February 14th may be Valentine’s Day, but it’s also known by a more cynical name- Singles Awareness Day. While there’s lots of information about aging in place and caregiving, it seems to assume that you have children or other family members to help with your care. If you live alone or don’t have children, what steps can you take to age in place and control your care?
Solo aging, older adults living alone without a spouse or children, is becoming more prevalent. In 2021 the AARP estimated that 12% of older adults aged 50 and over in the United States qualify as solo agers. Solo agers may be divorced or never married, they may not have had children, or their children may live far away. Either way, they live alone and need to be more proactive in their care.
Aging in Place– While most seniors want to remain in their home as they age, it may not be the best option. Take stock of your current living arrangement and ask yourself if it is sustainable or if it would make sense for you to move to assisted living or a facility with a continuum of care.
- Do you need help with day-to-day activities (e.g., using the bathroom, cooking, cleaning, etc.)?
- Do you live close enough to your doctor/grocery store/the hospital/a pharmacy to get there even if you no longer drive?
- Do you have access to reliable transportation?
- Would you be able to afford home modifications or major repairs? We’ve covered common home modifications to age in place on the blog.
- Here’s a link to a guide from the AARP on ways to make your home aging friendly.
- Here’s a link to the various home repair programs in Washtenaw County.
- Do you feel like you’re part of your community?
Get Everything Together– since you may be relying on a paid caregiver or group of friends, make sure they know where to find your important documents. Below is a short list of what to include in your binder. Not sure where to start? Click here for a checklist from AARP.
- Bills
- Create a list of what is due and when
- Online accounts and passwords
- Medical Information
- Allergies
- List of your doctors and their phone numbers
- List of medications with dosages and what they are for- including over the counter medication
- Insurance information
- Upcoming appointments
- Home
- Important contact information (e.g., gutter cleaner, electrician, etc.)
- Mortgage
- Insurance
- Dates of the last time repairs and maintenance were done (e.g., when the gutters were last cleaned, etc.)
- Legal
- Information about Medicare plan
- Tax returns
- Power of attorney (if applicable) (Want to learn more? Check out this guide from AARP)
- Estate planning information
- Create a will and keep it updated
- Healthcare advance directives
- Write down as much as you can now, including your preferences for when you’re older (the Conversation Project has several free guides to help you figure out what you want your aging journey to look like)
Form Your Team
- Know who to contact in case of an emergency.
- Who can advocate for you in a medical emergency?
- Have a backup- what will you do if your go-to person is sick or unavailable?
Look At Community Programs
- Fall Prevention
- AAA 1-B Matter of Balance classes
- Fall prevention checklist via AARP
- Fall prevention guide via the CDC
- Think about whether a fall alert system (e.g., Life Alert) would make you feel more secure
- Here’s a link to our blog post about fall prevention
- Home Maintenance/Home Repair
- In-Home Care
- Social
- Click here for our blog post on remaining social in the winter– including a list of Washtenaw County senior centers and memory cafes!
- Transportation
- Utility Assistance
As always, you can view the Senior Resource Connect Online Senior Resource Directory to find resources to help you age in place in your community.
