Even at my age, I could solve the problem by shooting them in the knee cap.
That's a good way to get dead. Two to the chest and one to the head. If you discharge a firearm at someone, kill them.
My last encounter in 2008, I got hit in the head out of nowhere. I shot the guy in the face with a .38spl low recoil frangible round out of a little S&W 5-shot revolver when he bent over to see if I was still alive. It got the job done. His estate still clipped me for $250,000, even though he was trying to kill me. Cleaning up the blood in my shop sucked.
I haven't picked up a firearm since. I'd recommend a Byrna SD or LE and Byrna Max pepper rounds. That's what I carry now.
(Edit) If you're going to buy a Byrna pistol, don't buy the SD, buy the EP without the bullshit safety, it's cheaper, and the safety is a hazard, in my experience. If you want more power, buy the LE (Law Enforcement). It's to clunky to carry, IMHO.