Deupree House's Premier Senior Living Blog

Seniors whose partners have passed on know that, sometimes, the golden years are lonely. And being widowed isn’t just a social challenge; it can be a challenge for retirement planning, too.

Single people are almost twice as likely as their married peers to feel “not at all” financially secure, according to a 2016 consumer survey by life insurer Northwestern Mutual. The company also found that singles are more than twice as likely not to have spoken with anyone about their plans for retirement.

Staying active in retirement doesn't have to mean just getting out of the house and seeing friends and family once in a while. For many older people, retirement affords the time to exercise regularly and, for some, get into even better shape than when they were young.

The winter is a particularly bad time of year for seniors with balance issues. Icy sidewalks and slippery, wet driveways are hazard enough, but cold weather also keeps people indoors. Unfortunately, being cooped up for long periods of time indoors can lead to an increased risk of falling.

So you made it to retirement and you were smart enough in youth to put enough money back. Whew! That's a relief, right? But now what do you do with your retirement savings?

November 20, 2014, is "Use Less Stuff Day"— an annual reminder that we all must reduce our consumer footprint in order to promote more sustainable methods for living. But environmental activism and conscientiousness aren't the exclusive provinces of the young. Even those living in retirement can take steps to go green and reduce waste.