Seriously Thinking Of Retiring In Ba

[UK Man]

When we lived in the UK my wife used to remark how quickly the Brits seemed to 'abandon' their aged parents rather than take them in and look after them. Compared to here that might be true however the care facilities for the elderly here are so few and lacking in quality Argentine families don't really have any alternative and that's before the economics of it all are taken into consideration. One thing I have noticed here is the lack of old folk you see walking about the streets compared to the UK which makes me think the UK elderly are far more independently minded.

Anyway, I'm 60 and already the thought of me still being here in my dotage fills me with a sense of foreboding.

 

[another]

To UK man - the old folks are all at the milongas every night, dancing tango and rock till they drop dead on the dance floor, one of them just celebrated his 96s birthday this week, dancing till 3 a.m. I don't know which barrio you live in, but I see old people everywhere walking alone, walking with a younger relative, see them carrying groceries and having coffee and I am not talking '60 old' , but 80 and 90 and then some...You never see it in North America, they are all either behind the wheel or on their motorized wheelchairs riding a 100 feet to the next 7-Eleven.

 

[Noesdeayer]

Some Argie old folks might be at the milongas but i think what keeps most of them hopping is having to formulate Plan A,B,C and D to budget ahead of inflation,circumvent all the "quilombos" caused by streets being cut off due to mass demonstrations and,detours in the bus routes for the same reason etc.,etc.
One has to be sharp in Argentina into advanced age to be able to handle the daily inconveniences that inevitably pop up daily.
You never know,' Donde puede saltar la liebre' -Where the rabbit may jump'.

 

[another]

lol...you forgot to mention the never ending cycle of the infrastructure repairs performed medieval style, the ones that make the sidewalks permanently impaired, and having to preserve the sharp vision and agility to be able to navigate the said sidewalks in order to avoid stepping into the doggies' stuff or splashing the mud after a recent rain while stepping on one of them loose tiles...

 

[sergio]

From my own perspective - and that of my mother who has been here quite a few times, BA is not an easy place for the elderly. The broken sidewalks mentioned here are a serious hazard for anyone, especially for elderly people. One slip and you can break a hip which can have very serious consequences for someone up in years. My mother complained about the huge step from the street to the colectivo. She found it too hard to do -- of course the fact that buses where she lives lower the step to ground level may have spoiled her. Crowded buses and drivers who hit the breaks very abruptly pose additional hazards. That means taxis and more expense. The US has become increasingly wheel chair accessible. I don't think you can construct anything these days that does not have handicapped access. Older buildings are sometimes exempt but even these usually try to install ramps. I don't see as much of that in Buenos Aires where bathrooms, for example, are often in the basement or upstairs with no elevator and often narrow or winding stairs.

As my mother aged and gradually lost strength she needed more help. I was astonished at how much is available in the US. A community volunteer organization arranges shopping trips, takes her to the doctor, performs household tasks and provides social opportunities. Medicare sent a nurse every few days when she was ill to monitor her progress. There are Meals-on-Wheels, sometimes free for Seniors. There is even subsidized housing for those with low income (and some of this housing is good quality in respectable neighborhoods). The local Senior Center has activities and offers a wholesome daily lunch for $1. I could go on and on but these are a few things that come to mind. I don't see as much of this here.

I have a friend who is in her mid seventies and lives in a rent stabilized apartment no the Upper East Side in New York. She pays a fraction of the market rent due to city regulated rent stabilization. Her rent is not cheap but it is less than 25% of market value. She can afford it. She is active socially and takes advantage of the endless cultural and social opportunities the city has to offer. I know other seniors like this. Admittedly there are more obese seniors on golf carts in Florida but there are quite a few who live in urban areas or who have moved back downtown in their retirement years so that they can walk around, not depend on a car and enjoy the advantages of city life. She has no wish to live in a retirement community but when the time comes she will probably have to do so.

As someone pointed out, there are few good homes for seniors in Argentina. BABS is one of the good ones. There is a good Jewish home in the city (more expensive than BABS) and I know of a good Anglo-Argentine oriented place in Cordoba. The problem is that costs are extremely high. For most people here there is no good option. The strain on families with aged parents living with them has to be great unless they have money for round the clock helpers. That means a lot of money, even here where labor costs are low.

All things considered I'd say that the US is far better set up for old age. There are more options, especially if you qualify for Medicare.

 

[Girino]

I could go on and on but these are a few things that come to mind. I don't see as much of this here.

What do you expect from people living by the rule "Me me me me me first, f*?@ the rest"?

 

[sergio]

I don't think we've heard a word from "aescobar" who started this thread. He said that he was "seriously" considering retiring in Argentina. Has he been reading these posts? What are his reactions? Is he still seriously considering returning here?

 

[RichardP]

I don't think we've heard a word from "aescobar" who started this thread. He said that he was "seriously" considering retiring in Argentina. Has he been reading these posts? What are his reactions? Is he still seriously considering returning here?

Perhaps we have scared him off.

 

[another]

that was the general idea wasn't it?

 

[jantango]

As I previously noted in this thread, there is "free health care" for all residents of the city of Buenos Aires, at least according to jantango, and I have no reason to doubt her...so no one has to pay for insurance in Buenos Aires. I don't think anyone has to pay for health insurance in the country of Argentina, either. Depending on the quality of the public health care facilities where one lives, that could be less desirable than most (if not all) of the private insurers, but it is an option for everyone.

I posted about the two healthcare options available:

The Argentine equivalent of Medicare -
http://baexpats.org/topic/27941-the-argentine-medicare-system/page__hl__pami

The free healthcare system in Buenos Aires -
http://baexpats.org/topic/33086-free-health-coverage-for-all-in-the-city-of-buenos-aires/

Medical schools teach how to write a prescription and order procedures. The USA doesn't have healthcare, it has disease care. There are a handful of doctors in the US who have figured out that we have responsibility for our health through diet and exercise.

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-philosophy-of-nutritionfacts-org/?utm_source=NutritionFacts.org&utm_campaign=724a6c4844-RSS_VIDEO_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_40f9e497d1-724a6c4844-24164513