Older And Wiser or just Tighter and Deafer?

FWIW, if you are presently healthy you could easily outlive any components you might now buy. What I would do (and actually have) is to redirect my attention to simplifying my system using quality components to facilitate the ease of use when you start to 'lose' your mind (as well as hearing) in case someone else has to turn it on for you, and I would have a component which has effective tone controls to compensate somewhat for your projected hearing loss (or buy a good quality add-on tone control :-).

bloom, I suppose I'll eventually give in to hearing aids.  I'm just not there yet.  I guess I'm still living in denial (not the river in Egypt).
newbee, I think we're on the same wavelength. 

>> I’ll even have some guilt about spending my kid’s inheritance.

Did you work hard, save and invest wisely so that your *children* would be financially comfortable or so that you and your long-suffering better half could be financially comfortable? I hope that the way that you helped your children to be financially comfortable was by educating them, often by example. 

I believe that if my children want to be financially comfortable, they ought to do the same things that I did: work hard, save and invest wisely.

>> "Does it ever end?"

Sure, when the coroner zips up the bag and carries me out feet first. Until that time, I recommend that you enjoy life to the fullest.