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I used to work with a couple about my age that are serious outdoors enthusiasts. They recently bought a small house between Erwin and Flag Pond, TN, in the mountains. She works in Kingsport, about an hour away, and he works closer.
There is very little out that way. The nearest Walmart and community hospital are probably about thirty minutes away. No grocery stores. The nearest gas station is probably ten miles away. Road plowing in the winter and any other sort of maintenance is going to be minimal at best. There's virtually no one out there and it is essentially unspoiled wilderness.
This place is fine for a young couple that wants to be out in the middle of nowhere. For a senior, aging out here seems like it would be a nonstarter. A doctor's office is an hour away. Getting around in the winter in the snow is going to be a chore. The nearest major hospital would probably be at least an hour over narrow mountain roads.
The views are wonderful from their Facebook post. It's near several creeks. It's what people think of when they think of Tennessee country living, but it doesn't seem like it would be viable for many seniors to age in place there.
Depends on their health and physical activity level. If they are in poorer health, with cardiovascular issues, or other major concerns, probably a non-starter. If they are in good health and don't mind the driving, fine until they start to have issues. I know many in their mid 70's who would have no problem. I also know people in their 50's who are in such poor health that they should live closer to a hospital. I wouldn't make a blanket statement, it's just depends on the individual.
Depends. Hope they are both into that sort of thing. Or if not, one is compromising and going along for a bit and that is their plan - try it for a while
I live in a rural town and it is crazy how people complain about why don't we have a Walmart across the street from my house type of thing.
All I can say is move! Go to where you want to be.
Depends. Hope they are both into that sort of thing. Or if not, one is compromising and going along for a bit and that is their plan - try it for a while
I live in a rural town and it is crazy how people complain about why don't we have a Walmart across the street from my house type of thing.
All I can say is move! Go to where you want to be.
I agree that it depends on the individuals. What I find unusual is that people gauge their proximity to civilization by how close a Walmart is. I haven't spent a nickel at Walmart in over a decade and I've managed to survive.
Not all retired people are in poor health. Not all retired people want to be near shopping centers. The fact that there is "virtually no one out there" is often a good thing to some people.
It's important in your waning years to be where you want to be, and if a retired person wants to spend their last remaining years in the wilderness, more power to them.
I agree that it depends on the individuals. What I find unusual is that people gauge their proximity to civilization by how close a Walmart is. I haven't spent a nickel at Walmart in over a decade and I've managed to survive.
Likewise on the Walmart. I live in a quiet part of my NOW busy town and get foods from delivery and friends who shop WFoods and TJoe's...I like convenience. I gave up my car but there are services in our city for seniors. Not being a slave to an auto is so freeing.
Risk VS benefit. It's a choice. These people knew where doctors and hospitals were before they moved out to the boonies. There is a good chance they will change their minds as they become older or have a health scare. Maybe another move down the road is part of their plans.
I was the opposite. I was tired of rural life. I wanted to be able to walk to Starbucks if I wanted too. Rural life is pretty and serene but too isolated and inconvenient! And I was tired of always shoveling something!
I think anyone should consider availability/distance from services when considering a move, and if a move where one plans to become old/older, more so.
That said, I said to myself, you can't stay where you are just because you're eight miles from Emerson Hospital (and a senior van to the best in the world, in Boston). If I had some unusual need, sure, I'd stay. But with presumably normal needs, or normal aging issues, I am moving to 24 miles down a good road to a community hospital and cancer center. Not the world-reknowed, but serviceable.
My only real concern is if/when I am unable to drive. (Eyesight? Reflexes?) So it might not be my very last place. Depends on other health conditions, if any, age, and ability to hire people for necessary driving. It's town living in a rural area. I chose town because I think at heart I'm a town person, not rural/suburban/urban, but town.
As for retiring for a specific activity, well, that could well be age-related. But I'm gonna ride horses as long as I reasonably can.
Likewise on the Walmart. I live in a quiet part of my NOW busy town and get foods from delivery and friends who shop WFoods and TJoe's...I like convenience. I gave up my car but there are services in our city for seniors. Not being a slave to an auto is so freeing.
My monthly purchases are split between Walmart online and Amazon. Between them there's only a few things I can't buy while watching a movie, and when the total is shown, if I need to lop off a bit, its easy to do. The interesting part is I now have a pile of empty boxes, especially big ones. I'm cutting them up to keep the mud and dirt by the door.
I quit driving as I know I shouldn't, since I can't accurately judge distance. There's not much transportation available and the only problem is milk and meat. But the empty store by my house which used to sell wonderful fresh meat has finally been bought and will soon reopen. Sure, its a bit expensive but you can't buy that kind in Walmart. Actually very little of my food shopping would be returned to in store shopping.
The best part is you really can budget. If the total is twenty dollars over the max, then you can edit your orders and buy neat and easy, no hurridly sorting to see what not to get while your holding up the line.
I may endup taking the senior center bus to get veggies and fruit, but won't end up buying too much for the bus.
Thing is, ten years ago, I couldn't manage this way. The options in shopping with sites like amazon and brick and mortor ones like online walmart or any other store ones choices have grown and made a lot of types of situations quite doable where before they might not.
I agree that it depends on the individuals. What I find unusual is that people gauge their proximity to civilization by how close a Walmart is. I haven't spent a nickel at Walmart in over a decade and I've managed to survive.
I was going to write something similar. Walmart is the last place I would ever go. It that is all I had, I would not live there.
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