Solo Agers, older adults living alone, must plan to be successful in their aging journey. Whether by chance or by choice, if you are aging alone, you are at risk for challenges, including social isolation, limited access to services, and potential health risks. In 2020, 27% of US adults aged
60 and older were living alone, and this number is expected to increase.
At Johnson McGinnis Elder Care Law and Estate Planning, our Planned Aging Services and Supports (PASS) program offers the following advice and suggestions.
1) If you do not have an immediate family member willing or available to support you, you may need to hire professionals. Friends and more distant relatives may offer, but can you count on their availability in a time of stress and crisis? And even if you can count on them, it does not hurt to have a professional as a backup plan.
2) What do you need professionals to help with? Think about all the activities that go into making your day, month, or year. What if you were physically unable to perform those activities, either short-term or long-term?
a. Daily activities include personal care such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and mobility. Instrumental activities of daily living such as managing the household, paying bills, meal preparation and shopping, and driving can reduce your ability to function on a daily basis.
b. Monthly activities may involve paying bills, house maintenance and upkeep, larger housekeeping activities, and follow-up medical care.
c. Annual activities include annual bills such as taxes and insurance, medical screening and decision making.
d. And always, what happens in a crisis or emergency.
3) Where do you find professionals to fill these roles? Due diligence is key and again, planning is key. Do not wait for an emergency to figure out you need someone to keep your pet while you are in the hospital. Or give you a ride home after you are seen in the emergency room.
a. Legal documents can be put in place to identify who will be able to manage your life if you become unable to. Most importantly are durable general powers of attorney and healthcare powers of attorney. The people you select will need to be familiar with your situation prior to taking over, so they do not have to play detective to discover what your assets are, what bills need to be paid or what your wishes are. Contacting an Elder Care Law attorney can help you identify key players and get these documents executed.
b. Having a good record of your finances and assets or investments will help a professional maintain your home and manage your needs. This should be updated periodically and given to those who need to know. A relationship with a financial advisor can serve in this role, as can a fiduciary. Discussions concerning how you would like your funds to be spent and what funds to use should you need care should be part of this discussion.
c. Personal Care needs may not be an issue now, but again, in light of a health crisis or chronic debilitating illness, needs consideration. When you need help with personal care, where do you want that to be provided, and can you afford that? What facilities will you consider if needed? For the Solo Ager, home may not be able to accommodate the care needs if 24/7 care is necessary. Consider what facilities are available in your area. What are your preferences?
4) When to access help can be anytime. I have seniors who live alone and find changing a light bulb or hanging curtains to be a challenge. Minor repairs in the home can be difficult as we lose vision clarity or fine motor abilities. Do you need help with preparing meals or housekeeping and doing laundry? What are you going to do when you are no longer able to drive to your doctor’s appointments or to the grocery or church? Getting services lined up before you need them can offer a sense of security should an emergency arise.
5) Speaking of security and safety, if you live alone, you need to have access to electronic devices that can make your life easier and safer. The most important is an emergency alert system that would notify someone if you had a fall or life-threatening emergency. Whether that is a button you push, or a voice-activated device, this can prevent more severe injury if you can access help quickly. Remote access door locks can keep someone from breaking into your house in the event of an emergency, and cameras can help long-distance friends and relatives keep an eye on things.
6) Social Isolation becomes evident as your circle decreases due to illness, whether your own or your friends and family, death and other loss, transportation issues, and depression. Continued social isolation can be as debilitating as physical health issues.
In summary, thinking about what you do all day long and who you could fill in or what devices would make you safer needs to be identified and accessed before you need it. There are too many crises we see that result in more serious illness or death if supports are not in place.
Resources For Aging Alone:
AARP: https://www.aarp.org/
Area Agency on Agency and Disability
Aging Life Care Association: https://www.aginglifecare.org/
Eldercare Locator: https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/index.aspx
Life Care Planning Law Firms Association: https://www.lcplfa.org/
National Council on Aging: https://www.ncoa.org/
National Institute on Aging: https://www.nia.nih.gov/
Local Senior Centers
Local Faith-Based Organizations
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