Have those of you over 55 found llife to be difficult? Truthful answers please.?

Question

PattiJen, Shari, Grayman, I know of what you speak. I pray for you. I am happy for the others whose plans came to fruititon.
I appreciate the honesty, every answer was a good answer.

Answer 1

If I had answered this question about two years ago, I would have said life is great, but not now. I remember one moment a couple of years ago when I was working at my job as a marketing assistant. We were in a meeting in a beautiful high rise building, and the room had big windows with a gorgeous view. I loved my job. It was a Friday, and I knew that weekend my husband and I would do something fun. My husband at that time was skydiving and we were very happy. Then I lost my job due to downsizing, and both my husband and I have faced (and are still dealing with) some health issues. We, all of a sudden, didn't feel quite so young anymore, and we feel that life took so much away from us in the last two years. We both are having a hard time dealing with the mental aspects of getting older. I'm hoping to hear some inspirational answers on here. Sorry mine is such a depressing one.

Answer 2

Without going into boring detail, I would definitely say that
since being in the senior category, life has been extremely
tough. Healthwise and financially. I'm restricted from enjoying
the quality of living due to health reasons, and financially as
well. Anymore, we rarely can afford the splurge of eating out, at even fast foods'. And it's been two years since we drove to
the coast, for even the day. Our only source of entertainment
is the TV and computer. Gas is restricted to a budget, that
doesn't even stretch to the end of the month. So we do the
best we can to juggle things and still keep the wolves away.
I didn't think life would be hard as an older person, when I
was young. I looked at how comfortable our family lived.
Everyone was able to relax and enjoy their retirement. No one
had any serious health issues. It was a matter of aging
slowly and gracefully. So I looked at life ahead as being a
very slow slide downward. Little did I suspect, that I would be
the one in the family where Murphys Law hung over her like
a dark dark cloud. No, make that a funnel cloud. And me
being sucked up into it. But considering the other option, I
continue as always, and try to think of the simple things that
can make me smile. The memories of the 'good old days'
when life was simple if not mellow come back to haunt me in
my older years. And I am glad I do have those to fall back
upon. And I think of the crossroads I've come to in life, and
the alternate routes I maybe should have taken. But life is all
too short, and most certainly too short to grieve. And so one
continues to carry on as before, as always.

Answer 3

I'm not quite 55, but I am disabled as of last year, so it was quite an adjustment. I was very physically active in my job and my recreational life before that. It's a mixed bag. I'm VERY happy I don't have to put up with my former employer & some of my co-workers. After 2 bad marriages, I finally found a good man, so those two aspects of my life are much better. On the other hand, I don't have a day without pain. Some days are worse than others. I am getting 2 checks, but without him, I'd be barely surviving financially. I was never rich, but I was OK. Overall, I'm happier now than I was 8 years ago.

Answer 4

Yes, I guess if I were painfully honest I'd have to say I've found being 55+ has been difficult. I think that one of the things that makes it most difficult for me is that it doesn't seem to be PC to say how difficult it is. From the TV and print commercials that picture every senior as beautifully coiffed, dressed right out of Land's End, LLBean, etc., handsome partner, good health and usually in some gorgeous setting....well, this looks just like heaven...the golden years really must be just that, really golden...what am I not doing right. Trying bringing up the physical/emotional/mental challenges that menopause brings and you'll hear a chorus of your "sisters" saying, "I've never experienced a hot flash....I just sailed right through it.." What the heck am I doing wrong. I have found that many of my peers seem to have taken a vow of silence on this matter...a sort of, don't ask...don't tell approach. I do understand the reasons behind this...especially if you still want to, or are forced by economic reasons to remain in the work force and in the mainstream....in order to be competetive you must not show any signs of aging or out you got...a youngest ready and willing to step into your place in the stream...for less money, I might add.....It will be very interesting to see if anyone else out there is experiencing any negative thoughts/feelings on the aging process....oh yeah, the other response seems to be a "just make lemonade" approach. I'd just like some validation...then I'll get out the lemon juicer and make that lemonade, gosh darn it....

Answer 5

No harder, for the most part, than life "under" 55. It IS a bit harder to find a new job - partly because most employers are looking for younger employees for most of the job openings they have, but also because (1) the 55-plus person is usually looking for more money, and (2) there is some concern about how much longer the person will stay around.

Answer 6

Depends on the day and circumstance...overall I find this era in my life to be free of lot of trivial nonsense that used to beset me when I was younger + I no longer have to 'raise' children with all the joys yes, but attendent angst. AND my star studded [?] careers are no longer and I just work now to pad my retirement income so on the whole life is good.

BUT I find it harder to do a lot of things I have always taken for granted and my mind says I can do them - then I do them or try to do them and just can't muster the same energy or if so, the recuperation time is horrible! lol

I worry sometimes about what the future holds healthwise...but still I sorta like the 'freedom' my post 55 years have provided :-)

Answer 7

I'm 57, and the older I get, the more I realize that life is short. Losing loved ones is having a profound effect on my life. I'm living life like each day is my last because I realize, it just may be. I'm having more fun, making better choices and working harder at staying healthy. I've been blessed with a somewhat athletic body type and I am grateful that I'm able to still do things many people, even younger than I, can't do. Life for me, is good.

Answer 8

Not really. Of course, there are challenges, as there are with any age, but the experience accumulated over the years helps overcome those.

To be perfectly honest, I'm having a wonderful time. My intellectual life is rich and stimulating, my professional life is reasonably successful, my personal life is very pleasant, and I'm not as plagued by the tendency to second-guess my decisions as I was when I was younger.

Answer 9

I loved saying I was the same age as the speed limit. Now .. I'll be turning 61 in December.

EVERYTHING really does change but it changes gradually, probably so we can adapt.

For hubby and me it's been significant changes in sleeping habits. After 20 years of everything under the sun, we're finally sleeping in separate bedrooms and loving it. We've learned to eat better & eat smarter so we don't have huge heartburn attacks (this will cost more), become more vitamin conscious and get our flu shots and we need more light to see and better shoes. We can't multi-task very well anymore. Don't want to either. We drive the speed limit and sometimes slower and we like it and we don't particularly give a crap about what other drivers think. When we're traveling, we just pull off and let others go by every so often. They appreciate it and we get to drive our own drive.

Our tastes in everything from clothing to tv programs has changed. Don't like entertainment news, we just want the damn news straight up. Don't like the silly *** way the National Anthem is sung by every numbskull who can warble it, and we care a lot more about the politics in our country, global warming and what we are leaving for our children behind us.
We now faithfully have to have our little happy hour and nightly wine time. We think sex (in Senior years) is one of the best kept secrets on the planet and thank God we've still got it. You never know how long it's here to stay.
Things about your world become annoying that you used to not pay attention to at all. Your worry more about your health and keeping it. You frighten a bit more when you do get sick.
You really prefer a good Hotel over secluded areas when you travel. You don't really venture out alot at night, except for maybe a little walk around your own block.
You see your parents through their last days and you bury them and realize that you too should be looking into your will and your burial business and getting your life more in order "just in case" so your kids aren't left with your burden.
You say goodbye to your hopes of ever being much less looking the same as your did in your 40's. You try to wrap your brain around the concept that 20 years has gone by since your 40's and that's probably why you don't seem to be able to do the same things in the same way. Duh.
Too much walking and exercise just makes you sore and miserable and doesn't "make you feel better", it damn near kills you. Your skin becomes dryer. You become paler and have to change foundation shade. You have to change your hair color too. You're getting older and the clothes are becoming younger. You have to search harder to find what you like. You have to work at exfoliating, moisturizing, taking better care of your hands and feet and your teeth. And ALL of this will cost more. So you are really, really happy you planned ahead and have a very good retirement.
And you are always reminding yourself of your age and NOT to do stupid things like thinking you can still climb on the roof or under the car or up in a tree or scale a ladder to paint your 12foot ceiling, all things you never had to think about before.

BUT, you have life, you do have good health overall, you have friends, you have enough money that you don't have to worry everytime the economy changes, you have a beautiful home, your bills are all paid up and you have great insurance on EVERYTHING. You are retired, you can come and go as you please and vacation when you like and you can RELAX from the fears of your youth at night knowing all this.

Ahhh, but nothing's perfect and AGE has its compensations.

Answer 10

No way Jose!!! I no longer worry about what I do or say, and am not concerned about how people think of me. I can live on my own when my partner is away and enjoy it. I do two jobs One is as a nurse, and because of my age, patients respect and trust me more and as a rock music photographer it opens doors for me as I am not seen as a threat.My maturity frees me from thoughts of prejudice and judgement and yet I still relate to younger people and enjoy the music and technology of the modern world . My kids are grown and therefore I do not have to devote time to them and can please myself how I spend my money and leisure time. My life is great.