Does Leaving Your House Seem to be More of a Problem in Retirement?

[Ken Anderson]

This is AI, but it resonated with me, particularly the first part, because this is how I feel. It's not that I am afraid to leave the house or because it's painful to go somewhere, but going somewhere seems to be more of a chore than it once was. A simple thing like going to the store to pick something up that I want is likely to be something that I'll put off, put on a list for my wife to pick up on a later date, or order it from Amazon. Something like driving across town to the store seems like a trip. When I have a doctor's appointment, it seems like my whole day is planned around it, although the appointment itself is likely to last only half an hour. I'll feel like I can't plan anything else for that whole day because I have a 10 am doctor's appointment.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

Absolutely. I hate going anywhere anymore, particularly if we have to get into Houston traffic. I've always been an introvert and love being at home, and both have increased with age. The stupid covid pandemic never even bothered me because I never wanted to go anywhere anyhow, so "sheltering in place" was right up my alley.

 

[Liz Adams]

I can't go out very much now anyway, but if we have to go anywhere by car that's very built up and busy I get very anxious.
I cannot cope with today's roads .

Might sound stupid but I always say a prayer of protection as we are about to set off . I name each of the occupants of the car and include the car itself.

It's years since I went into a town centre to do any shopping.
Again, the hustle and bustle is too much for me.

 

[Liz Adams]

Absolutely. I hate going anywhere anymore, particularly if we have to get into Houston traffic. I've always been an introvert and love being at home, and both have increased with age. The stupid covid pandemic never even bothered me because I never wanted to go anywhere anyhow, so "sheltering in place" was right up my alley.

My sentiments too Beth.
I'm also an introvert and my home is my sanctuary . I hate anyone knocking on my door.
I loved lockdown. Could quite honestly live like that forever.
No cars on the road , the wildlife coming out of the shadows .
Just my cup of tea !

 

[Mary Robi]

Well, luckily now, I don't have to go out during rush hours or weekends if I don't want to. That really helps.

 

[Hoot Crawford]

I go out every day, it seems. Doing things I just gotta do. But staying at home alone all day is no treat either. I dunno.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

We don’t go places unless we need to either, and we never travel very far from home if we do go somewhere. When we have someting like a doctor appointment, we make any other necessary stops that are in the area in the same trip, and now that we have the Devoted Primary Health doctors, we do those over the internet, so we just have occasional other doctor appointments , like the chiropractor or cardiologist.

I used to travel sometimes with my daughter, but since she is now living and working in the Netherlands, we seldom even see her anymore, so no traveling either. And most of the groceries are delivery from Walmart, so I don’t even go to the store much, and it is just down the street.

 

[Krystal Shay]

Absolutely. I hate going anywhere anymore, particularly if we have to get into Houston traffic. I've always been an introvert and love being at home, and both have increased with age. The stupid covid pandemic never even bothered me because I never wanted to go anywhere anyhow, so "sheltering in place" was right up my alley.

Same on all accounts! Lock down didn't bother me one bit.

 

[Marie Miller]

Both of us worked from home and lock down was not enforced much so Covid did not make much of an impact on our day to day activities or play dates.
As everything is somewhere we have to get out. I need a measure of social interaction and cabin fever will set in. SO’s play dates take him all over. The next big one will be in Arizona. That means training, physical therapy and new toys.

 

[Connie Bennett]

I
never have been a road runner. I would spend Saturdays running errands, when I worked and didn’t like it.

I always said that when I retired, I wasn’t coming off this hill unless I had to and I don’t . It is getting to be more of a chore to run even the necessary errands.

I have gone from being the person who drove my three horses across this United States twice to someone who resents driving my trash to the dump in the trunk of my Saturn

I have also experienced three concussions later in my life. Two of which almost cost me the farm. I think those have played a huge part in me not having any enthusiasm to go anywhere.

 

[Mary Stetler]

My syblings like to travel and brother asked me to go with them but I have decided that I have heaven right here. Driving to the airports for visitors concerns me depending on which car I am driving but I don't like it much anymore.
I am out several times a day going to the farm. I only wish hubby liked to go out a bit. Only occasional meals for him.

 

[Marie Miller]

In a way I miss the hanging out at local bars. Nobody knows how we got home some nights or better mornings. Hop on a bike for the sake of driving 500+ miles. Change into jeans in an Eagle Talon to make it to one of the first Brooks and Dunn concerts and then back 120 miles. Nobody can say that I am not flexible Drive through a hurricane on bikes on a beer bet. No, I do not recommend that. Leave the blazer in the ditch, change and have suit/curling iron in a saddle bag and go to work in a snow storm. Manager squawked when I said I have to leave while it was still day light.
I never enjoyed driving cars, never drove our convertible, my little truck is perfect, when the weather is bad I prefer SO’s redneck Cadillac truck.