Dan, your latest book, I'll Retire Tomorrow, is certainly a living experience of hundreds of folks in this world who awakened to their dream as perhaps Jeremiah Kennedy did and find that retirement can be greatly different than we had anticipated when we were in our teens.

As we now look back on our lives when our retirement was but a far awaythought, I am sure we would have not only made different plans for our future but made it a point in our lives to visit and speak words of our love and Christ's love and concern for all those Jeremiahs sitting alone as we passed them by. Dan, you have given us all who read the book a true story of life from the time when we recognized that our lives can be extremely stressful, our dreams for tomorrow can vanish and perhaps we must leave the peace and quiet of our own home and seek shelter and care for this aging and deteriorating body.

The final chapter penned by Jeremiah's granddaughter brought tears to my eyes with memories of folks in my life who had a retirement from this beautiful planet earth which differed greatly from their dreams. Let us encourage our youth of today to not only dream great dreams for the unknown tomorrow but to live each day in words, actions and deeds toward our fellow man as if final retirement were tomorrow. I strongly suggest our youth read and ponder today upon Jeremiah Kennedy's retirement story and I am certain they too will cope better with their retirement when the day approaches. How great it would be if your book was read by every high school freshman to help them think about their plans and dreams for tomorrow and prepare wisely for the rough spots in the unknown road ahead.                                                                                                      Gil Erickson.

Introduction. Jeremiah Kennedy is a retiree who has made many interesting discoveries about retiring. Jeremy lives at the Sommerset Retirement Center in its skilled nursing department. His mind is extremely sharp but his body has let him down. Mr. Kennedy traces his lineage back a number of years and discovers how recent retirement actually is. He also discovers how poorly prepared many are for retirement and sets about sharing his experience with the hope that others can learn from his candid observation and keen insight.

CHAPTER 1   WHEN THE ELDERLY DREAM DREAMS

Jeremiah Kennedy awakens after a nightmare which sets the tone for his story. The locale is established which reminds him of a kindergartenfor the elderly. The elderly sometimes come full circle. Jeremiah goes beyond this circle.

CHAPTER 2   A MAN CALLED JEREMY

Jeremy discusses his later years at home after retiring, becoming a widower, living alone and finally needs assistance and moves to Sommerset at the age of nearly 90.

CHAPTER 3   THE AGONY AND ECSTASY OF RETIREMENT

Jeremy's retirement will unfold gradually. In this chapter he reflects on his brothers and sister and their retirement experiences. Edward's experience was traumatic but salvaged. A workaholic and extremely successful, Eddie's retirement was a nightmare until Jeremy and Agnes, his wife, intervened. Vincent didn't do much better with his planning and his retirement was a nightmare. Ruth, his sister, married Rob who was systematic, thought everything out, and they retired most successfully.

CHAPTER 4   REVELATIONS OF REMINISCING

Enrolling in a writing class, Jeremiah digs into his past going back to his great grandparents who were immigrants in the 1850s. He discovered a cash less, farming origin, introduces his father who went beyond farmingand set another tone for the Kennedys. Retirement was an unknown for nearly a century of his clan when things changed rather dramatically in the 1930s and 1940s.

CHAPTER 5   AN EMBARRASSING 90TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

Jeremiah Kennedy's 90th birthday party was an extravaganza (according to Jeremy) which makes him question how he got to be 90 years of age. Was it good health, genes, his optimism, luck, clean living, high moral standards, rural youth life, his devout nature, a divine reward? He describes thisgallant affair as he struggles with his longevity.

CHAPTER 6   ON BEING A FATHER AND GRANDFATHER

Jeremiah sees how society has changed during his many years. He flashes back to an episode with his granddaughter Angela and then describes a problemt hat Angela has as a mother who finds her grandfather more fatherly than her own father at this moment.

CHAPTER 7   ECONOMIC TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

Jeremy realizes the problems of money, maintaining an estate, tensionsbetween financial advisers and oneself. He broods on this gigantic subjectshowing the need for sophistication, trust, diversification amidst inflation,shrinking and growing estates, and inheritance woes and wills.

CHAPTER 8   HOUSE CALLS AND SECOND OPINIONS

His physician makes a social house call which leads into a discussion of the problems of aging, particularly the changes in the senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. He questions both orthostatic hypotension and second opinions as well as hope and despair.

CHAPTER 9   MEALS ON WHEELS REVISITED

Volunteerism is vital to retirement as Jeremy discovers. He accompanies a Meals on Wheels volunteer and meets several retirees on their run which opens his eyes dramatically. You will meet some interesting people who reveal other dimensions of retirement.

CHAPTER 10   WHEN INDEPENDENCE IS THREATENED

Where Jeremiah Kennedy lives there are several levels of living. One continuing problem is when independence is threatened. How can a person be assessed fairly when so many factors are involved: mentation, physical mobility, safety, pride, partial independence, dependence (partial or total). Who decides? How?

CHAPTER 11   HEROIC AND HUMANITARIAN MEASURES

Charlie, a Sommerset roommate, caught a cold. He had signed papers for no heroic measures in a durable power of attorney for health care and set up a power of attorney for financial affairs. Should flu be consideredt erminal or must it be something prediagnosed such as cancer? Tough issues here.

CHAPTER 12   CON ARTISTS AND FLASHY FINANCES

The elderly, Jeremy discovers, are often fair game for con artists and bold if not brazen advisers. This chapter goes into the problem of finances but from a different angle than Chapter 7. It gets into irrevocableand revocable wills, and the often problematic subject of inheritance as well as broad aspects of finance.

CHAPTER 13   LIFE EXPECTANCY: BANE OR BLESSING?

Life expectancy has risen considerably since 1900. In addition, the old killers of the elderly (flu, infection, bronchitis, TB, etc.) have been tamed. Sooner or later, if one escapes a heart attack or cancer, longevity often means a confrontation with a stroke, arthritis, diminishing sensory perception, hypertension, arrhythmia, incontinence, immobility. Waldo,a friend of Jeremy, wanted no part of this and struggled with preventative medicine as well as euthanasia.

CHAPTER 14   GRANDCHILDREN COME IN ALL SIZES

This chapter comes to grip with the extended family, patriarchaland matriarchal figures. This is highlighted by an unexpected visit ofa great granddaughter which leads into the never ending influence of parentsand grandparents, for good or ill, but never neutral, as Jeremy discovered.

CHAPTER 15   WHEN RETIREMENT IS UNEXPECTED

Earle, Jeremy's son, has retirement suddenly trust upon him by a decree from his employer. He panics, and at nearly 65 runs to his father with the devastating news. He had hoped to work until 70 or 75 therefore avoiding any discussion of or planning for retirement. Many of the conditions for retirement were explored in their emotional dialogue: where, when, why, how? What to do first, how to tell his spouse, what to do with his spare time.

CHAPTER 16   THE DEBT OF ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER

There has always been somewhat of a generation gap which is primarily a communication gap. Parents communicating to children and to their parents is hard work. Lissie and Grandpa Kennedy struggle with the problem of how society has become what it is: and whose fault it is? They discuss the breakdown of the family, a wimpy liberalism in the church, latchkey kids, lenient judiciaries, materialism, greed and other forces that have created the world inherited by the next generation (drugs, pills, sex, extortion, abortion, etc.).

CHAPTER 17   SOBERING THOUGHTS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH

When Hans died, reactions were remarkably different. The difference between Jeremy and Tony as they faced the problems of dying, last rites and the meaning of both life and death.

CHAPTER 18   THE CONSULTATION TEAM

When Jeremy's roommate slipped into a coma, the Consultation Teamwas pressed into service. The makeup of a consultation team is discussed which considers the conservator (monetary), clergy (religious, moral), lawyer (legal), and a family member in addition to the administrator, physician and nurse consultation team.

CHAPTER 19   ELDERLY ABUSE

The abuse of the elderly ranges from a blatant, physical affront to the more subtle forms of neglect, degradation, exploitation and a demeaning attitudes. This leads to a discussion of both legitimate and quasi cases of elderly abuse.

CHAPTER 20   ON CHOOSING A HEALTH CARE FACILITY

Although only a few elderly will permanently reside in a nursing home or health care facility, a much larger percentage will spend at least part of their final days in an institution. The criteria for choosing such a facility are explored.

CHAPTER 21   THE COSTS OF A HEALTH CARE FACILITY

The costs vary from facility to facility but are rather standardized in that they are costly. One does not always get what one pays for. Mr.Kennedy's experience broadens out to deal not only with the costs but who pays and how the costs are met.

CHAPTER 22   LIVING WILLS AND LIVING TRUSTS

As customs and laws change, and they do, living wills which once were the rage have been replaced by the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. General guidelines are included as well as a discussion of the living trust. The living trust is discussed as an umbrella-type document which should include such items as a complete inventory of assets, a will, a pour-over will, a durable power of attorney for health care, power of attorney or conservator, and who should have one as well as who should execute it (e.g. a lawyer skilled in the subject of wills and/or living trusts, the size and complexity of the estate, possible inter-family friction, etc.).

CHAPTER 23   RELIGIOSITY OR SPIRITUALITY?

Jeremiah Kennedy is neither amoral or immoral. Throughout his life he has been more or less a secular person with a deep respect for spiritual matters. As he comes down the home stretch, he like many others begins to think about the meaning of life and the role of religiosity vs. spirituality (a quality of life). He gradually realizes that life is more than being alive, physically and mentally. Without a lot of fanfare, he thinks aloud about this dimension of life, not because he is facing imminent death but because so much points inward and upward. He does not have a dramatic conversion but is deeply sobered by his longevity.

CHAPTER 24   MORE REMINISCING

Jeremiah Kennedy takes an aide to lunch where they discuss many aspects of life: youth and age, black and white, richer or poorer, life and death. Jeremiah brings several aspects of his life into focus as he applies his reminiscing.

CHAPTER 25   A FINAL RECOGNITION AND TRIBUTE

Jeremy normally retires one evening and doesn't awaken. His granddaughter carefully takes his writing and pulls it together and pens the final chapter dealing with his death, how it affected the family and closes with his obituary placed in the local newspaper. Jeremy lives on through his family and friends in the legacy he left behind.

C H A P T E R    1

When the Elderly Dream Dreams

I threw off the covers and bolted upright. What had awakened me I'm not sure but I was wide awake. Oh, how good it is to be alive. Without thinking, I slid out of bed into my trusty old Rolls, shoved it into gear and zoomed into the dimly lit corridor. There was no one in sight, hardly unusual for that time of night, so I shifted into high and went careening down the long hall. Just before coming to the doors, I slammed on the brakes, made a U-turn and roared down the corridor in the opposite direction. Wheelchairs never went this fast. Never.

What fun I was having. I went past the nurse's station which also was vacant, turned the corner and went down the short hall when to my surprise I encountered Madam Murderer (she earned that nickname because her shots were unusuallypainful). She was emerging from the break room with a hot cup of coffeeand a couple of donuts delicately balanced in one hand. In the other she had her ever-present paperback which she was reading as she made her wayto the station. By then I was traveling so fast I couldn't stop, nor could I go around. I did the only thing possible: I aimed in the direction of the paperback in order to avoid the coffee. Wham! She went down in a heap and I kept right on going. But since the hall was rather short, I either had to stop, turn around, or take a detour.

When one gets old, the thinking process slows down a bit, but I wheeled to the right directly into Salazar's room. Her name is Ruby but no onecalls her that. It's always Salazar, occasionally ol' lady Salazar, and now and then one of the newer aides will call her Sally. She's a pistol. Can't hear very well so she plays her radio or TV full blast, and half the time she can't sleep at night so she turns on that blasted TV when the rest of us are asleep. Says it soothes her nerves. So, I couldn't resist. I greeted her silently, turned her TV on full blast and roared out of there before anyone could get wise. I made a sharp left into the corridor carefully avoiding the spilt coffee, breathing a sigh of relief because Madam Murderer was nowhere in sight. I imagine she went into the little girl's room to tidy herself before searching for the hit-and-run driver.

I don't think she ever saw me but it won't take her long to figure out who did it. Meanwhile, I disappeared into the dining room, dodged a couple of tables and emerged into the entryway which also was deserted. Since I had never had the corridors to myself, I wanted to see just whatt his old chair could do. Grabbing hold of the railing with one hand, Igave a tremendous shove and off we went flying down the long corridor. About half way down I tried a pop-a-wheelie or whatever these youngsters call it. I reared back and sure enough, I sailed along on two wheels and didn't stop until I slammed into the doors at the end of the corridor.That stopped me in a hurry making an awesome sound, triggering the alarm in the process. I knew that would wake up everyone, bring Security out of obscurity, and resurrect Madam Murderer and her midnight brigade. I looked around and here they came, running, yes, running down the corridor. I had to make a run for it. Backing off a few feet, I stuck my feet straight out and rammed the panic bars on the door but it wouldn't budge. Not an inch. I backed off and rammed it again. That's the last I remember.

Someone was tapping me on the shoulder. I opened one eye to see who it was. It was Jerome. Jerome, never Jerry, is as steady as a rock. Underpaid, overworked, but this you'd never hear from him. With his usual smile he greeted me, "Good morning, Mr. Kennedy. Looks like you've been dreaming again. "Who me, dreaming? Yeah, I guess I was. Strange, Jerome, howt hese dreams can be so real but when you wake up, they're gone. I'd give fifty bucks, maybe more, to anyone who can help me recall my dreams. Any of them. I've had some good ones, young fella, but I can never remember them. Anyway, thanks for waking me up. I'd sure hate for this oatmeal to get any colder. Besides, I feel hungry this morning." "Maybe you worked hard in your dream." "Maybe so. Who knows?"

So now you know. I'm Kennedy to some, Jeremy to others, and when I was young, which is a long time ago, I was Jere but you didn't pronounce the last 'e'. Jeremiah is still an unusual name, and once in awhile someonec alls me Mr. Jeremiah but most of the time I'm just plain ol' Jimmie. Except to Jerome and a few others. I haven't been in this rest home too long, a few months I guess. Not quite a year. I came here because I couldn't manage any longer on my own. There's nothing wrong with my mind, for which I am thankful, but my legs just don't seem to work any more. I get around pretty well in my trusty old wheel chair, and with a walker I can get around my room. Other than that, where else is there to go? If anyone twenty years ago would have told me I'd be sitting here in my designer gown, trying to decide between corn flakes or lukewarm oatmeal to get my day going, inviting both of my friends to my 90th birthday party, I'd have laughed in their face. But here I am, hanging onto the years, buying a birthday cake to feed ninety people, and feeling pretty good about it.

A couple of weeks ago, I bribed Jerome to get my chart. I wanted to see what I looked like on paper. Since it isn't a major crime, he cooperated. Apart from the usual questions of Name, Address, Telephone, Room Number, Medicare Number, Where Admitted From, Birth date, Person or Agency Responsible (and Relationship, if any), Person(s) to be Called in an Emergency, Attending Physician, Alternate Physician, Allergies, Religion and Mortuary Preference,I was most interested in their Diagnosis:

Cardiac arrhythmia
Myocardial infarction
Diverticulosis
Hypertension
Acute bronchitis
Colitis
Stroke
Old fracture of pelvis
Psoriasis
Degenerative joint disease
Prostatectomy
History of osteoarthritis

Now, isn't that a history? And they don't have everything listed, either. Evidently, the accumulation of physical maladies and corrections over the years has taken its toll. As I said before, I am very fortunate in that I don't have some of these diseases listed in other Diagnostic Histories: Senile dementia ,Alzheimer's disease, Chronic brain syndrome, Progressive memory loss, Parkinson's syndrome, Depression.

Living without these diseases makes me so grateful. Even though my body doesn't function as it once did, my mind is still alive, and that is comforting, possibly a bit frightening, especially if I am going to try to recall my past in order to share my life with you. If ever I had wished I would have kept better records of my life and family, it is now. My own father, bless his memory, kept a running diary for most of his adult life. It didn't say much, as far as the daily entry, but he didn't miss key events. The cumulative effect is astounding.

Since I have access to this monumental, invaluable record, I shall try not to disturb his well-deserved rest in any way. So far he has not, as far as I know, appeared in any of my dreams. But then, I seem to forget them before I awaken because I sure can't remember most of them after I'm awake. But this one dream I remembered. Perhaps there will be more.

My time in this place has been a revelation. Sure, I had visited old people's homes (that's what they were called along with asylums). I'm getting used to the noise and smells and cold food (now, I imagine it leaves the kitchen hot but there are a lot of detours before it hits our rooms).I've classified the nurses and aides and doctors into their respective categories such as mediocre but compassionate, skilled but unprofessional, tidy but careless, carefree but loving, not necessarily competent, tolerable, intolerable and pathetic. There's more but this should suffice for thepresent.

If I were sixty years younger, I might have taken a stab at running a place like this, but on the other hand, probably not. I do marvel, in spite of our often critical spirit, how good a job these people do. It's amazing. Some of us have completed life's cycle. We started out as infants and some of us will go out that way. When we were just infants, we learned to love and hate, to accept or reject. Now we're learning to love and hate, accept and reject all over again. A second childhood some say. Maybe so.

Here we are in our 70s, 80s and 90s, most of us, and what we need is someone to remind us that within all of us there is a child, and this child can be either a friend or foe. I thought we learned that years ago but I guess some of us forgot. When we are what we really are, we are often less than sophisticated adults. We have lived our lives as young and middle aged, and now that we are adults, we haven't lost our childish ways. In fact, sometimes I think we are even more like children than when we werekids. We're back in kindergarten again only we don't have any sand piles or shovels but we still throw food on the floor and refuse to wash our hands. We draw pictures no better, no worse than kindergartners and we play Ping-Pong by blowing balloons. You can't imagine the tantrums we throw. No wonder the "Madam Murderers" delight in using dull needlesand ignoring emergency lights. We push the button for an emergency and then forget what we needed. A second childhood? Probably. I see this everyday. We pout, scream, bite, pull hair just as we did almost a century ago.But we also smile, say 'thank you' and 'please,' 'I'm sorry' and now and then, 'bless you.' This child within us can be a spoiled brat but it can also be a good friend if we let the child within us rescue us from taking ourselves seriously.

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