A study by AARP showed that 76 percent of adults 50 and older want to stay in their current home as they age. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11 million of those adults live alone. While some choose to live alone, others find themselves living alone after the death of a spouse, or if family members live far away.
No matter what circumstances led you to living alone, it’s still possible to maintain your independence and age in place successfully. In this article, you’ll find resources, tips and advice to help you continue to live happy and healthy on your own throughout your retirement.
Resources
Both national and local resources are available to help with everything from meal delivery and Medicare benefits to comprehensive support and local advocacy.
Continuing Care at Home Programs
Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) programs allow members to access many of the support and benefits of a retirement community while remaining in their own homes. CCaH programs include a wide range of health and wellbeing services to help members remain independent and age successfully. These can include lifestyle and fitness classes, nutritional support, personal response devices and more.
Sun Health At Home®
Sun Health At Home has been recognized for its innovation as the first program of its kind in Arizona. As a Continuing Care at Home program, Sun Health At Home provides the support of a personal Wellness Coordinator, who will work with you to create a plan that helps you stay happy, healthy and independent in your home. Whether that means coordinating medically necessary transportation, conducting an in-home functional and safety assessment, or helping refer you to qualified home maintenance professionals, your personal Wellness Coordinator will act as your partner and personal advocate.
The perks don’t end there: Sun Health At Home members also receive guest privileges at all three Sun Health Community locations, as well as a package of benefits from the Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing and access to a full calendar of monthly social and cultural activities.
National Council On Aging
The National Council on Aging works with a variety of nonprofits, businesses and government agencies to provide community programs and services to people 60 years and older. They offer tools to help you budget, make the most of your Medicare benefits and identify any benefits you may be eligible for.
AARP
AARP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that focuses on helping people age 50 and older improve the quality of their lives through healthy living tips, senior discounts, news and product information. AARP has over 30 million members across all 50 states. AARP Arizona provides local insights and opportunities to save, along with events, helpful resources and more.
AARP Foundation
The AARP Foundation focuses on helping low-income older adults who may be struggling with the basic necessities of life, including nutritious food, affordable housing, social integration and a steady reliable income. With the help of volunteers, legal advocates and partnering organizations, the AARP Foundation creates effective solutions for those who need support.
Meals on Wheels
Living on your own, you may not feel as motivated to cook; leading to endless snacking and junk food habits or skipping meals altogether. Organizations like Meals on Wheels address these bad habits by delivering fully cooked nutritional meals right to your door—no trip to the grocery store necessary.
Area Agency on Aging
An Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is a nonprofit private or public agency that advocates for older adults to access resources, assistance and community outreach efforts. Across the country, AAAs make up a network of over 600 organizations. Most agencies serve a specific area, while others are statewide. In Arizona, Maricopa County is served by Area Agency on Aging Region One. You can find the AAA that serves your area by entering your zipcode on the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging website.
Safety and Security Tips
You can use the following tips to feel confident in your ability to stay safe and secure in your home.
Tip 1: Stay Healthy
The best way to remain independent is to take care of your health. Inactivity is one of the main risk factors for obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions. Even small lifestyle changes can make a big impact in the long run. Taking a walk around the block (when weather permits) or doing easy exercises at home can help keep your heart, bones and mind healthy and strong. Plus, improving your core strength can improve your balance, reducing your risk of falls.
Tip 2: Consider an Alert System
A medical alert system is a great way to stay safe at home. It ensures that, if an emergency happens, you’ll be able to call for help easily from anywhere in your home. This is especially valuable for older adults living alone who do not have someone nearby at all times to help them.
If any of the following describe you, it’s a good idea to look into getting a medical alert system.
- You’ve stumbled or fallen in the past year
- You’ve been hospitalized or to the ER in the past year
- You have a chronic condition such as heart disease, arthritis or diabetes
- You take medications that cause drowsiness or dizziness
- You use a mobility device such as a cane, walker or wheelchair
Tip 3: Recognize a Scam
Many scammers and schemers target older adults due to perceived vulnerability. Some may pretend to be a friend or relative who needs your help, or pose as a government official demanding money. They may also offer you a great deal on debt relief, grant money or say you’ve won a large sum of money. As a general rule: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never give somebody your bank account information, Social Security number or any other personally identifiable information over the phone, unless they’re a verified employee of a bank, doctor’s office or other reputable institution.
You can download an app to your smart phone to help screen scammer calls. Choices include TrueCaller, Hiya, and more. You can also rely on your cell or landline phone provider to identify known scammer numbers as “scam likely” or “nuisance call”.
Online Scams
Scams are just as common online as they are offline. Thankfully, staying safe online is easy. Make sure your WiFi network is password protected, and install an antivirus software to protect you from malware. Only make a purchase from websites with safe, private and encrypted connections. You can verify trusted websites by looking for a green padlock to the left of the URL in the address bar, and by making sure the URL begins with https://.
Phishing is a common form of online fraud. It involves an email that closely mimics an email from a reputable company: such as Microsoft, Apple or your bank. The email may claim to be from these companies, but if you look closely, you’ll likely notice misspellings, poor grammar and vague instructions telling you to click a link in the email to verify your information. If an email looks odd, it probably is. When in doubt, you can call the company and ask if the email you received is legitimate.
Tip 4: Stay Socially Connected
Older adults living alone have an increased risk of depression due to a lack of social interaction. A lack of social activity and connections can increase the rate of cognitive decline, according to research conducted at Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago. Epidemiologist Bryan James found that the rate of cognitive decline was 70 percent lower in people who had frequent social interaction and engagements.
You can add more social interaction into your life by:
- Making regular plans with friends and family
- Volunteering for causes that are important to you
- Joining a hobby group or club
- Taking a class
Get to know your neighbors
Getting to know your neighbors has two key benefits: One, you can feel secure in your neighborhood, knowing if anything happens, help is next door. And two, you can avoid isolation by making your neighbors a part of your social circle. Even something as simple as having a neighbor stop by once a week for coffee or organizing a monthly card game can go a long way towards a fulfilling social life.
Tip 5: Make home modifications
Your home should be a safe and comfortable place for you to relax and enjoy your retirement. To make sure it stays that way, there are several important home modifications to make.
Each of the following modifications help reduce the risk of injuries, such as falls, and the potential for accidents around the home:
- Installing grab bars for tubs, showers and toilets
- Using non-skid bathroom mats
- Removing unnecessary throw rugs
- Ensuring pathways are clear and well lit
- Installing extra lighting where needed
- Installing lever-style door handles and faucets
Even if you don’t feel like you need the modifications above right now, as you age there’s a good chance your mobility will decrease in some way, and you’ll likely appreciate the forethought of having accessible home modifications already in place.
Tip 6: Use a Vial of Life and File of Life
Vial of Life and File of Life are life-saving tools designed to speak for you during a medical emergency or other circumstances where you may not be able to speak for yourself. Both tools make it easy to compile your medical information—such as current medications, dosage history, doctor contact information and more—in one place. That way, family members or first responders can easily access your information and take the appropriate actions in an emergency situation.
You can order your Vial of Life and File of Life for free from Sun Health Wellness by calling (623) 832-9355.
Sun Health At Home: Helping you stay independent
Even if you live by yourself, you’re never truly alone as a Sun Health At Home member. Your personal Wellness Coordinator will get to know your likes, dislikes, lifestyle and preferences. Taking your best interests to heart, your Wellness Coordinator is always available to navigate health and wellbeing services, referrals, benefit coordination and more on your behalf. Contact us to get started with Sun Health At Home.
