What I usually read on this exquisite message board is that people relocate to and even retire to DR to live a life of simplicity and comfort. The warm climate itself is comfort for "ageing bones". But to what extent is DR a good place to retire?
Turning 49 in a few months and suffering from a gut-wrenching mid-life crisis (believe me, I have ALL the symptoms, driving a sports car, going to the gym, flirting with women half my age...), I realize I need to start planning for the rapidly approaching closing session of my life...
I know that some of you expats, albeit youthful in spirit, are of a somewhat ?advanced age?. Need to tread carefully here... oh! This is a sensitive issue!
What plans have you made to be prepared for the special needs that we all must think of when we get older?
What is it like to be old and expat in the Dominican Republic?
The last years of his life, my father (living in Sweden), changed from his usual strong old geezer to becoming a tired old man. He even used a walking frame on wheels (not sure what they are called in English?) The city offered him a ?personal assistant? but he refused. (I couldn?t help him, because I lived in Saudi-Arabia.) My father was a very proud man and insisted on taking care of himself and not ?bother? anyone.
Suppose my father had lived in Santo Domingo... would traffic stop and wait for him to cross the street? What about going shopping? Would people on the public bus help him get on board? Does the local library have toilets for handicapped (or ?physically challenged?, as the modern term is) people? Would he have reduced cost of medical care?
Or... and this is my fear... would my father have been confined to his home?
And you DR expats of, shall we say, a ?mature age?, will you finally re-relocate back to your origins, to be sure of receiving proper care and comfort if/when you may need it?
Or maybe you are wealthy enough to hire people to take care of you? Maids, gardeners , a chauffeur etc?
Sorry for this difficult and somewhat unpleasant topic, but I feel it need to be asked!
Turning 49 in a few months and suffering from a gut-wrenching mid-life crisis (believe me, I have ALL the symptoms, driving a sports car, going to the gym, flirting with women half my age...), I realize I need to start planning for the rapidly approaching closing session of my life...
I know that some of you expats, albeit youthful in spirit, are of a somewhat ?advanced age?. Need to tread carefully here... oh! This is a sensitive issue!
What plans have you made to be prepared for the special needs that we all must think of when we get older?
What is it like to be old and expat in the Dominican Republic?
The last years of his life, my father (living in Sweden), changed from his usual strong old geezer to becoming a tired old man. He even used a walking frame on wheels (not sure what they are called in English?) The city offered him a ?personal assistant? but he refused. (I couldn?t help him, because I lived in Saudi-Arabia.) My father was a very proud man and insisted on taking care of himself and not ?bother? anyone.
Suppose my father had lived in Santo Domingo... would traffic stop and wait for him to cross the street? What about going shopping? Would people on the public bus help him get on board? Does the local library have toilets for handicapped (or ?physically challenged?, as the modern term is) people? Would he have reduced cost of medical care?
Or... and this is my fear... would my father have been confined to his home?
And you DR expats of, shall we say, a ?mature age?, will you finally re-relocate back to your origins, to be sure of receiving proper care and comfort if/when you may need it?
Or maybe you are wealthy enough to hire people to take care of you? Maids, gardeners , a chauffeur etc?
Sorry for this difficult and somewhat unpleasant topic, but I feel it need to be asked!
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