Should I Stay or Should I Go

That’s the big boomer dilemma. Should you stay or should you go. (Apologies to The Clash, 1982) Age in place or head for the hills. Not hills really; more like swanky assisted living (swanky…there’s a word nobody uses anymore, especially not when referring to average assisted living digs).

Where do you want to live in your “golden years?”  Aging in place has a multitude of pluses. It’s familiar. Your friends and family may be nearby. You’re surrounded by accustomed stores and services. But what aging in place really comes down to is maintaining a sense of independence.

Why then would you move into an assisted living residence? For many boomers, moving now, before it’s a necessity, puts them ahead of the game when the day comes that they need more medical care and caregiving assistance thereby maintaining the quality of life they want.

If you are going to stay where you are, it will most likely require some modifications to bathrooms, kitchens and lighting. A two-story house isn’t going to cut it, so that might necessitate a move to one-floor living. Three-thousand square foot homes are out of the question. Down-sizing is a must. You will also need to start acquiring a corps of workers to get your groceries, mow your grass, shovel the snow and take care of the mechanical infrastructure. Most important of all, you will want to be locking down a caregiver arrangement since that will be essential to aging in place.

Self-sufficient types may not want to hear it, but if you are hellbent on living independently, you will need to weigh the risks. The time will come when you must balance your personal freedom against your safety and health needs.

Aging in place often comes with a level of social isolation that may appear attractive to iconoclasts but if you’ve read any of the stories about hoarders who live in dreadful conditions, it should give you pause. Twenty-four seven me-time has the potential to obliterate common sense.

Lastly, how much does it cost to age in place? How much you got? It may take more dollars than you think depending upon how long you live. I don’t have the stats at hand, but one thing is clear: most people are living many years longer than their than their forebears.

The Clash didn’t have the answer and neither do I.

Darling, you got to let me know
Should I stay, or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I’ll be here till the end of time
So you got to let me know
Should I stay, or should I go?

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.