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As my age increases, long-term care planning and setting up my life to age comfortably can no longer delay.
Like many of us 55 years of age (and over,) most have not planned. But for the adults who live without a spouse or adult children -- we cannot afford to put it off. Even my parents delayed making arrangements. But they had offspring to rely on. I don’t. And since I work with aging experts at SeniorCare.com , they encourage me not to ignore my situation.
The matters of aging alone
Concerns about my elder care started after my parents' death. You see I helped care for them and once they were gone, it hit me, "who will do that for me?"
Since the topic affects me intimately, I'm constantly thinking through the issues but found that I have few people to bounce off ideas and solutions with, so, I created a Facebook group to help me build instant support. The group is called Elder Orphans and we're close to 5,000 members. The discussions are very lively and what I love most about the members is that we're in the same circumstance.
According to research on the elder orphans, the penalties for not having a plan can be extensive. According to Dr. Maria Carney, the geriatrician and research scientist, older adults have a higher risk of experiencing cognitive decline, developing coronary heart disease, falling, and even dying early.
These risks increase for people living alone and who are socially isolated. They have higher incidences of medical complications, mental illness, mobility issues and health care access problems.
This is not good news for us, the single without offspring or partners. As the boomers turn 65 , the aging alone segment will increase. (Census 210).
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Who are elder orphans?
What needs to happen?
The geriatrician says, “The medical and social community must actively screen for elder orphans before they lose function or admitted to a healthcare facility.” Read more about her elder orphan research for more details.