With this:

"eager to return to a window in time when things truly were more prosperous for them"

I think you are close but not spot on. They are lament the passing of the time when a strong back, long hours and just showing up for work regularly without much education was enough to support a family. You were not wrong but you did not explain in what way that time was more prosperous for them and thus did not explain why we can't go back to that time.

TEK