My wife's parents are in very bad shape. They are both 2nd Gen JWs. My father in law worked for a large American manufacturing company in the 60s and early 70s. When it got closes to the 1975 date he quit his job moved north of the state he was in, into the country "where the need was great" and started his own small body /mechanic shop. They struggled to make ends meet. He never saved much money and would tell me he will never die the end bla bla bla. Well he is 80, has a brain tumor, hart condition among other issues. His wife my wife's mother has Alzheimer to the point she has to stay in a facility because he can not take care of her. He has absolutely no money to his name. Maybe a few grand. He has stopped going to assemblies not because of belief but health. I don't say a word to my wife about it as she is going through enough, but they really made their bed.
I am not trying to be obtuse or indifferent but I had talked and talked till I was blue in the face that they needed to focus on the future and saving some money for retirement. He would say there will be no need for retirement in this old world. I am sure many hear have heard this shit before. To me this is where the damage comes in. People who are not as smart as some, buy in whole sale don't think and don't plan. I saw my Grandfather who was a CO SP and elder one of the three at any one time most of his life. He hit 52 and could see things were not working out and took a job as a prison guard, [in shipping and receiving , refused to use a gun but was in contact with prisoners so was eligible for a pension in 10 years of work] and quietly positioned himself for that pension. His last few years they wanted him to qualify with a gun but he kept dodging it. The cult is so damaging its crazy. The very same Grandfather went to two semesters of collage. Played football and wanted to be a coach. But he met my Grandmother who was a JW freak and cest la vie