To be worried how I will manage to work until I am 67?

[brasty]

I am in my mid fifties. I already get more tired than I used to when younger. I wonder how I am going to manage to work full time until I am 67 years old. And continue to do my share of cooking, cleaning, family stuff and actually having some fun.

'I have no pension, no savings and will get about 200k inheritance which I will give straight to my kids (minus one good holiday) I shall then claim benefits in the unlikely event that I live past 55. Screw the government I've paid my taxes I will get my pension when I need it but it will just be called ESA/JSA when I get it.'

That's willful deprivation of capital, something councils are really cracking down on, and will make you ineligible for benefits. Taxes are not a savings account or insurance policy to draw on for future personal use.

Yes you will have to use your inheritance to live on.

I hate the bloody fighting cancer thing. Genetic cancer in my family, several aunts dying and leaving young children, I'm sure if they could just fight it they would have. Who in their right mind chooses to die and leave toddlers?

IfIhadonly known I now mid 60s so hoping I have missed the family curse, hope you do too.

'I hate the bloody fighting cancer thing. '

Me, too, because it is complete bullshit. There are some forms of paediatric cancer that are completely incurable. I know two children sitting with tumours in their brains. There is nothing in the world that will rid them of those. And there are other forms that have a 100% death rate. NO ONE survives, no matter how hard they fight (it's called DIPG, for those who don't know). But don't let that get in the way of what's a smug bollocks paradigm for some people to feel morally superior about themsevles .

I don't think you should involve your DSS.

Oh, I wouldn't involve him, I'd just steal his insulin kit and do it myself! And when we've talked about it, it's mostly in jest.

My DB passed away from bowel cancer aged 34 this year, and fought the strongest fight I have seen against the awful horrible disease. He really loved life at times and lived it exactly as he wanted, not in a conventionally successful way but it was damned good he did - it meant we all got some crumb of comfort knowing his life was short but well lived.

To imply people aren’t fighting the disease enough to overcome it is ignorant and offensive. Don’t generalise - it’s upsetting to those who have lost people to cancer.

As for retirement age, I am certain I will have to work until I’m 80. I don’t have a pension, but do own a property but am not relying on that or my inheritance to get me out of a hole. If anything happens to my parents, and they need care/medical costs paid for then I won’t get much.

That's ok then LakieLady I know you have to be careful about these things. My plan, if it comes to it and have time to plan, is to take a long walk in a cold climate.

Meant to add, we also joke about it being time for DP's insulin overdose when DP is being annoying. We have a very dark sense of humour.

DP says he doesn't care as long as I don't shoot myself and leave a mess to clear up

ofortune

a splendid way to while away the hours

We have a very dark sense of humour. Gets you through a lot does a good sense of humour!

Behappy do you really have any idea just how many people (especially women) are currently clinically depressed and being treated for it? I don't mean just feeling a bit miserable, I mean full blown can't face getting out of bed, cry at anything & nothing, can't concentrate, can't sleep, have eating issues (too much OR too little), the very thought of leaving the house is upsetting, and possibly feel genuinely suicidal?

Maybe they started out with mild depression, but it's a condition that spirals and money worries can just make it worse. It really isn't possible to "bootstrap" yourself out of depression and anyone who suggests it is, is both ignorant and insulting. Do you really think that anyone who feels the way I've described above doesn't desperately WANT to get better? That they are happily wallowing or something?

DP is half planning to die in service (NHS), so I can get something like double his wages for a few years or so (not clear on the details). Also, we live in a council house, so won't be chucked out as easily as from private rented, if my income plummets (I'm likely to long outlive DP).

I will likely be given a lion's share of an old, slightly dilapidated family house in South Europe as an early inheritance (will be hard to sell due to other owners and emotional significance), so if worst comes to worst, I will retire there and live off the garden produce. That'll be good for slimming. There's a local waterfall, which is a well-known and well-used suicide spot (particularly for older people in the recent years), but I don't think I've got the guts! Anyone wanting to join me in Southern Europe (the house is big!) is welcome. The more the merrier and stray cats galore to admire (I nearly put in "and eat", too, but I think that'd be too much!).

I’m a retired nurse and definitely get “dark humour” :)
My mom told me many things but one was to learn about my husband to be family health history. So being a planner at age 20 I certainly did know and learn lots before we married but familial conditions didn’t really show up until we had been married 10+ years.
She also told me to check teeth, a good set of teeth! And height....she had quite the list.

But I fight back and I refuse to let these things beat me.So, don't think that we've all had it easy that are not joining in your whingeing fest

What a spectacularly stupid thing to say. Just ignore itsonkyme she's already had one similarly 'bright' post deleted on this thread.

Having a positive attitude does affect your health.
The British population is also known to have one of the worlds lowest Seratonin levels.
So you may not like how it was said but there is some truth to what was said.

Positive attitude has a good impact on your health in some ways, and negative in other ways. Positive outlooks boosts your immune system. But it often means you take longer to go to the Dr about symptoms that turn out to be life threatening and are more likely to engage in risky behavior. A negative outlook if you are ill may mean that you are less likely to socialise and get out and about when you can. I have read research in this, positive and negative outlook can both have a negative impact on health. And actually a positive outlook is more likely to have a negative impact when it comes to major illnesses.

'Having a positive attitude does affect your health.'

It apparently cures cancer, too! Better go tell all those silly doctors doling out biohazardous drugs and performing risky surgery on people with cancer, but you know, they may not like how that's said because it is bullshit when it comes to surviving cancer.

A positive attitude certainly can affect your health, I totally agree. I had a very anxious attitude after a head injury and it did affect my recovery - so much so that it gave me a bloody breakdown.

But it is silly to say a positive attitude alone will increase serotonin and improve health although i’m sure it does help.

Allergictoirining - I don't know how many.....you sound like you know the numbers?

And what about the people who look perfectly happy and have everything going for them but then top themselves up and nobody knows why?

There was a study done on happiness years ago by a British journalist and the conclusion was that suicide rates were higher in countries with high income and no struggle to find jobs/ housing and were there was not much sun like in some Scandinavian countries. Japan was also on the list but for the high pressure that people have at work.

While suicide rates were very low in countries torn by war or poverty as apparently the instinct to survive took over any other negative thoughts.

So the idea that economic trouble or ill health induce depression or instigates suicidial thoughts is not founded on any real proof.

It goes to show that your arguments are flawed and need to be supported by facts...

In the case of positive thinking and serious illness it has no influence whatsoever on the outcome (some poster will be able to link to the relevant studies I'm sure).

In all fairness taking care of your health now IS an investment in some terms

And - we never know know what's round the corner either so stoping the toxins and meditating won't mean fuck all of you get a nasty

I know my mother finds my attitude in this issue very 'glass is half full'

I do sympathise. I belong to the generation of women who, when they started work, were meant to retire at 60 but had it moved to 66 at short notice. That wasn’t necessarily a problem until the DH left me abruptly for a neighbour and my solicitor simultaneously ripped me off and cr@pped up my divorce settlement, meaning I’d definitely have to go on till 66 and then my thyroid collapsed. My GP refused to offer me a drug which costs 99p a month because he said i ‘didn’t meet the threshold for treatment’, even though i was virtually bedbound and could barely speak after 2pm in the afternoon. I finally managed to get treatment and feel much better but have to the dismal conclusion that we liv3 in a world that just hates women.

Cancer is horrible and as a 60 year old every month I hear of another friend or family being diagnosed.
The thread however is about retirement fears and challenges. Health issues is certainly one piece of the puzzle that you can't plan for but some other aspects the financial one initially mentioned in the thread there is some stuff you can plan for.

And her comment was about how she fought back against disease including cancer and refused to let them beat her. An ignorant and offensive comment to those who lost their lives to the disease that is cancer.

endehors Research actually shows positive thinking overall has a negative outcome on serious illness, because those with a positive outlook take longer to go the GP with initial symptoms, than those with a negative outlook.

For minor illnesses a positive outlook helps.