The Silent Majority
Scott Fulton
Author: WHEALTHSPAN / Prof. Aging and Preventive Lifestyle Medicine / Speaker / President, Home Ideations / Past President, National Aging in Place Council, Member, American College of Lifestyle Medicine
With increasing frequency, women are finding themselves the caregivers to aging parents. and spouses with early-onset chronic diseases, and often widowed young and left to do it all. The economic reality
My work brings stories to my attention every day.
The stories go on and on, but the theme remains: it's usually the women who are left to clean up after the dust settles, discovering that the cupboards are bare, the options few, and they've sacrificed their health to be handed the leftovers. It's hard to make lemonade when even the lemons are gone.
It's tempting to think this is just how life plays out, and some just get the short straw. Our retirement years aren't going to be the relatively easy ride many of our parents and grandparents enjoyed. There will be a fraction of people to support us, and the cost of care and care-based housing will be out of reach for all but a few. Many won't realize that until that day arrives -- almost no one takes a close look at later-life costs until they come knocking on our door.
Waiting to react. It's a habit acquired over decades of practice. "We'll figure it out. We always do." The rules change in later years. The price to play skyrockets, and all the best options dropped silently off the table long ago, and the future often looks nothing like we imagined.
Pat and Jan (above) have a lot in common, with one key distinction: Pat has been asking questions
Life's questions take time to process and weigh the pros and cons. Change can be hard, but once we fall behind, paralysis seems almost inevitable, and we find ourselves sitting alone in silence far too often.
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I'm lucky. Adult students like Jim and Pat show up freely in class at all ages to explore the possibilities of life, in the full knowledge that life is going to throw them some curve balls and sometimes knock them to their knees. It's not simply about getting back up; it's about knowing why you're getting back up, what you have around you, and already knowing your next steps.
The opportunities to live healthy and happy longer have never been greater, but there's a whole lot more to it than filling the plate with greens, getting out for a daily walk, and reading health magazines.
Healthspan and housing aren't the result of lucky breaks -- they're surprisingly interdependent. Nothing will impact your wealth more than healthspan and housing, and chances are, your financial advisor has offered no resources to help you succeed in these two key areas.
Adults learn best from each other. I can bury you in science and housing options, but the shared experience
The series will be available this fall and includes:
If this is of interest, drop a note, along with any questions and suggestions in the comments
Women Personal Performance Coach
6 个月Delighted with the perspective on this matter, I′d like to know more about the transition series. ( the book′s just delivered to my door)
Women Rely on Me to Assist in Designing "What's Next" * Virtual Transition & Lifestyle Specialist * Speaker (Virtual and Live)
7 个月Scott Fulton love this! We are truly the silent majority. Love the program that you have outlined!
National Sales Leader, Professional Services
7 个月I am interested!
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7 个月Awesome offer. So many women are caught off guard. And, if I may add, there will be a goodly number of men in the same boat. I was struck hard by the story with the dwindling money and the financial advisor who misled them. That is a major issue ... and one that requires regular attention by anyone.
Advocate | Entrepreneur | Advisor | Thought Leader | Caregiver
7 个月Interested!