I’m 70 and raising my 7-year-old grandson. I have faith everything will work out, but I may never retire.0

• aging, bond-market, Business, Business / Artificial Intelligence, Business / Big Tech, Business / Companies, Business / Computers and Software, Business / Markets, Business / Social Media, business-idea, business-insider-today, business-strategy, caregiver, CoECI News, E! Insider, Economy, Energy & Environment Newsletter, Family, Finance, Gaming News Roundup, Gear / Gear News and Events, Global, Global Precipitation, global warming, globalstar, grandmother, grandparenting, HEALTH, Home, House, insider-picks, insider-picks-guides, insider-reviews, insider-reviews-2021, insider-today, job-market, Markets, Markets & Festivals, multigenerational-households, News, newsletter, Newsletters, Nexstar Media Wire News, Parenting, People News, Personal Finance, personal-finance, Photovogue / Editorial / News, Politics / Politics News, poverty, Property / News, retirement, Reviews, reviews-rit-ads, Security / Security News, shop, Shop Beauty
• August 24, 2026

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ruth Olinger, 70, who is raising her grandson on her own in Lakeland, Florida. Olinger had earlier fostered dozens of children and did mission work. Now, Olinger said she can’t retire and paid over $10,000 for her son’s day care. This interview has been edited for