Perhaps retirement is seen as a time of luxury and relaxation, but for many people, the reality is choosing among paying the heating bill, buying essential prescription drugs or buying nutritious food.

The public and policy makers are in for a "rude awakening" Tuesday when data will be released from a year-long study of seniors in New Mexico at a public event at the Isleta Conference Center on the Isleta Pueblo during the Aging and Long-Term Services Department's New Mexico Conference on Aging.

The study and results, which are broken up by county, are part of the New Mexico Elder Economic Security Initiative, a campaign that seeks to ensure the economic well-being of seniors. The Initiative has already studied 11 states over the last three years and New Mexico is No. 12. Over the next two years, the Initiative will study 20 more states.

The Initiative is a collaboration between the Washington, D.C.-based Wider Opportunities for Women; the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Boston; and the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department.

"What the data shows is that a lot of our elders in New Mexico don't have the resources to make ends meet and so they have to make choices between paying for heating and utilities and food over, perhaps, paying for medication," said Emily Kaltenbach, the director of policy and planning for the Aging and Long-Term Services Department.

According to Stacy Sanders, the director of the Elder Economic Security Initiative, said the results include data and information on what it costs to retire in New Mexico, which encompasses the basic cost of housing and food. Although the results won't officially be released, Sanders gave a few figures for Santa Fe County — where it costs seniors anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000 a year to be able to retire.

"That's for someone to meet their basic expenses," Sanders said, noting that "someone" is a single person age 65 and older.

"Another key finding, and something we definitely want to highlight across the board in all of the states, we are able to illustrate that Social Security is not enough for some to meet their basic expenses," Sanders said. "One out of three elders in New Mexico is relying only on Social Security for income."

Kaltenbach said that Tuesday organizations will also release policy changes they hope legislators will help push through. The organizations came to these solutions only after interviewing seniors from all over the state.

"We had an opportunity to have discussions and direct input from elders around the state," Kaltenbach said. "We went out in the community to get input from elders and their caregivers. They helped shape where we go from here."

Details on those policy recommendations will be released at the event, which is open to the public.

"I think often it goes hidden, the fact that many seniors retire and have a difficult time meeting their basic expenses," Sanders said. "We want to bring that reality to the forefront so the public at large can decide how do we fix this problem and how do we make it so folks who have worked all their lives are able to retire."

Kaltenbach also noted that the Aging and Long-Term Services Department is still accepting registration for the New Mexico Conference on aging, which is $95 for non-seniors and non-students; and $35 for seniors (age 55 and older) and students. A day rate of $20 for seniors and students and $50 for everyone else is also available. For more information on the conference, visit www.nmaging.state.nm.us or call 505-222-4500.

Contact Ana Maria Trujillo at 986-3084 or atrujillo@sfnewmexican.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Release of county-by-county data from the New Mexico Elder Economic Security Initiative study

When: 12:30 p.m., Tuesday

Where: Isleta Conference Center Patio Area, 11000 Broadway S.E., Albuquerque; conference continues Wednesday

Cost: Free