DEAR ABBY: My spouse and I are retired and on Social Security. We’ve both worked hard all our lives and are content living a modest retirement.

Our house is paid for, and we have little debt. However, we’re both experiencing physical and mental decline.

I worry about our house. We aren’t able to clean and maintain it like we used to because of our physical limitations.

We used to have parties, but we’re embarrassed to have people over now, which means we’re kind of isolated.

We also worry that our Social Security and Medicare benefits will be stripped away. We rely on them to live.

We both paid into the system since age 15. Shouldn’t we expect to reap the benefits of paying into the system all these years?

We constantly worry about what lies ahead, and the future seems particularly daunting at the moment. Even if we manage to endure the coming years, I’m increasingly anxious about the potential breakdown of our household.

I am not sure where to turn. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. — WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE

DEAR WORRIED: Consider contacting a local senior center to inquire if they offer any services that could help you find affordable assistance for your home.

Regarding your embarrassment about hosting friends, that worry might be unwarranted. If you’re seeking companionship, invite friends over for an afternoon tea, a picnic, or a barbecue outdoors, weather permitting.

Regarding your anxiety about Social Security, you are far from alone in feeling worried. Approximately 70 million American seniors are worrying right along with you.

Every senior should be writing to their local politicians, their state representatives, congresspersons and senators reminding them that those benefits were paid for and, if they are interfered with, it could cost them the next election. 

DEAR ABBY: I’m a single, never married man. I was having trouble finding a nice woman to date, so I bought a T-shirt from a dating website to show the women at the grocery and hardware stores that I’m single and looking for a date. 

I now have a new problem — women at the hardware store and grocery stores keep coming up to me, asking about my shirt and trying to get a date with me.

I am grateful for it, although I’m having trouble deciding which one I want to go out with.

How do I tell the ones I am not interested in that I’m busy or seeing someone else? They don’t want to take no for an answer. — FLOODED IN FLORIDA

DEAR FLOODED: Stop saying no so quickly. If you are looking for someone special, you are going to have to do some sifting. As you will discover, dating is a process of trial and error.

You may find your taste in women will change if you experience a few of them (or more).

P.S. I’m sorry you didn’t mention which website you bought that T-shirt from. Do they also come in women’s sizes? 

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.