A dream retirement is something that should be planned far in advance. I would like to retire by age 65 and, hopefully, spent the rest of my time traveling the world. My perfect retirement would not include staying in hotels and renting cozy apartments in picturesque places. Instead, I plan to tour Europe and Asia in a fully equipped comfortable life van. In addition, I would like to purchase a small house in the south of France or Italy, where I could stay when traveling is not possible. Traveling around the most beautiful parts of the world in the comfort of my own small home on wheels is unquestionably a dream retirement.
Nevertheless, certain social barriers can prevent me from being financially and physically fit to travel the world in my late 60s. Specifically, I believe the lack of universal health care in the United States and the costs of various medical procedures and medications present a significant issue (Tikkanen et al., 2020). Furthermore, research shows that older adults in the USA experience more physical health issues and barriers to care than adults in other developed countries (Osborn et al., 2017). Although I have insurance coverage due to my parents, I am worried I will not be able to afford it in such a crucial stage of my life as the transition to work. In addition, I worry I may be at risk of developing chronic conditions that are common in my family. To overcome this potential barrier, I plan to set a fund for medical expenses and undergo a full physical exam once a year. I believe self-monitoring and regular check-ups will help prevent the development of major health issues in the future and allow me to live my dream retirement.
References
Osborn, R., Doty, M. M., Moulds, D., Sarnak, D. O., & Shah, A. (2017). Older Americans were sicker and faced more financial barriers to health care than counterparts in other countries. Health Affairs, 36(12), 2123–2132. Web.
Tikkanen, R., Osborn, R., Mossialos, E., Djordjevic, A., & Wharton, G. A. (2020). International health care system profiles: United States. Commonwealth Fund. Web.