I'm 63 and raising four of my grandchildren. Money is very tight, and I haven't once thought about retiring.

Cindy Chiasson is raising four of her grandchildren.

Cindy Chiasson

• Cindy Chiasson, 63, is raising four grandchildren while working full-time without a retirement plan.
• Chiasson's daughter struggled with addiction, leading her to gain custody of her grandchildren.
• A tight housing market in her part of Canada has made caregiving harder.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cindy Chiasson, 63, who lives in Canada's Yukon Territory. Chiasson...