Legit one of the only things that makes me rethink our decision not to procreate.
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Iām not terribly worried about being an imposition. Iāll take up base jumping in my late seventies and itāll work itself out.
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+1
I wouldnāt mind kids, but never really had a strong desire for them. Too exhausting. The best case Iāve ever made to myself for kids, is thatās Iād (hopefully) have someone to care for me when old. But Iāve also realized this is probably not a good primary reason to have children.
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If it only took humans 6 years to go from newborn---->independent adult, Iād consider having kids. A ~20 year commitment is just too much for me. Respect to everyone that is repopulating the earth.
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No, four months isnāt really a big deal. But something like Alzheimerās can be a completely exhausting 5+ year ordeal for the primary caregiver that puts most of the rest of their life on hold, and in USA#1 it can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Itās not like I really have a lot of choices here. Itās not like Iām planning on not having insurance. Best I can do is kill myself when Iām no longer a benefit to those around me. If Iām not capable of killing myself? Wanna make a euthanasia pact?
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Adoption is always an option
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Weāre kinda straying off topic. The reason I brought it up is in the context of being a stateless nomad into old age, or not even necessarily old but just in dire straits for one reason or another. Like when shit gets really real for real, is there some entity legally obligated to take care of you?
I can see worrying about that if youāre a Euro. Weāre Americans and are fucked at home. Other people can chime in with better answers, but thereās private insurance other places and a lot of even not rich countries are better for this even if youāre not a citizen.
I can send you pictures of tent encampments in LA if you need to be reminded how obligated the US is to take care of you.
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Thatās not really relevant to zikās concern. I think heās talking about medical care and long term care when he is old.
The US wonāt ātake care of youā in general, but there are some specific things you can (kind of) count on.
Once heās of age he can get Medicare. And once heās old and requires long-term care, if he is broke, he can get Medicaid to pay for long-term care.
This, of course, assumes the programs remain largely unchanged when he needs them.
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Miliboo basically got into this in one post. Youāve got a good chance for some years with a decent body and mind. Donāt go out of your way to put your security at risk for no good reason obviously, but donāt sacrifice your good years to protect your bad. Move back to the US when youāre old and get on Medicare or die or whatever, but Iām 52 and very healthy and capable and Iām not going to not do stuff for the next 20 or maybe 30 years because Iām afraid of what my last 5 years will be like. Iāve still got kids and parents to take care of for now though - I think they call that being a sandwich generation.
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I agree with all of this and I imagine zikzak would as well.
Sure. Easier said than done. Iām just trying to give myself a pep talk. I probably wonāt be going full Suzzer.
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You canāt go full suzzer with kids. Even if theyāre adults youāre going to want to be around.
Iām certainly not trying to talk anybody out of anything. I ask and it would be something Iād worry about because I donāt know the answers. When people say theyāre going to go live abroad, I donāt understand how you do that long term without either some legally recognized status, or being very wealthy, or planning on eventually returning to your country of citizenship. Iām sure it can be done, but Iām not so sure itās something Iād want be dealing with in my late 70ās.
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Iām pretty sure everyone who is doing this plans to do one of the 3 things you mentioned.
It sounds like in your case, returning to USA would be the best option. All you have to fade is some illness that is so sudden that you canāt make back here and making it back would make a difference. Seems like a pretty small risk, imo.
How would they distinguish āworkā from someone who is just gambooling for fun and gets lucky?
I have Option 1 available.
The desirability of option 1 depends on the country in question. Canada = great. Uruguay = less so.
I got my foot x-rayed, a diagnosis (bone spurs/plantar fasciitis), and a prescription at one of the best hospitals in Mexico for $100. Walked in w/o an appt, walked out less than 2 hours later. We make healthcare way too complicated in this country 95% of the time.
Costa Rica is a haven of medical tourism. Their doctors know what theyāre doing. Everything is quoted up front and they even give you money back if there were no complications. Imagine a US hospital giving you cash back lol. Whether or not you really need the procedure is up to you to research. I can live with that. In my case it was cutting the back of your tendons partially to relieve the platnar-fasciitis - $4000. I passed and now itās much better w/o surgery.
Iām not worried about healthcare in most other countries unless I get bone cancer or something. Then Iāll fly back to the US.
As far being taken care of when youāre old. Iād rather take my chances in Costa Rica than wind up in a medicare-grade memory care facility in the US. One of the most horrible, depressing places Iāve ever been. I really wish there was some way to say just euthanize me if Iām that mentally incapacitated. I know it canāt work for practical reasons. But maybe thereās some way to make it happen.
I think at least some part of what makes people wind up in those places is retiring with no plan other than sitting around. When your body and brain feels done, it reacts accordingly. I plan to keep moving and exploring as long as I can with the hopes it will keep my brain and body working at RBG levels as long as possible. Of course maybe you meet someone and plans change.
Bottom line is the thought of growing old and dying in my one-bedroom condo (or a 5-bedroom mansion) is infinitely more terrifying to me than whatever happens to me as a 75-year-old in some other country. If I had a huge loving family with grandkids and lots of local social connections, obviously it would be a whole different story.
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