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A growing number of older adults are looking beyond their home country for the next chapter of life — not just for a lower cost of living, but for a different climate, pace, and sense of adventure. But turning that dream into a smooth, sustainable reality takes more than a plane ticket.

In the latest Healthy Aging® Magazine issue,  Gerald Hogg, author of The Retire in Thailand Handbook 2026 — and who spent more than 50 years traveling the world as a chef before retiring to Thailand in 2017 — walks through what every prospective expat should think through before making the leap. From navigating visa and residency requirements to budgeting realistically for housing, healthcare, and everyday life abroad, he covers the practical groundwork that turns a big move into a good one.

He also gets into the parts people tend to overlook: how climate feels different when you’re living in it year-round instead of just visiting, how to weigh healthcare access and insurance coverage, and how to prepare emotionally for the distance from family and familiar routines. Drawing on his own experience — and now 13 published books on the subject — Hogg offers a grounded, first-hand perspective for anyone weighing a life overseas.

Whether you’re seriously planning a move or simply curious what it would take, this is a smart place to start.

Read the full story, only in Healthy Aging® Magazine.