--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For millions, the retirement dream is in…" description: "\"For millions, the retirement dream is in reality an economic nightmare. For millions, growing old today means growing poor, being sick, living in subst..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/sylvia-porter-35416_age_for-millions-the-retirement-dream-is-in_1082949.png" --- # For millions, the retirement dream is in reality an… ![“For millions, the retirement dream is in reality an economic nightmare. For millions, growing old today means growing poor, being sick, living in substandard housing, and having to scrimp merely to subsist.” quote by Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/sylvia-porter-35416_age_for-millions-the-retirement-dream-is-in_1082949.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/sylvia-porter-35416_age_for-millions-the-retirement-dream-is-in_1082949.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fc/sylvia-porter-35416_age_for-millions-the-retirement-dream-is-in_1082949.png) > “For millions, the retirement dream is in reality an economic nightmare. For millions, growing old today means growing poor, being sick, living in substandard housing, and having to scrimp merely to subsist.” [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aging often brings financial hardship, health issues, and inadequate housing, turning retirement dreams into a nightmare. **In simple terms:** Retirement can become financially and health‑wise challenging. Key Takeaway Plan for secure retirement. Themes aging economics health housing Mood concerned urgent Type analytical policy‑oriented When to use this quote - personal finance - elder care - urban planning Key Concepts social safety net public policy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take now for a stable retirement? - How can society better support aging populations? A Different Perspective Economic systems may improve; personal planning is crucial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Being sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-sick/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Retirement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retirement/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [There are people who look forward to spending their sunset years in the sunshine; it is my own retirement dream to await my death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/there-are-people-who-look-forward-to-spending-their-sunset-years-in/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [If a culture treats a particular illness with compassion and enlightened understanding, then sickness can be seen as a challenge, as a healing crisis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/if-a-culture-treats-a-particular-illness-with-compassion-and/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Harriet Tubman didn't have strategy meetings or a movement behind her, she was the movement, she was inspired by being sick and tired of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-hinds/harriet-tubman-didn-t-have-strategy-meetings-or-a-movement-behind-her/) [Aisha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-hinds/) > [You can always go further then you think you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-always-go-further-then-you-think-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A Hospital isn't any place to end up being sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/a-hospital-isn-t-any-place-to-end-up-being-sick/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [When I'm sick, I feel like Bella from Twilight; my mouth always slightly open since I can't breathe out of my nose...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guardian/when-i-m-sick-i-feel-like-bella-from-twilight-my-mouth-always/) Guardian > [Im so sick of being blue and crying over you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-so-sick-of-being-blue-and-crying-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The feeling of being sick, but you're not really sick. You're just sad, upset, unhappy. You just feel like laying in bed all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-feeling-of-being-sick-but-you-re-not-really-sick-you-re-just-sad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you don't have much and you need to be at work, there's no such thing as being sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-brooks/when-you-don-t-have-much-and-you-need-to-be-at-work-there-s-no-such/) [Scott Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-brooks/) > [There's a phenomenology of being sick, one that depends on temperament, personal history, and the culture which we live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/there-s-a-phenomenology-of-being-sick-one-that-depends-on-temperament/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Sick of being nice and getting it thrown back in my face!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sick-of-being-nice-and-getting-it-thrown-back-in-my-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Not being able to do anything because you're sick sucks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/not-being-able-to-do-anything-because-you-re-sick-sucks/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Worst thing about being sick: loosing your voice so you can't sing without sounding like a dying frog...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guardian/worst-thing-about-being-sick-loosing-your-voice-so-you-can-t-sing/) Guardian > [Having an eating disorder doesn't show ‘strength.’ Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/having-an-eating-disorder-doesn-t-show-strength-strength-is-when-are/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [The thought of you makes me sick. I can't even bare to begin. I need to remember how it feels to be loved again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-chiar/the-thought-of-you-makes-me-sick-i-can-t-even-bare-to-begin-i-need-to/) [Francine Chiar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-chiar/) ## More by Sylvia Porter > [The average family exists only on paper and its average budget is a fiction, invented by statisticians for the convenience of statisticians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/the-average-family-exists-only-on-paper-and-its-average-budget-is-a/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [I worked up a daily fury about some economic injustice because there were so many of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/i-worked-up-a-daily-fury-about-some-economic-injustice-because-there/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [Invest in yourself, in your education. There's nothing better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/invest-in-yourself-in-your-education-there-s-nothing-better/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [One of the soundest rules to remember when making forecasts in the field of economics is that whatever is to happen is happening already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/one-of-the-soundest-rules-to-remember-when-making-forecasts-in-the/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [I've always been independent, and I don't see how it conflicts with femininity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/i-ve-always-been-independent-and-i-don-t-see-how-it-conflicts-with/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [ In those days \[1935\] I would read what the opposition papers got out, and I'd say to myself, 'What I'm doing just isn't good… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/in-those-days-1935-i-would-read-what-the-opposition-papers-got-out/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [Money never remains just coins and pieces of paper. Money can be translated into the beauty of living, a support in misfortune, an education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/money-never-remains-just-coins-and-pieces-of-paper-money-can-be/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [Money can be translated into the beauty of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/money-can-be-translated-into-the-beauty-of-living/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [Beware of the danger signals that flag problems: silence, secretiveness, or sudden outburst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/beware-of-the-danger-signals-that-flag-problems-silence-secretiveness/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [I've learned ruthless concentration. I can write under any circumstances...street noises, loud talk, music, you name it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/i-ve-learned-ruthless-concentration-i-can-write-under-any/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [I had always assumed that people were interested in economic affairs, just as I was. My assumption was justified. The times caught up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/i-had-always-assumed-that-people-were-interested-in-economic-affairs/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) > [I am not and should not be considered an economist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-porter/i-am-not-and-should-not-be-considered-an-economist/) [Sylvia Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) [Explore all 13 Sylvia Porter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-porter/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." 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Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? 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