Working and being around all sorts of people from all sections of your community or city, kept your immune system on it's toes. It's a marvelous system. You were coming into a constant stream of germs everyday. Once you retire and see only a few people, it gets a little lazy so that when you do bump into something from outside your usual environment, it hits you hard. Of course, we are getting older and our immune systems are not as good as they once were. That makes a difference too. When I first started babysitting for children that live on the other side of town, I usually got a sore throat and/or a cold. I NEVER get one otherwise. I think it must be that they were bringing home germs that they are used to but were new to me. Now, several months later, I seem to have gotten used to them too.

I'd ask him to list the things that make him want to go back: then see if those things are really there or just his longing for the way things used to be. Sometimes we tend to glorify the good things & forget about the bad. You don't mention the size of the city where he wants to move. Does it still have the amenities, entertainment sources, restaurants, etc. that you both like? What are some of the issues facing the community? We live in a small town where many have moved away; however they keep their home (or parents home when they die) so that they have a place to stay when they come back to visit or can someday move back. But the world they knew it as is no longer reality. The businesses have changed (or gone), the friends & family they knew are no longer around, people don't neighbor like they used to, etc. I'd test the waters before committing. Go back & stay for a month or so. If you want to get out of the city, make a list of the features you'ld really like in your new place and see if his hometown can provide those things.

Hi all, Some find that there's been a " ... higher elevation ... " of prices ... ... of basic necessities, as well as many other things, in recent years. At least we haven't recently had to suffer the high inflation rates as in early '80s - 12% for a while. Some older folks chortle about how they made 19% on Canada Savings Bonds about 1981. When I tell them that they were lucky if they were able to keep about 2 - 3% of that, they say that I'm nuts. The income tax people want to talk to you about all of your income in any given year, and many were paying at least 25% - which reduced the 19% to about 15%, after-tax. As you know, $10,000. won't buy as much now as it would ten years ago. If you buy a guaranteed certificate at the bank, bond, etc. they guarantee to pay every borrowed dollar at maturity. But don't refer to the other guarantee - they won't pay you a single dollar more, either, above the rent on the money. So you must deduct the rate of inflation from the interest that they pay to add to the basic asset in order to maintain its purchasing power. What was the rate of inflation about 1981? About 12%, as mentioned above. Which doesn't leave much for the owner of that asset to put into her/his pocket. When governments borrow huge amonts of money, many owners of money won't lend it to them unless they offer higher rates of interest. Then the prices of goods go up. Resulting in escalating rates of inflation. I remember an old retired doctor who went to Korea to help cope with the ravages of tuberculosis just after the Korean War, who said that inflation was government theft. I disagreed heartily at the time. That was 50 years ago - I don't dispute his claim, now, having become somewhat more knowledgeable during those years: perhaps a little more cynical, as well? Happy are they who have (at least partial) indexation of pension(s). Good wishes for good health, enough to live on and good friends during retirement. ole joyful

Agree on maintenance. As for the toilet thing - enough room around the toilet - but not TOO MUCH room so that you can install a grab bar if necessary. Toilets that are ADA height at GREAT. And I also prefer ones with smooth sides that are also called 'hidden trap' - they are all smooth and don't have exposed bolts / covers and don't collet dust / crud around the base. Also - way easier to sit down / get up. My new build has 2 bedrooms that connect to the master bath. That could be separate beds if a spouse was a loud sleeper - or also could be used by a caregiver. I am going to have hard surface flooring (mostly a dog decision) but the hardness can be mitigated by having some decent "indoor shoes" (that can also help with things being slippery, etc). I have no steps from garage to house, nor from house to outside. I have 36" wide doors everywhere. We recently installed the metal door frames and it's weird now that that feels SMALL! We will also have the ability to put grab rails anywhere by using 3/4" heavy duty, marine grade plywood behind all our showers. Sheet tiles / large format porcelain / sintered material, etc. and a zero threshold shower. Handheld sprays. A tub with a ledge so you can sit and swing your legs over - but the shower is the key - it will actually hold a bathing chair AND a caregiver. My inlaws had care 24/7 for a few years. They also had a 1620's historic home. While it was their dream ho me, it was sad to see how the usable portion continued to shrink as they could no longer handle the stairs. My parent, OTOH, have a single floor condo, with a garage and a stair lift that is now allowing my Dad to be super mobile while he waits on his knee replacement surgery. It was a Godsend after Mom's hip replacement. (It also works fairly well to send up the groceries...). While their straight stairs are a design no-no, it worked well for the stair lift. I hope the best set of decisions we've made center around very low maintenance materials - metal roofing, concrete exterior, windows that are large, but not super tall, a plinth around the house to facilitate cleaning / spiderweb removal, accessible systems for HVAC, water heating, home automation, etc. Home automation that will work more and more with Alexa, Google home, Siri, etc may come in handy, too. For the kitchen - induction, as well as ovens that the doors open TO THE SIDE with ballbearing slides for the racks to make removing items easier and safer.