What are the cultural aspects that make you stay in Argentina?

[argeiCanuck]

I had a friend in Chicago who was very low income. He lived in really good subsidized housing only a few blocks from Water Tower Place. He paid a modest fraction of his low Social Security. He also received meals-on-wheels and other social services. Medicaid paid all his medical bills. He got heavily discounted senior tickets to the Chicago Symphony, half price public transport and other perks. I think there are ways the elderly on low incomes can live in a decent way in the US. I am not doubting that you are well off in BA but I have met others who are doing well in the US on very low retirement incomes. It's more possible than a lot of people think.

Possible miracles happen but not probable.
These were the heroes one day.

 

[argeiCanuck]

I know lots of friends who would rather die before they go for meals on wheels.

Sad, but true for some. They will never know what they are missing.

 

[Ruta Otto]

I had a friend in Chicago who was very low income. He lived in really good subsidized housing only a few blocks from Water Tower Place. He paid a modest fraction of his low Social Security. He also received meals-on-wheels and other social services. Medicaid paid all his medical bills. He got heavily discounted senior tickets to the Chicago Symphony, half price public transport and other perks. I think there are ways the elderly on low incomes can live in a decent way in the US. I am not doubting that you are well off in BA but I have met others who are doing well in the US on very low retirement incomes. It's more possible than a lot of people think.

Your friend was lucky. The reality across most of the USA is this: https://abc7chicago.com/affordable-housing-chicago-cha-section-8-portal/13232375/

 

[Ries]

I am not sure how a single anecdotal senior from the past in chicago has anything to do with why I chose Buenos Aires, but, OK.
I actually lived in Chicago briefly a couple of times in my life, in the fifties as a toddler, and in the 80s.
I love Chicago.
Culturally, it doesnt hold a candle to BA, and I think all up its still way more expensive than BA.
I know a lot of Seniors in the USA, and the wait lists for subsidized housing are long for many of them.
I am on SS right now, and live half the time in the USA, and can tell you that if you can live on $1500 a month, including housing, food, clothing, and basic living, even without a car, you are living in a very low cost area. Wait times for subsidized apartments in Seattle are 2 years minimum. Many of the homeless people are actually on SS or VA benefits...

https://www.seattlehousing.org/sites/default/files/Historical%20Wait%20Times%20Flyer_2021%20Updated.pdf

 

[chris]

I am not sure how a single anecdotal senior from the past in chicago has anything to do with why I chose Buenos Aires, but, OK.
I actually lived in Chicago briefly a couple of times in my life, in the fifties as a toddler, and in the 80s.
I love Chicago.
Culturally, it doesnt hold a candle to BA, and I think all up its still way more expensive than BA.
I know a lot of Seniors in the USA, and the wait lists for subsidized housing are long for many of them.
I am on SS right now, and live half the time in the USA, and can tell you that if you can live on $1500 a month, including housing, food, clothing, and basic living, even without a car, you are living in a very low cost area. Wait times for subsidized apartments in Seattle are 2 years minimum. Many of the homeless people are actually on SS or VA benefits...

https://www.seattlehousing.org/sites/default/files/Historical%20Wait%20Times%20Flyer_2021%20Updated.pdf

The comment was in response to someone's post that she could not afford to live in Chicago on Social Security. As for anecdotal stories, yours is also anecdotal but off the top of my head I can think of four people with low incomes who managed well in good subsidized housing. I mentioned one, another is in Seattle, one in Philadelphia and the fourth is in northern New Jersey. The latter lives in very good subsidized housing but she has more income than the others and has a car. In all cases there were waiting lists to get in but they got in. The % of their Social Security they are required to pay in rent is low and what remains is enough to live on. Health care is paid by Medicaid or Medicare, depending on the individual's circumstances. In big cities cars are not needed. Public transport in Seattle I believe is half price for seniors, half I think in Seattle and totally free in some cities like Philadelphia. For those on low incomes, private health care in Argentina would be unaffordable or inaccessible to any older person. No company is likely to accept an elder. Beside that. not everyone is able to uproot and settle in a foreign country where they can't speak the language and have no support system. My point was only that it is not so hopeless in the US. I don't wish to argue the point, however.

 

[QuilmesSlo]

The comment was in response to someone's post that she could not afford to live in Chicago on Social Security. As for anecdotal stories, yours is also anecdotal but off the top of my head I can think of four people with low incomes who managed well in good subsidized housing. I mentioned one, another is in Seattle, one in Philadelphia and the fourth is in northern New Jersey. The latter lives in very good subsidized housing but she has more income than the others and has a car. In all cases there were waiting lists to get in but they got in. The % of their Social Security they are required to pay in rent is low and what remains is enough to live on. Health care is paid by Medicaid or Medicare, depending on the individual's circumstances. In big cities cars are not needed. Public transport in Seattle I believe is half price for seniors, half I think in Seattle and totally free in some cities like Philadelphia. For those on low incomes, private health care in Argentina would be unaffordable or inaccessible to any older person. No company is likely to accept an elder. Beside that. not everyone is able to uproot and settle in a foreign country where they can't speak the language and have no support system. My point was only that it is not so hopeless in the US. I don't wish to argue the point, however.

Funny, my friends living on social security live in utter fear of an auto repair, or god forbid, a dental problem. I guess they aren't doing it right.

 

[chris]

Funny, my friends living on social security live in utter fear of an auto repair, or god forbid, a dental problem. I guess they aren't doing it right.

If your friends lived in a city where there is good public transport they wouldn't need a car. Many US citizens find it psychologically hard to give up suburban life. As for dentists, you are correct that beyond basic treatment costs are enormous. I don't think Medicare or Medicaid covers much. Even working people find dental care expensive which is why there is dental tourism.

 

[Ruta Otto]

If your friends lived in a city where there is good public transport they wouldn't need a car. Many US citizens find it psychologically hard to give up suburban life. As for dentists, you are correct that beyond basic treatment costs are enormous. I don't think Medicare or Medicaid covers much. Even working people find dental care expensive which is why there is dental tourism.

Few places in the USA have adequate mass transit, and the places that do are mostly unaffordable for people on fixed incomes, especially if they were to move there to take advantage of the good public transport. This is only one of the many reasons people are leaving the USA in search of affordable places to live.

 

[chris]

Few places in the USA have adequate mass transit, and the places that do are mostly unaffordable for people on fixed incomes, especially if they were to move there to take advantage of the good public transport. This is only one of the many reasons people are leaving the USA in search of affordable places to live.

I've cited four people I know who live in major cities where there is very good public transport. All have found quality subsidized housing, even in high rent cities like Seattle. And you are wrong that there is poor public transport in US cities: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and intermediate cities have good to excellent public transport. Chicago is excellent. And it is either free or 50% for Seniors. Anyway my point was only that the situation is NOT hopeless for Seniors on low incomes. It often takes persistence or an advocate to help find an affordable and good place to live but it can be done. Everyone doesn't have to escape to Argentina. Anyway I'm not going to argue. This is my last comment on the subject.

 

[jantango]

A person can survive in Chicago, but winter there is a challenge. I wrote and made videos about retirement in Buenos Aires where one can thrive. It's not everyone's destiny, but it was mine. I own the roof over my head, the only property that is mine, thanks to my mother's estate which was the exact amount of the unit I rented for three years.