When choosing a place to live, you should not just look at the scenery and housing prices in front of you, but also consider your future living needs as you age. (Diagram, Reuters)
[Financial Channel/Comprehensive Report] Moving to the countryside after retirement is what many people yearn for in their later years. However, a 73-year-old couple in Japan moved away from the capital area after retirement and lived in the countryside for seven years. At first, they vowed that "it will be no problem if they have a car." However, as they grew older, they gradually collapsed. The wife did not dare to drive late at night, and the husband became ill and could not drive. The couple was shocked to realize that no matter how comfortable they lived, without a car, their life in their later years might be in trouble and they would eventually be forced to move back to the city.
Japanese media reported that the 71-year-old Kazuo (pseudonym) and his wife Miyoko (pseudonym) currently receive a monthly annuity of approximately 280,000 yen (approximately NT$56,000). After Kazuo retired at the age of 65, the two realized their dream for many years and moved to a rural area they had often visited during their trips in the past. They bought a medieval single-family house about 20 minutes' drive from the city center. The house has a spacious courtyard, and the living cost is lower than in the city. Life was once very comfortable.
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Although the supermarket is about 15 minutes' drive from home and the clinic is more than 10 minutes' drive away, the couple knew how to drive at the time, so they didn't think it was a problem. They thought, "As long as we have a car, nothing will be inconvenient."
However, after turning 70, Miyoko began to avoid driving at night, and gradually became afraid to drive on unfamiliar or heavily trafficked roads. She became increasingly dependent on her husband for shopping and other outing activities.
It wasn't until Kazuo became unwell and couldn't drive for several days that the couple really encountered a problem. Although there is still food at home, what should I do if I need to go to the hospital? In the end, I had to ask acquaintances who lived nearby for help.
This experience made the couple start to think about whether they can maintain their current life when they reach 80 years old. After living here for 7 years, Kazuo asked his wife, "Can we still live here in 5 or 10 years?"
Miyoko was silent for a while, and finally said, "If it was 10 years ago, I think this place would be really good. But I don't know what will happen next." The couple decided to move. When choosing a house this time, they no longer pursued mountain views and courtyards, but put "can they live without a car" first?
Finally, the two moved back to the city and lived in a medieval apartment about 10 minutes away from the station. There are supermarkets, pharmacies and clinics nearby. Most of their daily life can be completed on foot or by public transportation.
When Miyoko moved out of the house she had lived in for seven years, she couldn't help but say it was "a little lonely." After all, it had been their dream to retire there. Nowadays, what they care about most is not "whether they live comfortably", but "whether they can live without a car."
The report pointed out that for those who are preparing to retire, the couple's experience also reminds one thing that a life that is convenient in their 60s does not mean that it is still suitable after 70 or 80 years old. When choosing a residence for retirement, in addition to imagining what kind of life you want to live now, you must also think in advance whether you will be able to live with peace of mind when one day you can no longer drive and need frequent medical treatment.
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