Debbie Boyd, 71, just relocated to Panama from Atlanta with her 97-year-old mother, Doris Britto, who has dementia—a decision she said she hasn’t regretted.
She told Business Insider that she had been thinking about living outside of the United States for a few years before her retirement.
“I read about the lower cost of living being less, but I think what spurred my action was the political climate,” Boyd said.
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Both Boyd and her mother were born and raised in New York. Boyd’s mother spent more than 40 years working as a long-distance operator for the New York Telephone Company before Boyd moved to Atlanta in 1983. Her mother followed her there when she retired in 1986. They had stayed there till this year.
Her mother traveled with her friends and assisted Boyd in raising her kid. She then became involved in some of the local senior citizen groups.
Boyd’s previous jobs included being a residential real estate broker, an administrative assistant, and an adjunct professor of criminal justice for online universities. In 2016, she decided to retire.
She felt bored and took up swimming. She also pursued new interests, traveled, spent time with friends, and contemplated her next move. She returned to work after a few years of resting, but she worked from home.
In 2018, Boyd was diagnosed with bladder cancer, requiring a major surgery that also impacted her mother. She recounted, “I wasn’t well enough to take care of my mother, though she and I lived together. She moved into a nursing home and lived there for seven years.”
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When Boyd decided to move to Panama early this year, she asked her mother if she would like to join her, and she said yes.
She said, “I decided that it was probably best for both of us. Otherwise, she would be in Atlanta, and I would be abroad. My son and grandchildren are grown up and have very active lives, so I knew she would be pretty much alone in the nursing home, which I didn’t want for her. Panama checked a lot of the boxes. Healthcare seemed excellent, and I had a friend who retired there who answered my questions.”
She continued, “At the time, we were doing fine financially. We’re not wealthy people, but we’ve worked our whole careers, paid bills on time, handled finances responsibly, and have good credit. But things have gotten so tight in the US; it’s really hard to make ends meet as a retiree living off of Social Security and a small pension. As an African American, I feel we are being targeted, and knowledge of our proud heritage is constantly under assault.”
Still, relocating to a new country was not easy. She went on three scouting visits to find a location that was logistically appropriate for them, given that her mother is in a wheelchair.
Upon completing the necessary paperwork to enable her mom to leave her facility, her son assisted her in transporting her mother from the nursing home. She also scheduled an appointment with a doctor, who saw her within a week of her arrival in Panama to ensure that her drugs and prescriptions could be transferred.
She said, “My mom told me that since I’m here and I’ve handled everything, she’s happy and has enjoyed it so far. She came down with a cold a few weeks ago and lost her appetite, but she started eating again and felt better. She’s happier to not be in a nursing home environment. We’re now looking to find more activities we can participate in together.”
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A friend connected her with a home care agency—a young woman comes in six days a week to assist her mother with bathing, dinner preparation, sheet changes, and laundry.
Their four-bedroom home has a huge living room, dining area, and kitchen, as well as an in-ground pool in the backyard.
She said, “The rent is $1,500 a month, a bit more than what I was paying for my mortgage on my house in the States, which is $777 a month. I still own my home. However, there have been recent property tax and homeowner insurance increases, and I estimate my mortgage will be approximately $250 more in 2026. I get so much more for my money.”
Boyd also said the utilities aren’t too bad, explaining that one month, she had a $70 bill, but the next month, it was $300.
She explained, “I handle my business here like I would at home; I go to the grocery store, the bank, and the pharmacy. I take Ubers because I don’t want to drive here; they drive really fast. An Uber one-way is about $2.20.”
While she is still getting acclimated, she is getting used to the noise and the colorful life of the locals.
“We don’t live in an expat neighborhood. I wanted to be immersed in Panamanian culture. It’s been about two months since we’ve been here, but I haven’t had much of a chance to meet our neighbors yet. All of the houses are gated individually, so it’s not like you can just walk up to your neighbor’s front door. But when I go to the mall, people talk with me. When they realize I only speak a little Spanish, everybody’s helpful, pleasant, and willing to help me find things.”
She also touted the medical services, saying, “The hospital near me has a program where they will accept Medicare Advantage if you have an emergency situation and are hospitalized, which I’m applying for. I’m also applying to a program that’s $220 a year to have any tests, blood work, or lab work done. I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and I was on oxygen when I was back home. I haven’t had to use it since I’ve been here.”
For now, she said she is focused on getting involved with expat groups, expanding her social network, making Panama her new home, and getting more involved in volunteering.
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