He did make it clear he was talking about the people he personally knows. Unfortunately, your mother’s case is probably the more common scenario post-2008 (I suspect we’ll be hearing a lot of stories here about people being partially or fully wiped out in the crash).
It’s especially heartbreaking and frustrating because adult children of retirement-age people in the U.S. are often barely meeting their budgets themselves without taking on an elderly parent living in the house (assuming there’s room, assuming there’s a house, assuming the person isn’t infirm, etc.). I’ve seen some multi-generational households work, but they’re immigrant families who’ve bucked some of the dictates of late-stage capitalist society.
Yeah, you have to do something to keep your mind and body active and keep connected to other people. I like my work and should be able to keep doing it as long as I want, but if I didn’t I’d be looking to travel, to volunteer, to mentor and teach. Lots of opportunities.
As @papasan says, paying off your house will be a game-changer. There are still expenses like property taxes and maintenance, but no mortgage/rent hanging over you every month will reduce your stress like few other things in life.
