Building a Plan for Aging Alone, Tips for Solo Agers

Sometimes called elder orphans, solo seniors, or solo agers, there are many names for the growing group of older adults that are aging alone. Whether they never had children or lost their spouse, there are many reasons a person might find themselves aging alone. For those who find themselves on their own, making a plan for your aging is of utmost importance. Decisions about where you want to live and how, what medical care you should receive, and end-of-life care will need made. These tips should help solo agers age well.

Tips for Aging Alone

Meet with an Elder Law Attorney for Aging Alone

It is incredibly important to meet with an elder law attorney and develop a plan to fill out and file estate planning documents. This attorney can help you execute a Will or Trust as well as a Durable Power of Attorney.

• A Will or Trust grants you the ability to designate who will receive certain bits of the property after you expire. Trusts can help you avoid probate.
• A Durable Power of Attorney grants you the ability to assign a person to manage your financial affairs in the event that you are no longer able.

Devise a Safety Plan

If you are a solo ager, living alone, you may need to ensure you have a plan in place to keep you safe. For those seniors who are comfortable using smart products, there are lots of apps that can help you. Some apps even require you to check in throughout the day to verify you are alright. If you don’t respond, the app will alert an emergency contact.  In some cases, you can program them to contact the police to perform a “wellness check.”

For the non-tech-savvy senior, there are still other options. If you are living on your own in your own home, you may want to contact a Care Coordinator. If you are interested in living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) some safety securities are built into the campus lifestyle.

Make Sure You Have Aging Allies

What is an “aging ally” you might ask? An aging ally is someone who is ready to help you, should you need more care. They are essentially your safety net. 

Who qualifies as an aging ally? An elder law attorney, friend, financial advisor, care manager, doctor, trusted neighbor, relatives, or anyone you trust. Ideally, you would have two aging allies.

With all the senior living options today, researching each of them can be exhausting. To help, we have created your FREE Continuing Care Retirement Community Guide to get you started.