As I work on page after page of my new book which deals with healthy emotional aging, I find that those I talk to under 65 are a little more aware that they will actually continue to live and age! My research this morning talked about the sandwich generation where over 53 million pre-65-and- overs are in the midst of caretaking elderly parents while managing their own tribe at home.
The stressors involved in worrying about your elderly parents are tremendous and sometimes overwhelming. My friends talk about the guilt they feel about not doing enough, the exhaustion of managing another person's finances, shopping, etc, and at the same time, they notice that they feel a little better about themselves. They get to feel the rewards of helping another human who is way more appreciative than the kids at home! Having this added responsibility gives these courageous caretakers a peek into their own old age and helps them start their own checklist of how they will handle the later years. Some of the planning questions include:
Budgeting: How much will I have to spend in retirement
Lifestyle: What kind of lifestyle will we live in retirement
Wellness: What changes do I need to make now to make sure I stay well in my later years?
Living arrangements: Where will I live later on?
Emotional health: How do I start turning things around so I won't slip into depression as I age?