was in good physical health and fitness for my age.

Errors I made. Between age 55 and 60 I should have set-up one or two trusts. They need to be aged five years before offering decent protection. I should have purchased or built a single level cabin/house most importantly that it be on fairly flat land, closer to medical/dental clinics. Then start spending part of every winter there, and slowly moving towards that being a place to turn 80 y/o. I did not even slightly foresee not being allowed to have a Driver's License. This has been crushing, with now needing to move everything.

I feel for you. I'll be 77 this November and I'm not looking forward to renewing my driver's license when it expires next year. Fortunately, my vision is still pretty good, but family members have commented that I'm noticeably hugging the center line. Fortunately, my single-story home is an easy stroll from my grocery store which means I'm also close to the facility. If I had to live in the facility, it is two floors and although I could just stay on the floor with my living quarters, I feel pretty confident that I could always get someone to help me navigate stairs if I lost the ability to traverse them. But wow, I seriously hadn't considered what it would be like for an extended stay in the facility if I was wheelchair bound.
Great comment, thanks for raising that issue.
OK, I'll bite on the trust comment.
How does trust age provide more protection?

 

[Supervisor42]

Great comment, thanks for raising that issue.
OK, I'll bite on the trust comment.
How does trust age provide more protection?

I think he was talking about the money you put in trust funds grows in the following years, giving you more to provide for yourself in the future.
This is far better than sticking piles of cash in a fireproof bag.

 

[Haertig]

Good thread! I'm 67 now, and when I think back to what I was ten years ago, there is definitely a change. I no longer mow the yard in one 90 minute stint. Now it's more like three 30 minute stints with 15 minute cool down, rest and have some ice water in between. I probably could still do the entire lawn in one go (barely), but now I have zero desire to even try. Even something as simple as fixing dinner now - I first look to see what's in the upstairs freezer before I trudge down to the basement freezer to look there. Items that are already upstairs usually win out as dinner ingredients. I don't know if that's due to getting older, or just getting lazier. Probably both.

I think he was talking about the money you put in trust funds grows in the following years

A trust is just a legal contrivance that "owns" things and sets rules for access to or use of those things. It can "own" your investments. It can "own" physical possessions. But it's not an investment vehicle in and of itself, not that I'm aware of anyway. But my knowledge of trusts is limited to our specific trust, not to everything a trust can possibly do.

 

[Haertig]

Another thing we used to do for years and years ... we used to climb up on our roof every 4th of July to watch the area fireworks. We are up on a hill and from the roof we can see very far distances in every direction. So we enjoyed not only our towns fireworks, but a dozen other towns fireworks too. But recently, I look up at that roof, and I evaluate the 500 foot ladder I would need to climb to get up there, then navigate the 85% slope of the roof, on greased shingles, 1000 feet above ground level, that is covered with stabby, pointy, hard things - and there's just no way I'm going up there again. I keep trying to tell myself that it's not me getting older, it's the roof that is really changing in character. I used to run up there and hang over the eves to staple up Christmas lights by the millions. These days, if that bush is taller than 4 feet, it just doesn't get any Christmas lights.

 

[Hardcalibres]

Around here.....it is common for farmers to keep working into their seventies or even eighties.

I assess that most of those just run grazing stock, maximize their use of quads, ATVs and tractors.....and get in contractors to do the big fencing jobs.

I also assess that mild climates allow older people to keep working longer.....very hot and cold places are not kind to older folks.

As the movie title goes "No country for old men".

Even when people do fully retire, they have the option of agisting out their land for a neighbor to farm, while they live out their remaining life in their rural dwelling.

That is all a ways down the road for me.....I haven't even retired from my day jobs yet......and won't do that for at least several years.

 

[Caribou]

We lived in a little town called Bethel. For four years I worked out of what serves as the hospital out there. As I aged I didn’t want my life depending on that hospital. About ten years ago we left Bethel and bought a ranch style home ten minutes from an adequate hospital and about 40 minutes from a good hospital. My VA clinic, optometrist, pain clinic, and several other specialists are within less than five or ten minutes of my home. A good grocery store is three minutes away and at least five large grocery stores are within ten minutes. I wish I could claim that we had the foresight to move to an old fart oriented area but I’d already had my first heart attack so it was almost forced upon us.

I find the house too small but the walk-in shower and raised toilets are real bonuses. The only two steps into the house really help. Between the location and the design of the home we picked a reasonable home for us.

 

[Magpie]

I'm much younger than some of you but I'm already there; I've been looking at small manageable properties with one floor.
Unfortunately I'd have to sell this before buying something else; and as all mine still live at home its not feasible at the minute. They already can't find properties to move too, due to costs and limited availability. I'm thinking the best thing is to spend the money on what I have and make it 'elderly friendly'. I'm already a fall risk but at least there is space, I could split the house into two apartments. There is still the mowing etc. I'm torn because I don't want a sterile, no vegetation place, yet physically that's what I should be looking at.

 

[Sourdough]

Another problem is making decisions. Make a bad decision at 31y/o you have time to accept the poor decision and make necessary changes. Make a bad decision at 81y/o and you're likely going to have to live with it. This reality just makes the decision process harder and more stressful. So, you tend to drag out that process, because it is so-so-so important.

But the super wonderful thing about being old is that you have already "WON". Others are working on "SURVIVAL PLANNING" so they can make-it to 80y/o. It sucks to be old, but it helps to remember that you have achieved "THEIR" life goal.

 

[elkhound]

Because of the events of Nov-2023 it has changed my views of things....along with a bunch of other stuff from the event then.

 

[Pearl]

I think the scariest thing is what bacpacker said, physical limitations hitting you in the face! You can be fit and feeling good at any age, but when an injury or illness jumps into life there's no preparing! Hubby and I discuss this issue! One of us down would be a major problem!! We don't have family close by, it's us alone!!

 

[d_marsh]

I am only 43 so I will clearly never grow old and am invincible!

No, I am not that obtuse. When I started doing contract work I noticed we had a number of old saber rattlers in our group. Men with white-grey facial hair that were definitely a lot older than I am now, and while they might not have moved quite as fast as their younger peers they performed like much younger men. One of them told me "It's all in the metabolism boy. Eat like ****, feel like ****, watch your body turn to ****". All this guy ate was small portions of meat and veggies, worked out 3-4x a week, walked a lot but only ran we he had to and avoided getting drunk or taking any kind of pill. I changed my lifestyle right then and there. Through the years since then I have read and researched the topics of health and diet, I have found that the majority of diseases, conditions and break downs in the human body involve improper diet and lack of activity.

 

[Sourdough]

How does trust age provide more protection?

The short answer is creditability or validity of intended purpose. Which is protection.

If you have zero or less than zero net-worth, and zero hope of ever having any net-worth, you likely have no need of a Trust. But if you wait till you urgently need a trust to protect your assets/net-worth, any (even the stupidest) lawyer can and will have your fresh/new trust voided.

For the trust to have credibility it is best that it has existed and functioned "correctly" for an established time period. Generally accepted time period is at least (5) Five years. Otherwise, it is likely to be considered a "sham".

So best to have established and have utilized the trust before age 60y/o. Some people are born into a trust and spend their entire life in the safety of one or more trusts.

 

[Weedygarden]

lack of activity

This is such a big factor in aging! When you see older people hobbling around, you know they spend most of the day on the couch or in their lounger chair.

Walking is great exercise for older people. It is low impact on joints.

There is a group of retirees who are early morning dog park regulars who all have goals of attaining X amount of steps a day. They walk the perimeter together a few times daily to help achieve those goals. One of them is overweight (wears size 5 X) and was recently told by her doctor to walk and get her steps in.

I have found that it helps me to meet up with people to walk at my local park. it is 3 miles from my front door, to the park, around the lake and home again.

There are also walking groups in a neighborhood close to mine. They meet in front of someone's home and walk together.

My mistake has been to not have secured land and developing it somewhere. I used to want to live in the mountains, and build a cabin, but life can be tough there, especially in the winter. Now I am more interested in being on flat land, close to a body of water, such as McConaughy Lake in Nebraska.

 

[Pearl]

I am only 43 so I will clearly never grow old and am invincible!

No, I am not that obtuse. When I started doing contract work I noticed we had a number of old saber rattlers in our group. Men with white-grey facial hair that were definitely a lot older than I am now, and while they might not have moved quite as fast as their younger peers they performed like much younger men. One of them told me "It's all in the metabolism boy. Eat like ****, feel like ****, watch your body turn to ****". All this guy ate was small portions of meat and veggies, worked out 3-4x a week, walked a lot but only ran we he had to and avoided getting drunk or taking any kind of pill. I changed my lifestyle right then and there. Through the years since then I have read and researched the topics of health and diet, I have found that the majority of diseases, conditions and break downs in the human body involve improper diet and lack of activity.

I thought you were 45!!??

 

[LadyLocust]

Already some good posts I’ll need to take the time to read. Hubby and I are early-mid 50s and trying to plan for this. One of the things we are looking for is exactly what SD said: single story and manageable access to various areas. Hubby has a sister who has been in a wheelchair for many years and we both have aging parents so we see many issues that we don’t want to have to deal with as we age.

 

[Sourdough]

My short-term goal & my long'ish term goal, both is reaching the age of 80y/o. (28 months to go)

 

[angie_nrs]

Not only do you have to prepare to turn old, you should prepare for what comes after that too. I'm not necessarily talking about getting your assets in order (although that is important too), but what happens beyond that. For me, that is a critical aspect that I have been focusing more on these past few years. I'll just stop that thought right there b/c I don't want to see this thread get moved. It seems to be something more people consider as they age and get closer to death.

I agree that age and unexpected health issues will throw a monkey wrench into any plan. Life happens. We can only do what we can when we encounter such things. There are pros and cons to any living situation, whether you live in the city or in the boon docks. People have to pick and choose according to their individual situation. That's why no long term plan is right for everyone and even the best laid plans may have to be changed.

 

[Mountain trapper]

This is something that I've started giving a lot of thought about too. I'll be 67 next week. We live 18 miles from town, 65 miles from the nearest hospital, which in winter could be 3 hours IF the roads are clear. I have 3 miles of road to keep plowed. Sometimes it takes several days to get the road open after a big storm. We are 100% off grid, which is great when everything is working like it's supposed to, but a real pain when it isn't.
I can see that the day is coming that living here will become too much for us. And if I die the wife would have to leave here immediately.
We've been thinking about buying some property over on the coast where the weather is much more mild. We wouldn't move until we get old, but we could put in the infrastructure before then. It would be nice to scale down to about 40 to 80 acres or so.

 

[d_marsh]

I thought you were 45!!??

I don't believe I ever said, other than mid-40's which I take to be 42-48.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The short answer is creditability or validity of intended purpose. Which is protection.

If you have zero or less than zero net-worth, and zero hope of ever having any net-worth, you likely have no need of a Trust. But if you wait till you urgently need a trust to protect your assets/net-worth, any (even the stupidest) lawyer can and will have your fresh/new trust voided.

For the trust to have credibility it is best that it has existed and functioned "correctly" for an established time period. Generally accepted time period is at least (5) Five years. Otherwise, it is likely to be considered a "sham".

So best to have established and have utilized the trust before age 60y/o. Some people are born into a trust and spend their entire life in the safety of one or more trusts.

The only reason that I see in having a trust that is over 5 years old is that it will protect your assets if you need to go into a nursing home. Anything less than 5 years the nursing home can take your assets to pay for your care.

 

[Pearl]

I don't believe I ever said, other than mid-40's which I take to be 42-48.

Ok, kiddo!!

 

[Caribou]

I don't believe I ever said, other than mid-40's which I take to be 42-48.

I said that I got married at 45. You asked if I was threatening you because you were almost there.

 

[Alaskajohn]

I am learning from all of this. In my mid 60s now and I have 10 years, plus or minus, that I will be physically capable of living this lifestyle. God willing. At some point we will need to make this our summer home when the winters get too brutal.

We have a 2nd home, very nice and big, that my son is living in. He takes great care of it and it’s where we stay if we need to shop or go to appointments. It’s not too far from Caribou. Super nice location but the winter winds of 80 MPH sustained makes driving hard. We know we need to sell it and find a good place to winter that would be safe with low maintenance. The perfect spot weather wise, would probably be near where Sourdough is now, but that is an awful long ways away from my mountain where we live now. We aren’t pushing this now, but when the son wants his own place we will have to sell our second home. This is probably a year or two away, so plenty of time to plan while our bodies are still youngish.

 

[snappy1]

We changed our prepping plans 10 years ago when DH got sick. We moved from the country to a tiny town with basic grocery and dollar stores within walking distance. Our property is deemed rural, even in the middle of town. We can have goats and chickens with a fenced in yard for dogs and a garden. It was a good move!

I am 67 and in so much better shape than I was 10 years ago! That is when I realized that I would be DH's only caretaker. Still walk 6 days a week unless ice or lightening.

Only thing not done at the house is a ramp and until DH decides it is important, it will wait.

 

[Sourdough]

Only thing not done at the house is a ramp and until DH decides it is important, it will wait.

If done in a not-double butt ugly way, a well thought out ramp adds value to a home. It can even fold up against a wall till needed.

 

[snappy1]

If done in a not-double butt ugly way, a well thought out ramp adds value to a home. It can even fold up against a wall till needed.

Folding up would be great, at least at first. I will check into that! Thanks!

 

[Sourdough]

I am learning from all of this. In my mid 60s now and I have 10 years, plus or minus, that I will be physically capable of living this lifestyle. God willing. At some point we will need to make this our summer home when the winters get too brutal.

We have a 2nd home, very nice and big, that my son is living in. He takes great care of it and it’s where we stay if we need to shop or go to appointments. It’s not too far from Caribou. Super nice location but the winter winds of 80 MPH sustained makes driving hard. We know we need to sell it and find a good place to winter that would be safe with low maintenance. The perfect spot weather wise, would probably be near where Sourdough is now, but that is an awful long ways away from my mountain where we live now. We aren’t pushing this now, but when the son wants his own place we will have to sell our second home. This is probably a year or two away, so plenty of time to plan while our bodies are still youngish.

Not having the ability to past the vision test, and their refusing to renew my driver's license, has triggered my biggest lifestyle change. I suggest you figure out how to renew your driver's license just before you turn 67 or 68 y/o. That gives you five more years.