Latest news with #Carolyn
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Carolyn Hax: At yo-yo's end with supporting friend through cyclic breakups
Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: I am probably at this point overinvested here, but my really good friend has been in a terrible relationship for eight years now: They break up, friend dumps on me, there's a few good months, they get back together, friend distances from friends, they break up again, etc. They just broke up again. I am dreading the process but feel like not being there would be problematic for my social life. I am just done with the drama and feel like saying so. Anyway, can you help me understand why otherwise great people do this yo-yo thing? — Yo-yo's Friend Yo-yo's Friend: Not fixing a near-decade problem mystifies me, too, so I'm not sure I can help you understand. You would think they'd tire of it. Or maybe we're both missing the point — maybe they include the on-and-off as part of the whole. It must satisfy a need for both of them, or else they'd stay apart one of these times. An unhealthy need, or else they'd stay together. So — two unhealthy needs they use each other to avoid fixing. How's that. As for what to say to your friend this time, now that you're 'done with the drama' and possibly a little salty, I think eight years of getting dumped on gives you standing to speak your mind. You wrote a fine start: 'I am probably at this point overinvested, but you have been in an unstable relationship for eight years now. You break up, dump on me, have a few good months, get back together, distance yourself from friends, break up again, etc.' Then maybe just: 'I don't know what to say anymore. But acting like this is normal or okay doesn't seem like the right call. Is there anything else I can do here?' Like I said, though — this may be their normal. They may be life partners, in their yo-yo way. As designated friend, it might help you to see it this way: to assume there is no 'process' to 'dread' because there is no off or on, it is all of a piece, and to divest from the drama and expect nothing besides seeing your friend when your friend is available. And don't try to fix anything — just be 'sorry to hear that.' Dear Carolyn: I live in the East and work full time even though I am past retirement age; I like to work, I'm good at my job and it gives me something to do. I have lots of friends and plan lunches and classes weekly. Some of my grandchildren live in the West, and I feel guilty that I don't move there to take care of them, especially 9-year-old twins. Both parents work round-the-clock, and they rely on the older kids to take care of the twins. I don't want to move where they live. However, I feel like I'm being selfish, and they could really use my help; they need someone to pick up the kids from school, prepare dinner, help with homework — a housekeeper. Should that be my job? — Grandparent Grandparent: 'Should' you, no, not if you don't want to and you're deeply rooted. It's alarming that older kids are being pressed into parent duty for youngers, if they're more than just helping out. But it doesn't make sense to me that your cross-country relocation, maybe effectively for good, is the only solution for at most a six- or seven-year problem. Can you afford to help them hire steady after-school child care? Then you stay above your social safety net, which is so important, and they get responsible relief.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Carolyn Hax: Middle-aged and still getting dismissed as ‘the baby'
Adapted from an online discussion. Dear Carolyn: I'm the youngest of five children, and throughout my whole life, my family members never cease to remind me of this in either a neutral or a derogatory way. Anytime I ask people to knock it off, they tell me I'm too sensitive and 'you'll always be the baby, so stop complaining.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This Florida woman, 78, lives in her car — as more seniors in the Sunshine State suddenly face homelessness
South Florida resident Carolyn is 78 years old — and at a time in her life when she should be enjoying life's comforts, she's instead living in her car because she can't afford a home. 'I look at it as a journey. I've had many journeys in my life,' she told WSVN 7News in a story published May 13. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Carolyn isn't the only older American in that boat. A growing portion of seniors in parts of Florida are grappling with homelessness — and the problem is projected to keep getting worse. Carolyn had been living in her vehicle for two months at the time, and 7News reports she has only Social Security for income. She doesn't share her monthly benefit, but the average retired worker today collects about $2,000 a month. Carolyn has sold many of her possessions, but simply doesn't have enough money. In the absence of a bed, she sleeps upright in her car instead of lying down. 'I sleep here in this seat, scrunched down. My ankles and legs are swollen from having to sit all the time,' she said. 'I buy jug water, it's cheaper. And I eat one meal a day, for $2.02.' Thanks to her Medicare plan, Carolyn has free access to a gym where she can shower, per 7News. But she still needs a home. Cassandra Rhett, the Housing and Social Services Manager for the City of Pompano Beach, is trying to help find her one. Rhett was inspired to help knowing that anyone could end up in a situation like Carolyn's. 'It could be my aunt, it could be my mother. It just breaks my heart just how humble Carolyn is,' she told 7News with tears in her eyes. Rhett blames the situation on skyrocketing rents. Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, says that homeless seniors are incredibly vulnerable and in need of help. 'We know if you put vulnerable elderly on the street, they're going to die earlier,' he told 7News. 'The face of homelessness has changed. I want people in our community to think about their mothers, and their grandmothers, and their grandfathers being homeless for the first time.' In 2019, people aged 65 and older made up nearly 8% of the homeless population in Miami-Dade County, according to 7News, citing data from the Homeless Trust. By 2024, that number reached 14%, and it's projected to climb to 22% by 2030. Read more: This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Meanwhile, Carolyn's car recently started to leak following a period of rain. Rhett says the city has put Carolyn up in a hotel for now — while she works to find the senior permanent housing. Carolyn hopes sharing her story sheds light on the problem at hand. 'It can happen to anyone. Don't think it can't,' she warned. Americans aged 50 and over are the fastest growing group of people who are going homeless in the country, according to the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The National Alliance to End Homelessness, meanwhile, reports that in 2023, roughly 138,000 Americans aged 55 and older experienced homelessness on a given night, representing 20% of all homeless individuals. Florida was among the states with the highest proportion of older adults. The organization also noted, in 2020, that 5 million Americans aged 65 and over lived below the poverty line, which at the time was $12,760 for a household of one, per HHS data. There are a few reasons why older Americans may not be able to afford housing. First, many people who reach retirement have only Social Security to live on. A 2024 AARP survey found that 20% of Americans aged 50 and over had no retirement savings. As noted earlier, the average retired worker Social Security benefit is about $2,000 a month. But Zillow puts the average U.S. rent for a one-bedroom unit at just under $1,600 per month. In addition to worrying about rent, health costs tend to rise with age. And those with limited incomes sometimes have to choose between paying for medical care and medication versus other bills. It's important that seniors at risk of homelessness know how to get access to the support they need. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, for example, has an online tool to help people seek out emergency shelter, as well as food pantries and health clinics. You can also use this list of resources to find homeless assistance programs in your state. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
78-Year-Old Florida Woman On Social Security Has Been Living In Her Car For Months Because She Can't Afford Rent: 'I Eat One Meal A Day For $2.02'
A 78-year-old South Florida woman named Carolyn is now the face of a crisis quietly growing in one of the country's most expensive regions: senior homelessness. In a powerful segment aired last week by South Florida's WSVN-TV, the longtime resident shared how she's been living in her car for nearly two months because her Social Security check doesn't stretch far enough to cover rent. Her car, a 22-year-old sedan she calls "my baby," is packed with essentials. Her clothes hang neatly in the back seat. In the trunk, she stores her silks — dry-clean-only garments she hasn't been able to afford to care for in a long time. "I'm a neat freak," she said. "This is my dry cleaning — my silks — which I can't afford right now." Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – Carolyn sleeps in the driver's seat, upright, with her legs crunched for hours. "My ankles and legs are swollen from having to sit all the time," she said. She gets by on just one meal a day — "I eat one meal a day for $2.02," she said — and stretches it further with a free senior drink. "I buy a jug of water. It's cheaper," she added. With no housing, her gym membership through Medicare has become her lifeline. "I do go shower and do my makeup, my hair," she said, still holding on to dignity despite the circumstances. Her only income is Social Security. Over the years, she's sold off many of her belongings, but the rising cost of living left her without options. "I look at it as a journey," she said, trying to stay hopeful. "I've had many journeys in my life." Carolyn's story struck a nerve with Cassandra Ratliff, the housing and social services manager for the City of Pompano Beach. "It could be my aunt. It could be my mother," Ratliff said. "It just breaks my heart just how humble Carolyn is." Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Ratliff is now helping Carolyn find permanent housing. For now, the city has temporarily placed her in a hotel after her car started leaking during a recent downpour. According to Ron Book, chairman of the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, elderly people living on the streets are especially at risk. "We know if you put vulnerable elderly on the street, they're going to die earlier," he said. And the numbers are climbing. In 2019, seniors aged 65 and older made up 8% of Miami-Dade County's homeless population. By 2024, it had jumped to 14%. If trends continue, that number could hit 22% by 2030. While average rent in Florida has dipped slightly — down $151 from last year, according to Zillow — it still sits at $2,349, far outpacing what many seniors can afford. The average monthly Social Security retirement benefit in April was $1,999, leaving a gap too wide for many to bridge. "The face of homelessness has changed," Book warned. "I want people in our community to think about their mothers and their grandmothers and their grandfathers being homeless for the first time."Carolyn echoed the same sobering thought: "It can happen to anyone. Don't think it can't — because I never thought about it." Despite everything, she's trying to use her voice to help others. "Other people may need somebody to be their spokesperson," she said. "This is the only thing I ever felt ashamed of in my life. And I truly felt ashamed. But this is the right thing to do." Even while sleeping in her car and surviving on a budget that barely covers food, Carolyn hasn't lost her humor or resilience. "She's falling apart — like me," she joked about her old car. Now, with a temporary roof over her head and a caseworker fighting for her, Carolyn is hoping this new chapter leads to something better — not just for herself, but for others silently suffering the same way. And there are likely many more. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 22% of Florida's nearly 23 million residents are 64 or older, giving it the third-highest senior population in the country. As that number grows, so does the urgency — because Carolyn's story isn't rare. It's a warning. Read Next: Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article 78-Year-Old Florida Woman On Social Security Has Been Living In Her Car For Months Because She Can't Afford Rent: 'I Eat One Meal A Day For $2.02' originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of El Paso appoints new chief information officer
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The City of El Paso has a new chief information officer. The City announced the appointment of Carolyn Patrick as the new chief information officer in a news release on Tuesday, May 20. 'A native El Pasoan and dedicated public servant, Carolyn brings more than 25 years of experience in information technology, having served in both federal and local government sectors,' the City said. She officially assumed her new role this week, the City said. As CIO, Carolyn will coordinate the City's 'broad and complex information technology operations' and serve as the principal expert adviser on strategic technological initiatives, infrastructure modernization, digital services, and innovation, the City said. Patrick has worked for the City since 2012 and has served in several key leadership roles, including IT operations program manager, project management office manager, assistant director of IT, and most recently, deputy chief information officer. 'Carolyn's deep technical expertise, commitment to service, and strong leadership make her an exceptional choice to lead our Information Technology team,' City Manager Dionne Mack said. 'Her strategic vision will help the City advance digital transformation and continue delivering reliable, secure, and innovative services to our community.' Patrick has a bachelor's degree in computer information systems and a master's degree in computer information resources. For more information about the City of El Paso's Department of Information Technology Services, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
