When I started prepping I never thought too deeply about how things would evolve. Just figured out I would improve my preps as much as I could and make some adjustments on the road. As time goes by, I realize old age is around the corner, and how few people seem to prepare for everything that aging brings along.
That’s why I want to share these experiences and explain how I have seen elders live through their senior years with a smile on their faces, even in one of the countries with the worst crisis ever.
I’ve been prepping seriously since 2007. That is before my kid´s birth. I had the feeling that things would not be good 100% of the time. I enjoyed my good times but prepared for the bad ones. However, the magnitude of what came to Venezuela was much, much worst than my ugliest nightmares.
Basically, before 2007 my preps consisted of logical supplies at hand on a road trip, enough tools and materials for some unexpected repairs at home, and a well-stocked pantry at home. All of this is to avoid going every couple of days to get groceries or something else.
But getting older and going through a collapse changes your outlook.
As I get older and my family grew, my prepping evolved too. I started to think about what would happen if I was no longer able to take care of myself. What if I got sick or injured? What if I couldn’t drive anymore? What if I couldn’t live in my own home?
Well, now those two last situations have become a reality. Not because of me but because of my finances.
I can’t live in my own home because there are no jobs anymore in that city for professionals. The oil industry is not even the sad shadow of what it was once.
My car, as you may know, has been busted since 2016.
And to top it off, there is a huge gasoline scarcity problem that comes and goes. Motorcycles have to make a line in one pump station, just like in every communist banana republic.
The general economy seems to be thriving here, but it’s an illusion. There is money laundering all over, and obviously, there is some unrelated business that thrives on this, especially fast food and imported goods like liquors, cheese, and cured meats.
These questions led me to make some changes to my preps. I started to focus on things that would help me stay independent and self-sufficient as I aged. Things like a generator, a water filtration system, and a few small solar panels array are not “prepping” items down here. It’s almost mandatory brown line home appliances. We are way ahead in the general life quality degradation that will cover the whole planet soon.
I’m glad I made some changes to my preps. After going abroad to Peru for a while, perhaps it was for the better, although my property took a hit, just like my career and my now drained-up bank account.
Have you thought about how you will fix your roof when you can´t use a ladder anymore? I´d say, better to remodel now to avoid fixing it.
Here are some tips to help you prep for aging.
It doesn’t make sense to not plan or avoid prepping. Here are some tips for other preppers who are planning for old age:
- Start early. The sooner you start prepping for old age, the more time you’ll have to make sure you have everything you need. It’s not the same thing to install those sprinklers in the roof of your greenhouse now that you’re 50 and healthy than at 60 with maybe a slight increase in blood sugar or high blood pressure.
- Think about your specific needs. What are the things that are most important to you? What will you need to stay independent and self-sufficient? Not only your health condition; think about other stuff. Are you going to spend more time painting? then you will need a good studio. Do you have it? Are you going to keep driving that truck until the end of the day? or maybe you need a smaller, more economical car with small tires that you could inflate with a can of fix a flat to make it home without too much exposure to the elements, given the case.
- Make a plan. What will you do if you get sick or injured? What if you can’t drive anymore? What if you can’t live in your own home? Is there someone who can help? Are those people able to cover all the needs of the homestead for as long as it is needed?
- Get help from others. There are many resources available to help preppers to plan for old age. Talk to your doctor, a financial advisor, or a prepping expert.
By taking the time to think about your needs and make a plan, you can ensure that you’ll be able to live a comfortable and independent life, no matter what the future holds. I mean as independent as much as you can aspire.
Where Can We Start?
No matter our age, we must start working on identifying a definite and achievable goal. Dividing it into steps will make it easier to get there.
- Consider your finances. This is a tough one. Having enough money saved up to cover your living expenses in retirement is not easy for anyone these days. You may also want to consider purchasing long-term care insurance.
- Stay active. The more active you are, the better you’ll be able to handle the physical and mental challenges of aging. Walk wherever you can. In the long run, your body will thank you for it, even if it seems tiresome and exhausting.
- Build a support network. Make sure you have friends and family nearby and that they will be there to help you out when you need it.
- Stay positive. Aging can be a challenging time, but it can also be a time of great joy and satisfaction. Stay positive and focus on the things that you’re grateful for. Enjoy time with your family. This has proven to be an excellent healing method for me. Getting to know my kid and seeing him help at home with his grampa and grandma is a real pleasure that I had forgotten how much I missed when we were back in Lima.
- Use technology. There is a whole bunch of used equipment you can buy on the cheap and fit for yourselves to extract even the last drop of remaining life in them. Cameras, PCs, networking devices, If you believe you could have disabilities someday, then do whatever you need now to make your life easier.
- Never stop doing what makes you happy. Because one day, you will find that doing it it’s not as easy as it was. Your mind may be willing to go those 4 kilometers to the creek to fish, but your knees won’t. That’s why you will need an ATV, whether it is electric or biogas-powered, and start using it. No matter how much bone broth and jello we ingest, those days will come.
If you already have planned a little bit for them, things will be much easier. Need a better place to make milking goats easier? Make a good stand then, now, when you have the strength. Installing handrails, or a small ramp next to some stairs, or whatever other improvement now will save you a lot of time.
Here’s what I see older people doing in Venezuela.
Let’s talk a little now about how I see elders coping with things down here in their golden years.
Many of them have decided to stay. Some money sent from abroad is enough for the meager needs of most. Many have more than one child in other countries and receive enough to make a living.
In this small town, many as well own their home, passed to them by their parents or bought when times were good. In other towns I know, semirural towns, they even have a backyard garden with chickens, fruits, and vegetables.
Those with more financial resources migrated, and they are happy being abroad. They may be missing the weather, the beaches, the food, and many other things, but the general life quality and having their grandchildren with them is worth it.
Those who decided to stay, on the other hand, know that they probably won’t see their grandchildren in their lifetime… and they have accepted that fate. As sentimental and emotional as we are down here, they are resigned to speaking via audio and seeing the pictures and videos they receive. As sad as it is, these elders try to keep a positive attitude. Mind you, there are no harsh winters, no ugly cloudy days, the price of services is low, and life is generally easy if your needs are not too much. You get the idea. I decided to write about this, because..guess what?
My plans for “surviving” the crisis are becoming the “plans for my senior years.” Go figure.
I will ask this for homework:
What specific changes have you made, or are planning to make, to your preps to help you stay independent as you age? What has become more difficult than it used to be?
Let me know in your comments what you think about this topic!
Be safe, and keep tuned!
J.
About Jose
Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela, after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains, and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land, and surrounded by family, friends and acquaintances, with all the gear and equipment collected, as the initial plan was.
Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151
Oh boy! What a vast topic! I turned 60 this year and indeed, things like shoveling snow aren’t as much fun as they used to be. I’m really paying attention to my health this year since some medical issues have come to the forefront. I walk, I garden, I’ve changed my diet to avoid a diabetes diagnosis. I was able to pay my house off one year ago, and this helped stabilize my finances. I keep the difference between wants and needs very much in mind and nurture relationships with my neighbors. And I stay gray. I deleted my social media accounts two years ago and don’t run my mouth online. I discuss politics with no one. And that’s just for starters! Accept what is and deal with it, right?
wise moves jane,
Great advice.
Dear Jayne,
You´re right. Really vast indeed. LOL.
Raised planters, soaker hoses and lots of mulch help me garden more easily.
Using my food dehydrator is easier than my heavy canner.
I have a single story (no stairs!) home on a basement (lots of pantry space!) which is fully paid off. I have no debt and some emergency savings.
I keep chickens and have a small garden which helps with the food bills and gives me peace of mind.
I switched from heavy gas powered garden tillers and string trimmers to battery operated. Much easier to use!
My neighbors are kind and helpful.
I am stocking up on chicken feed now, to eliminate trips to the feed store this winter.
While I have my own well and septic, I hope to add a hand pump next year. Also need to stock up on firewood for my heating/cook stove.
My biggest challenge is getting healthy again, so next year I hope to visit a functional health doctor. I am improving my diet and trying to get more exercise, but feel I need more guidance.
Two resources I find helpful are Backwoods Home magazine and The Provident Prepper YouTube channel.
Jackie Clay of Backwoods Home is a very experienced homesteader/prepper who has written about homesteading as one grows older, and Kylene of The Provident Prepper has health issues which limit her ability to do things, so she discusses how she has adapted.
Very glad to know you have a basement. BUT.. what is your plan come the day navigating stairs is physically difficult?
I’m also a fan of well and septic BUT do you have the financial means to replace one and/or both? Personally I’m more concerned about septic as replacing it will be likely $25K (at best, today’s cost). So faithfully pump it every 3 years (read budget) and only what should go to the septic does.
If one is fortunate enough to 90% secure in current homestead, maintenance. I see far too many people who really cannot afford to stay in his/her home. Yeah, you’ll leave it to your kid(s) but they’ll get minimal money and society gets yet another dumpy rental.
And is your home handicap accessible – doorways, shower, entry/exit?
Appliances have a limited life span – budget dollars for that. I’m not talking big screen TV, dishwasher, top of the line appliances. Most need a frig, stove, washer (possibly dryer). Add furnace and A/C if applicable.
It ain’t easy but we’re handicap accessible main floor. Would possibly need to install a stair lift to the basement but those (in my area) can be rented. I’m still working and we’re socking away money as we have no debt.
If need be, I could store everything I need in a spare room upstairs.
I do have savings sufficient for well or septic work, and also keep the septic pumped and maintained.
My home is set up to be accessible for a person on crutches or a walker, as my husband was in ill health before he died and needed those mobility aids.
My furnace was replaced only a few years ago and I had whole house a/c installed at the same time, before I retired.
I have no family to pass this home to when I die and plan to leave it to a charity. While the home itself is modest and old, the 2 acres it is on, surrounded by farm fields, a seasonal creek and incredible mountain views, will be the real monetary value of the property.
I now have Medicare and also health insurance kept from my Post Office job, so should be in good financial shape should I suffer from a severe illness.
I am not saying any of this to boast, but rather to point out things to consider for folks who are still of working age. It might be wise to consider the benefits of a government job, such as a pension and health insurance that can follow you into retirement. While I see how far society has deteriorated in my life time, it is possible that the Big Collapse may hold off for years, even decades.
So I would advise folks to do all they can to prepare now, consider job opportunities which can offer some security, defer spending on luxuries and set up a home base that is in a relatively safe place, which you pay off as quickly as possible. Even a small piece of land with a cabin and year round source of water and a place to raise a garden, within driving distance from your current home, could work when SHTF. Stock it with non perishable items, camp there on weekends, stock firewood and garden tools there. It can be your lifeboat.
Dear Val,
I´m sure as we get older we´ll see more and more information on this topic. LOL.
Your comment regarding the use of batteries powered machinery instead of more heavier equipment is gold. Exactly the type of details I intended to dig out in the community with this article.
Cheers!
Thank you for sharing your on the ground knowledge. You are blessing many folks, and I pray the Lord blesses you and yours!
Glad you’re addressing age. It is the reality for many of us boomer age preppers. I’ll be 77 in less that half a year. I’m still in pretty good health and stay fairly active. But With idiopathic peripheral neuropathy I’m careful of where I step. Mountains are no longer my playground. Too long at any one time on these feet becomes unbearable. I stay active by resting often and then going some more.
Where I live now already had a ramp with handrails to the front door, grab bars in the shower and by the toilet. I don’t need those today but when the owner talked about taking them out I asked him to leave them. “Someday” may arrive in a year or a decade but they are there, and the work and expence won’t need duplicating.
I planted almost 50 fruit trees this year. Some dwarf, some semi dwarf, and just a few smaller by variety are standard. They have the advantage of less climbing to harvest and bearing fruit sooner. I also paid more to get larger, more mature trees. Some should begin fruiting next year.
I’m also reclaiming a large abandoned garden area. Bushes had taken over and were growing higher than my head. I am slowly using a mattock digging out heavy roots. I’m only planting an area 14’x16′ this year in vegetables. Eventually I’ll have an area 100’x120′ available. I planted the fence row with 20 blackberry type plants and an area 15’x15′ with raspberries. Another fenceline area now is planted with 50 new asperagus crowns. There were 20 seedlings scattered in the area from and old planting that had mostly died out with neglect. a new strawberry bed is planted with 200 new plants. I’ve started with perennials that will produce for years. I won’t have canning amounts from the garden this year but I’ve put my energy and money into “future first”.
The main house here is the main home and split into a nice rental unit that is my new home. We share chores and repairs ect. each doing those things we are best at. It is home for life. It gives each of us someone to check on the other. He’s putting in drip irrigation for all my plantings to make caring for them easier. It should produce more that 2 people in their late 70s will ever eat. We have both city water and a well. All plantings are using well water. I have a lot of solar power that can be moved here. The 10 acres is more that we need but it adds privacy and rugged hills keep us out of sight from the surrounding area.
This is a best friends arrangement. We have planned ahead to meet the needs of each of us as we age. Far better that being alone in rural places on our separate lands. We share cleaning, cooking, gardening, laundry and more. He drives a carload of us to church twice a week. He’s helped with tree planting and adds new drip systems everywhere as I finish planting. He pays all the bills while I buy most of what I want to plant. He has paid for a few of the trees. He maintains the vehicles. That’s a relief for me. It is nice not spending most of my time alone but I do have my own space. We each have our own Medicare and supplemental insurances. Our adult children both like the idea we are not alone in our rather rural setting.
I have a friend in need of a home to live on my property and she takes care of all expenses there except the taxes. It helps her and the grandchildren she is raising. I don’t charge rent so she and a grown son have taken more responsabilities there. They live in one of the small homes on my land.
It may seem like a strange set up but looking ahead being alone isn’t easy as we age. I’ve been the caretaker for 2 of my husbands I have outlived. He cared for his late wife. We both learned those lessons well. The equipment to care for a totally handicapped person is safely stored and available. If something happens to one of us the other stays here for life and I have 2 sons within an hours drive that will help if needed. We both have 2 children living far away.
I love to cook so I make a big breakfast. We eat lunch usually at a senior center. Neither of us wants a heavy dinner so he fixes us a bowl of fruit or a pot pie in the afternoon. We really do share almost all work.
We have a few chickens and rabbits for eggs and meat. There is still a goat pen but currently no goats. Maybe next year.
For your neuropathy have you been tested for heavy metals? Also a functional MD can definitely help. I was diagnosed with idiopathic small fiber neuropathy several years back after a car accident. No cause could be found so my pain management Dr summed it up to being caused from my back injury. I had just switched to a functional MD who suggested to get checked for heavy metals. My mercury was through the roof and a couple others were elevated. I had all my “mercury” tooth fillings replaced then went through IV chelation therapy. After that my neuropathy symptoms almost Diminished completely. I also got prolozone injections to help with my spinal stenosis which alleviated the pain entirely and since then I’ve also had no neuropathy symptoms. Another thing to check for with idiopathic neuropathy is mold toxicity.
Praise the Lord!
Dear Clergylady,
I really LOVE reading descriptions of how people manage to live a good life in the ruralities, everywhere. No matter what country. I always enjoy it.
Thanks!
Well written article with important topics to consider. Thanks, Jose!
Dear Rachel,
I´ve noticed there are “niches” within our prepping community worldwide, and I am focusing on providing them with some insights based on my experience in recent years.
Thanks for your nice comment!
Great article with lots of info! This is great timing for me as I’m seeing first hand how important it is to prepare for aging. My dad passed away this past December at 74 and my mom was recently diagnosed with dementia. Neither of them have ever been very active or took care of themselves. Both have had numerous health issues. They didn’t plan for the future financially either, even with life insurance. Since my dad passed I have taken over the finances and become my moms POA taking care of pretty much everything. This is something I strive to not have to bring upon my son when I’m older. It is my goal to NOT have to rely on him to take care of me. I would say the first thing people should do to prep for aging is to get healthy then get your finances in order. And as stated in the article get long term care insurance if you can.
Dear CJ,
You´re right on the spot. Our children should take care of their own families, which is already hard enough. We should plan to avoid putting our weight on their shoulders.
I starting prepping in 2008. Hubs has Agent Orange diabetes which is a real challenge. I have researched and stored natural remedies for diabetes, high BP and as many months of script meds as ins will allow. We have a neighborhood plan that focuses on individual strengths. Before inflation hit, I grabbed as much shelf stable proteins as $ allowed every week! UPS got to where they stopped at our house almost every day. I have some serious first aid knowledge and am equipped to handle as many emergencies as is possible outside a hospital setting. I cannot imagine I am as prepared as I probably could be, but feel we will stand a decent chance of surviving. Looking now for an electric assist tricycle to haul water from the spring around the corner.
Dear Monkeygirl,
That´s awesome. We have a very clean spring nearby too. An ATV could haul 4 jerry cans without any issue, which would last enough for both of us. That is if/when the dry season hits hard. Hopefully, I will have my cement tank repaired in a few more weeks, so we can have water in case we have to move to the mountains, for irrigation, hygiene, flushing and cooking. Don´t have any vehicle operating, but that will change soon too. An electric ATV will be quite useful too for tilling and removing the weed debris after cleaning. My growing space is a hillside, and while working, going up and down is tiresome and wears hard on your knees. Not to mention the hazard of breaking or twisting an ankle. I met down here a French guy who suffered AO sequels too. He was an airplane pilot in the Korean War. Sad history. Sorry about that.
Have you thought about maybe an electric golf cart?
I had started my plan in plenty of time. Or so I thought. Two medical diagnoses, one right after the other pretty much wiped me out. No need for the grisly details, but I finally got disability and managed to get an apartment of my own and moved out of my brother’s apartment over his business.
My life became a waiting game. Waiting for my disability check deposit to hit the bank. Later, after being picked up by a publisher I was getting enough additional income to start rebuilding my preps. A couple of years of relief.
And then two more diagnoses that required additional, very expensive, medications. Everything I had acquired, at least the hardware, was sold to help pay medical expenses. I began eating out of my prepper stores.
Nothing extra, except a bit of double buying at the store to add a few things each week to the pantry.
I reached retirement age based on my birthdate and disability payments were turned into regular social security benefits payments. The economy dropped, book sales fell to a tenth of what they had been for a while. I could no long afford my apartment. A friend let me stay in the tiny house on his property since his family was not coming to visit that summer.
And then a lengthy and very expensive stay in the hospital, emergency surgery, two flatline episodes while under, and three weeks of therapy to learn how to walk and think again.
Had to move again to be closer to my brother at his assistance. I did find a boarding house room not too far from my brother. Book sales are still very low, so no extra money for preps, except double buying in the grocery store and taking advantage of their senior discounts and sales.
At 70 years old I do not have many options left. I do have options, but most of them are extremely unappetizing. So, in the few… days, weeks, months… that I have left I do what little I can, keep my eyes open for possible shelter space in case what my friend used to term Global Thermonuclear War happens. Then I will move what I have, with the help of a friend, to whichever shelter spot is available and hunker down.
Upon coming out afterwards when it is possible, I activate my post-event plans. Unfortunately, they will be extreme shoestring operations now, having sold most of the articles needed for them to pay the never-ending medical bills.
Hopefully, my experiences are atypical, and no one else with suffer the same kind of thing. What I hope this reply will do is to get people thinking that it could be very bad, and they do need to not only prep with it in mind, and as part of those preps have a well-protected financial retirement plan in place, fully funded as quickly as possible. Include the ways you would handle catastrophic medical issues so you do not lose everything.
Bite the bullet and face the things that can happen as you age. Do not be embarrassed to use the CPAP or BiPAP, wear a diaper 24/7 so you can still be out and about without worrying quite so much about staying really close to a bathroom.
Do not hesitate to get glasses, hearing aids, or dentures. Use whatever aid is available to lessen your out-of-pocket cost. Do be embarrassed about the items or getting the help that is available.
Now, even retired is would be a very good idea to have what you need on-hand to startup and operate one or more post-event businesses to have additional streams of income to pay the taxes, any rents, and other bills that will still be collected no matter how bad the economy happens to be or how bad the event and aftermath is.
Getting some of these set up now, when you have the finances, physical ability, and any hardware and goods needed are available at (fairly) reasonable prices.
They can be additional income streams, and depending on what they are could be operated without your constant assistance. Now, if you can find something that will continue to be needed and can be operated when the infrastructure is completely gone, so much the better.
Get the income now, at least, if you can. Still, decide what you will do if those businesses will not be viable after a major event. Have what you need for businesses that will be needed, that you can do, and get everything ready now.
The hardest part is the mental acceptance of what is happening to you, how you needed to deal with it, and maintaining a positive outlook. If you can, you will make it, barring being at ground zero of some event.
Despite everything, I still have some preps and add to them when I can. I use my rolling walker when a cane alone is not adequate. I wear a diaper 24/7. I will get the hearing aids I need, soon I hope. The same with new glasses. Hopefully teeth.
Even if not, I am making now and will continue to make in my really old age coming up hard on my heels.
Just my opinion.
Dear Mr. Jerry,
It´s a real pleasure and an incredible honour to see a legend of the prepping community taking the time to read my thoughts and experiences, which I expose to all of you with humility. I´m very sorry to hear that your health problems got you down, financially speaking. Right now in our mountain house, we gave shelter to an 82 years old man, partially disabled (bad motorcycle crash) but he´s still going strong, and cultivating some herbs, he takes care of the home as well as he can. Can´t work as usual though. He has a quite positive attitude, always smiling and joking. One of my dad´s oldest friends. You´re right about the suggestion of planning for a financially catastrophic medical complication. It´s like the localized, focused SHTF situation hiding in the dark that we don´t get to see.
Stay safe!
My husband and I are older Americans who live in a house we own outright, have vehicles that we own outright, live in an inexpensive area, and grow much of our own food and grow more all the time. We garden in raised beds so we don’t have to bend so far. We use organic/natural fertilizers and no herbicides or pesticides.
We have chickens, but no larger animals. We have an orchard at the beginning stages of giving us fruit and a few perennial vegetables planted as well. I have been thinking more about what else we should stock up on like simple cleaning supplies and personal care items. We have a dozen buckets filled with dried goods.
Clothes are less of an issue than they might be for someone who is younger. We make it a point to wear our clothes out before we throw them out.
We continue to add to our skills. People may be able to steal preps, but they can never steal the knowledge we’ve gained. Learning new skills every day keeps our minds sharp. Working around our place gives us exercise. We have however learned that we can’t do everything that younger people do, so we have to hire out what we know we can no longer do.
Dear Cygnet,
Your approach is, and I am sure most of the readers will agree, incredibly correct for our goals. Skills are what have made people endure whatever life throws at them.
Very good information, thanks. Another important prep is having a 12- month surplus of prescription medicine stockpiled.
Dear Marc,
This is such a wide topic, with so many ramifications for each particular case that it´s almost impossible to provide good advice on this without being an MD!
Thanks for the reminder!
Everything has become more difficult, except the Sudoku. Walking, jogging, climbing a ladder, getting up off the floor after exercising, and throwing a ball to a dog have all gotten more difficult. It didn’t help when my excellent health rapidly deteriorated at 60. Now I’m watching every where I walk. I just started reading about prepping a few months ago, so I’m way behind, but since I’m renting and can’t find an affordable place off the grid (no advice wanted, I’ve been looking for quite awhile), I’ll try not to worry and just go day-to-day.
Dear Eric,
You´re not behind. We are here for you to catch up. Many people don´t care about prepping for their whole lives. Sadly, they pay the consequences afterwards. Your attitude indicates that you´re well-grounded and will surf everything heading your way.
Thanks for reading!
One thing I did to prepare for my later years is that I married a nurse who is 15 years my junior. Covers a lot of things now doesn’t it. I’m 73 and get around just fine.
Best advice I have read in the last 6 months. I´m writing this down in my “To Do” list. LOL
Hope you have $$ to leave her. Otherwise that’s awful!
SHE gets the BAD end of that deal.
Been there, done that! It’s selfish!