Americans less prepared for longer lives

I'm one of those just over 65ers -- baby boom generation. It's true that I'm more socially isolated than even my 90 year old mother. We are busy with demanding careers, and tended to make friends at work. When the work changes ends, so do the friendships. I don't know my neighbors at all -- we live in big houses with TV and computer to keep us busy, so we never go outside and see anyone close by. Too bad.

Very interesting and accurate, I assume, as far as studies go, but sometimes I think studies need to be studied. What is their purpose? To tell us things we didn't know before and are now shocked by with the results? No guidance or direction given to go along with the study to change things so that in 5 years there will have been significant changes made for the better that will be reflected in the studies updated results?

I'm happy and feel blessed to be a 79 year old geezer that had the good fortune of making a right decision, moving to PA in 1961, and having the 'good life', living here in PA since then,and with with many friends thru many organizations, great neighbors, et al. It sounds like today's family's home life is so much more different and difficult than when we were raising our family. They both need to work hard at good paying jobs, et al. I hope we did a good job of raising our kids in our era...just a generation of time to make any difference.

That has changed as time has gone by and that I now have outlived many of my friends. So, as transitions happen, I'm thankful that I've been able to adapt to the current situation. Yes, many friends are gone, but that's new incentive to find new ones. You just can't stop living....until you have to.

Get a dog. Walk your dog in the neighborhood twice a day.

I don't think my generation (born 1947) will outlive their "wealth." We're all dropping like flies from cancer.

I'm guessing most people aren't getting the necessary sleep these days due to technology - computers, Netflix, social media, etc. And it's questionable if people are eating well due to packaged foods and busy parents. People under age 25 these days are less sociable due to social media where they have their eyes glued to their phones and keep in contact with their friends instead of being forced to meet new people or interact with the general public. I have children in college and even the dorms aren't what they used to be with lots of interaction. And here in Palo Alto, the high school students have so much schoolwork and college prep that they don't have much time to socialize.

As far as finances, I find a lot of Americans don't think about saving for their futures and often spend frivolously. Maybe not so much in Palo Alto, because most are housepoor intellectuals, but in general, American spending habits are not thoughtful. People are strung-out on credit cards without thoughts about their future. They forget that they will age and be unable to continue working. "Most Americans have less than $1000 in savings": Web Link More than ever, Californians should have more access to the UCs. A college degree is no guarantee of a job that pays high enough to buy a house, as in former generations. Certainly, most of our PAUSD students will not be able to afford a house in Silicon Valley.

I think part of the problem with American spending is that children learn how to spend from their parents. Plus, giving children allowances does not make them fiscally responsible - it's quite the opposite - they think of ways to spend their money. "You earned it - you can buy anything you want," says the parent. It simply starts the habit of thinking of how to spend money. Our children never had chores or allowances and they are fiscally responsible because they learned their spending habits from us (buy on sale, find the lowest price, ponder if you REALLY need the item). When they go on trips with debit cards or money, they never spend it all. I could give them free rein of my credit card without worry. Fiscal responsibility is learned from the parents.